Egypt
Egypt is striking for the authenticity of most of its people.
Here, I met a newspaper vendor who had known a very good friend of my father for over 70 years and who inspired me with his zest for life and kindness.
He generously offered me a handful of mints and wished me a life as long as his own (over 80 years).
Planned and unplanned encounters
Shahenda was my contact there, the niece of Cherif, a very good friend of Papa's (who also happened to be his interpreter during their work trips).
She was a great support and has become a lifelong friend, and her friends are now my friends too.
She guided me, planned my travels, helped me avoid trouble, introduced me to extraordinary people…
In short, she was my guardian angel throughout my stay in Egypt.
Egyptian History
Of course, Egypt evokes history; the grand Egyptian history is found in every corner of the country.
I was able to start my trip in Alexandria, then travel down to Cairo, and then to Luxor to begin my Nile cruise.
I was aboard the MS Tuya, a five-star ship.
The trip was magnificent.
We went as far as Aswan and then took a bus to visit the famous Abu Simbel temples.
Of course, along the way, we stopped at numerous temples, villages, and museums, and also visited Nubia.
I also had the opportunity to take a hot air balloon ride at sunrise.
Alexandria
Cairo
Luxor, Karnak Temple and Amon Temple
The Valley of the Kings and the start of the Nile cruise
Aswan and Elephantine Island
The magnificent Abou Simbel temple
Aswan, its botanical garden and the Nubian village
Kom Ombo
Hot air balloon flight over the site of Edfu
