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Death (and Life) on the Nile

By littlemisadventures

LuxorI’ve gotten used to thinking of Egypt as a city- a vast, congested sea of humanity. However, there’s much more to the country than Cairo. During the recent Eid al Adha, I traveled to Upper Egypt with my mom, who flew in from Chicago ostensibly to see me but actually to see various dead kings and their monuments. I’m fine with that, incidentally.

A professor told me that the years don’t pass very quickly in Upper Egypt. I understood what this meant as soon as I stepped off the train. If it hadn’t been for the tourists’ fancy cameras and the pop music playing in cafés, we could have traveled back in time. The countryside was lush and peaceful. Buffaloes and donkeys sauntered through the streets, unfazed by the motorcycles. Men sat leisurely outside stores sipping tea and chatting. Teenagers hacked enthusiastically at the bodies of strung-up animals in preparation for eid dinners as bone shards, blood, and bits of meat flew everywhere. We took a three-day cruise, visiting tombs and temples during the day then docking at night in Luxor, Edfu, and Aswan.

During the trip, I met a fascinating array of people and had some great conversations. There were lots of vacationers from Jordan on the boat, who obligingly spoke Egyptian Arabic (apparently, this is courtesy of Egypt’s prolific film industry). I talked with them about their jobs and families, American economic policy, and the benefits of home-schooling. I also learned about the worries of the Coptic community regarding President Morsi, which are making headlines in Egypt this week. The appointment of the new Coptic pope has coincided with protests by Salafi-led groups who want Egypt’s constitution to incorporate Sharia law. Lighter topics included Egypt’s “winter weather,” the foibles of Arabic grammar, and the likelihood of Mom moving to Egypt and running the household via Skype (it was pretty high for a few minutes).

While I thoroughly enjoyed Upper Egypt, I don’t think I’d want to live there permanently. I found myself missing the bustle and the crowds, my favorite restaurants, and even my classes. I smiled all the way back to Cairo. It’s good to be back with my friends, in the smoggy city that I have grown to love so much.