I am so sorry, but I simply cannot remember how to edit posts.  Consequently, there will be mistakes such as in the last post when I said the first photo was of the sunset.

A few more photos.  Notice the sand floor.

Arriving in Aswan Mohammed took us for an amazing fresh fish dinner/late lunch.

On across the river to the Nubian village where we will spend two nights.

I love this place.  Mohammed took me here last time because it had been recommended to him.

The guys had to get up at six a.m. for the drive to Abu Simbel.  When I opened my door, not knowing what time it was, low and behold there were all three of us each standing in front of our doors in our sleep wear!  I asked what time it was and they said six.  They went back in to dress, but I went to the sit a table wait and make sure they did not go back to sleep.

Mohammed came out first and made us tea.  There was no staff about yet.  The packed breakfast for the boys had been set out earlier.  After tea they left.  It is now 3:15 in the afternoon and I am still catching up.

The first photo was sunrise over the Nile from our spot. Some other shots from the hotel.

DDriving the short distance from the Nile back to the desert road is stunning. All the green.  The Nile Valley is amazing....dates, bananas, grapes, oranges, cabbage, corn etc.

Along the road every few Kms there are water stops.  Most people here ride donkeys and it is hot.

I asked one of the men at Edfu where he lived and he said that it was twenty minutes that way (pointing) by donkey.

Although I have now been between Luxor and Aswan three times this desert road and a stop at Edfu temple  was  a first.  How lovely the Nile is from here. It brings back happy memories from my dahabiya trip in March.

There is a ticket office and several men, one police officer, and us. After visiting the temple, Ahmed recorded, we had tea with the workers and left.

After our day at Habu the plan was for Mohammed to take Ahmed on a trip to Aswan and Abu Simbel the next day.  I was invited as a guest.  Lovely.

We set out later than planned because sleepy head, Ahmed, was not ready.  Not a problem because time was ours.  We took the desert road which is not the one tourists or tours take.  At our fist check point Mohammed was told this.  He knew and had his answer ready "They are not tourists,the are friends".  After checking the trunk, they wished us a pleasant journey.

This desert road is beautiful made even more so due to very very very few vehicles, and then only when nearing Aswan.  I felt quite like an explorer.

Before leaving the West Bank, Luxor, we stopped to get Ahmed a quick breakfast.

Some photos from Hotel Sheherazade in Luxor (Mohammed,s hotel).

Friday Ahmed, Mohammed, and I went to Medinet Habu so that he could record in the temple.  You may recall that Habu was a favourite place last time,.

A disappointment was in store.  This time there were two large tour buses there.  We had tea across the street and waited for the groups to 

leave.  The guardian came over, greeted Mohammed and welcomed me back.  Mohammed introduced him to Ahmed and he excited to hear the music.  However, this time we needed to through police security, and they refused to us take the Irish baouzouki in.  Even me, who sat down as visibly upset as a kid who did not get what she wanted for Christmas, nor any bribe, could change his mind.  Ahmed went in to look at it all.  Mohammed and I were in but stayed closer to the entrance. Another policeman there said that he would go back and try to get the bouzouki released.....no luck.  Do not believe it when you read that $$$$ can buy anything in Egypt.

When we left Mohammed drove across the street down a dirt track. The guardian met us there and unlocked the old gate.  We were entering a small tomb temple, not open to visitors.  

Ahmed made two videos here.

I hope he will share some clips with us here.  Fingers crossed.  If so, they will be in a separate post later.

I am trying to find the video...it's here, but can't get it to post.  I knew I should have brought the MacBook.

Will try to get Ahmed to do it when he gets back.  Yes, he is here, too.

F

 FInally some time to catch up. You know how very busy I have been,

It is now early Saturdy afternoon and I am sitting in the covered outdoor gathering place at the Nubian Dream hotel in Aswan.

So, let s go back to Tuesday night.  The young musician from Bahrain, staying at the hotel, made the evening very memorable.  He composed and played this while we were sitting in the garden.

H

Lunch and dinner have also been on my terrace.  I do not order.  Mohammed knows what I like and how much, so I get delightful surprises which have all been delicious   He tells the chef what to prepare off menu.

Yesterday I did take a walk around the new area and it is fantastic.  Photos to come.

Tonight I got showered shaved, and dressed to have dinner by the gazebo.  I promise photos. But you do understand how busy I have been,right!

There is an amazing young musician from Bahrain who is staying here for a few nights.  It was an evening that will give me many many years of happy memories.  Tomorrow, something special with the man from Bahrain .  I do not want to say what-do not want to jinx it.  All I will say is that I am beyond excited.

I have been here in Luxor for two nights now.  I kept almost exclusively to my room and terrace.  Did I mention my bed!

This is not difficult to do.

Five or ten minutes after I awake and open my door, Amin is here asking if I want my breakfast.  He brings it to my terrace.

I have exactly what I like.  Mohammed got me a jar of local honey and some non commercial yogurt.  I brought my  own coffee, filters, and the Melitta pour  come.  I also brought good. Cinnamon.

So, breakfast consists of freshly brewed coffee, not those terrible packets of instant Nescafé that seem to be the norm here.  Some bread with honey and cinnamon, a small piece of soft cheese, and then a small  omelette.  I finish off with yogurt, a dab of honey, and a sliced banana (hours from the plant).  I save my glass of freshly squeed juice to have an hour later.  The juice de jour has been guava this time.

After all that hard work, what is a gal to do?  I  make a second cup of coffee, have a cigarette, and enjoy my tiny terrace a mere two feet from a garden where I take in the aroma of the many plants.  I watch the colourful bird all around.

Bliss

I finally made it as far as Cairo airport.  The flight from Toronto was uneventful, thankfully.

In Toronto it is nice to have free wifi.  Sure does help to pass the time, but I think the old days when people actually talked to each other was superior.

In Cairo there is no wifi, but there are large smoking rooms where people do talk, even though most of them have some sort of data plan on their phone.  It is not common for men and women, who are not related, talk.  However, I find that many of the men make an exception for me (tourist) when I start to talk to them.

I have about a five hour wait here and then my fifty minute flight to Luxor.

Hi Joseph,
I just added you to notifications by email.  I hope I did it right :)

What I am taking with me for friends in Luxor.
i am taking some cold smoked Canadian salmon from TJ's.  They don't know about this and don't know if they will like it or not, but I will :)
My neighbour gave me a loaf of home made sweet fruit bread which I have frozen and am taking so that we can all enjoy it with our tea/coffee.Thanks Shirley.
They have dates from the oasis, but I am taking a box of fresh dates from Iran.  They are absolutely delicious.  We will share and compare dates.
I have also prepared some gifts for Mohamed's children and wife. I hope they enjoy.
One week from now I will be waiting for morning and my trip to the airport.
I am so excited.

Oh my.  One week from Monday I will be leaving on my flight to Luxor.
I have been busy buying items for Mohammed' s family.  Not big things, but stuff I hope the kids will enjoy.


Of course I will also take some of my favourite foods to share.


Times have been very tough in Egypt since the revolution five years ago.  The most difficult has been the last year.  Five years of negative press and minimal tourists have taken a big toll on them.  Businesses have suffered so very very much.
 I pray that the future will be better.

So many people comment on the safety issue.  They ask if I have to be on guard all the time.
 I feel completely safe there.  As a matter of fact, I don't even think about safety…I just am.

I am so excited to be going there again.  Skyping is great, but actually being there is going to be so much better.

You  may find my posts boring this time because I don't have any plan to go many places.  But, you will read about life on the West Bank of Luxor and the day to day goings on.  I do want to have a picnic (with permission)  at the 'mountain' probably on top of some yet undiscovered temple or tomb.  I will visit the house of Carter, the one who discovered King Tut's tomb.  I definitely want to go to a Sufi service again. There is so much more that I am looking forward to.  Most of all, being with the people of Gizera and experiencing day to day life there will be totally awesome. For the rest I leave it up to serendipity.

Perhaps, if the budget allows, there will be a trip to the Red Sea and a return visit to Aswan.

Meanwhile, I am getting everything together and will pack in the next few days.