Nile Cruise: Aswan

Clive didn't fare too well in Aswan. We thought initially it was the Pharoah's Curse, but more likely it was reaction too rich and plentiful eating. Can't complain about the food! Shelley took in visits to the Temple of Philae (by felucca) in Lake Nasser; the Aswan High Dam (and we crossed the lower dam at a later point) and on to the Botanical Gardens. After lunch, and a kip, we took a tour to a local mosque in Aswan, where because it was 5.10pm and not many (five in fact) Muslims come to pray at that time, we were able to sit in and watch them at prayer in a mosue built about 25 years ago. Our guide explained to us his version of Islam and how accommodating and tolerant it is of other religions and from there we tripped down to the local markets where we were let loose for an hour. Very similar to the markets of Turkey and Istanbul in particular. Hassled all the way by shop owners (and their'vultures') we were encouraged to buy: 'Come and have a butcher's'; 'ASDA prices..'; 'We'll pay you to come and look'. Clive tried bartering with a book stall owner and was told to 'Go away' because his offer price was absurdly low. We met other members of our tour group in a local coffee shop where we had free drinks and Shisha - Shelley insists she didn't inhale the raspberry flavoured smoke that bubbled through the water! It WAS nice!