Thursday, August 29, 2019

a felucca voyage down the Nile, Egypt


"We headed off toward outcroppings of gray stone rounded smooth by thousands of years of water lapping against them. Always in the distance, perched above us in a barren landscape, stood the Aga Khan Mausoleum.

"The Jellika had no motor — she was entirely dependent upon the wind. We’d cruise along slowly, calmly, for most of the ride, though there were moments when the breeze would pick up and we’d gain a considerable amount of speed.

"We rounded Elephantine Island, its temple ruins visible in glimpses. Some say the island got its name from the large rocks at one end that aren’t too difficult to imagine as bathing pachyderms — though it might have more to do with the fact that it was once an outpost of the ivory trade."

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