Egypt Nile cruise 🛳

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ok, as we all begin to work our way home, I am determined to post a final blog of our Egypt trip. It was a thoroughly amazing trip with a very compatible group of people!



So, after arriving in Luxor, we boarded the Esmeraldo for our 4 day Nile cruise. Each afternoon, we would cruise up the NIle, and each evening we tied up at dock with @ 4-5 other ships. Our ship was comfortable with 60 cabins on board, but seemed ample space to enjoy the wonderful Nile river. Most afternoons, we would sit on the top tier and watch the world go by. Dinners were buffet style with ample food and never seemed crowded.



During the day we would see more temples and tombs as we worked our way south towards Aswan! The first night we enter Esna lock. We enter the line around 9:30, but it is after midnight before our ship actually gets thru. We are told there were 18 boats ahead of us!



The next morning we are scheduled to take a horse carriage ride to Horus Temple at Edfu, but to avert the long line of people waiting the 7 of us cram into an Egyptian style tuk tuk. The detail of the temple is amazing and we learn of the battle between the Gods Horus and Seth! Continuing up river to Kom Ombo, which includes the mummified crocodiles. And the Nile meter which the water level determined to amount of tax assessed.



On the 3rd day we chose to fly to Abu Simbal to avoid the 7-8 hour roundtrip drive thru the desert. Abu Simbal is the 100' temple for Ramesses II and his wife Nefertari, which was moved upon construction of the Aswan dam. It was very crowded inside the temple and hot, but well worth it to see the temples and detail. Today is a long day, visiting Philae, a perfume factory, a spice factory, and a sunset felucca ride on the Nile.



The next day, another early morning, we arrive in Cairo and enjoy a tour of the Civilization Museum and a visit into Old Cairo and the souks area.



We then spent 2 days in Athens which included an evening food tour and a 4 hour tour of the Acropolis and the Acropolis museum.



Saying goodbye to Kelli and Courtney, the 6 of us catch a flight to Paros and spend a lovely week on the island. The first couple days are windy, but by the end we enjoy 70 degree weather!

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Photos

Shopping on the Nile
They would throw the item up to us, we would throw the money down.