Egypt Day 7: Nubian Village, Aswan, back to Cairo

I really want to finish these recaps and I'm barely halfway through! Let's go back to Egypt. It was the best trip we've ever taken as a family and writing about it brings back the fun and wonder. Especially because early January feels like it was 2 years ago instead of 2 months.

We're picking back up on Day 7- our last day to wake up on the boat where we were docked at our final stop in Aswan. It was supposed to be an empty morning, meant for sleeping in and getting ready to travel back to Cairo, but our guide Jusef, an Egyptian-born Egyptologist, highly recommended a trip to the Nubian Village.

We would go by a small boat that would pick us up from the cruise ship, travel along some lush, greener banks of the Nile, stop at a sandy beach, and visit a Nubian Village for tea, bread, and to see the sacred baby crocodiles. The kids were all in at “baby crocodiles,” and so our alarms were set once more.

We were up bright and early, what even is sleep on vacation?, and boarded a small boat that picked us up at the docked ship to sail to the village.

We rode along banks more lush than those we had seen so far, filled with bushes and birds of all kinds. We stopped at a sandy beach area so we could finally touch this water we'd been living on for 5 days and it was crystal clear and FREEZING cold.

Cora, forever our beach baby, immediately attempted to build a sand castle, but the sand was so fine it couldn't take any shape. It was hard to walk in and you immediately understand why camels with their giant feet and few toes walked so well along it.

There are many Nubian Villages on many small islands around the river, but we stopped at one our guide likes to visit.

He explained as we sailed that the Nubian people originate from Sudan, but have been in Egypt since ancient times. They are generally darker skinned and their language, which is *only* spoken, is competely different from any other language spoken in Egypt. Our guide said he has learned some of their language to get by but his native Arabic isn't helpful at all.

Their architecture is also completely different from anything else we'd seen so far on the trip- their buildings are all soft lines and round curves, with bright colors, and patterns.

And they worship crocodiles. Jusef explained this as a deep part of the Nubian culture- the raising, care, and eventual release of crocodiles.

There are mummified crocodiles outside most buildings, for blessing and protection, and the larger homes often have a baby crocodile, or even an adult, inside. I'm just going to say I felt weird about the crocodiles in their small pens. I'm also going to acknowledge that it is absolutely a deep part of their culture and I don't know that my opinion matters. Our guide insisted they are beloved and well cared for and there is even a crocodile vet who goes from village to village to check on the sacred animals.

The Nubian people were very friendly and we were thankful they invited us into their home. Despite being sandy floored, the homes and city pathways were spotlessly clean and someone was always sweeping everywhere we looked.

We had tea (hot black mint or cold hibiscus; the black mint was by far the best tea I had on the trip) and were offered a hearty homemade bread (a loaf-style, not pita) and dips which again were VERY different from those we had seen so far. It felt like being dropped in an entirely different country.

Once we had our tea and bread, we were offered the chance to hold one of the three baby crocodiles in the home. The patriach who brought our baby crocodile over to us raised them from eggs. When they get bigger they are set free in Lake Nassar. The croc was surprisingly heavy and solid, with a smooth belly, and he calmed instantly if you patted his head. The kids were delighted they got to hold a baby crocodile and Landon has the picture of him snuggling the croc framed in his room.

On our way out we said hello to the camels in the village and the kids got to sit on one. The camels, our first to see up close on the trip, have a lot of personality and also enjoy a head pat.

The boat ride back was lovely and then we were back on our big boat, waiting to be picked up for the airport to fly back to Cairo.

As we learned was pretty standard, our flight was delayed, then more delayed, then mildly chaotic when they decided it was time to board RIGHT NOW, especially since you board a bus and THEN the plane, but we made it to Cairo and back to our old hotel and guide (and fave Egyptian restaurant!).

We ate dinner at the Egyptian restaurant in our hotel every night in Cairo. It was so darn good and so easy (and cheap!). We found we were up early, adventured all day, and then ate at "home" and collapsed in bed right after.

The girls started eating at the more American style restaurant one floor down. They loved getting their own table, eating spaghetti every night, and getting ice cream for dessert. Their total bill each night was about $22.

We went to bed so thankful for all our experiences along the Nile and excited to be back in Cairo to see more of the bustling, crazy, beautiful city!

The next post will be Day 9- my favorite of the whole trip!