Day 5: Luxor and Banana Island

Gabriel knew we were in need of relaxing. He booked two extra things to do since we couldn't have stayed at the Villa any longer, and we couldn't get onto our train until 7:45pm. He thought we would enjoy Banana Island and also a horse and carriage ride through Old Luxor and the outdoor markets. The price was fine and we were pretty desperate. Matt was barely functional having also been infected with a bacterial problem.  We got onto an old Filucka and sailed down the Nile.

This sail looked like it had been made of bed quilts. Hand sewn and kept working for years.

Gabriel showed us all about Banana farming.



They also had a few animals in cages. Nile crocodile babies, monkeys, and farm animals.


Gabriel also gave us a little lecture on writing hieroglyphics and the symbolism behind the letters. I don't know how real those were but maybe. 


We got to ride by the Winter Palace several times. All those Amelia Peabody stories about this hotel made me smile. Apparently they are building a new Luxor and plan to move everyone into this new city. The old city will be leveled and dedicated to archeology for a living museum. That seems enormous. I can't imagine honestly.






Gabriel knew everyone in Luxor and took us to his friend's restaurant. We waited here for our train. 
She sleeps like a baby on trains. I think at this point we all slept better than we normally would have. Unfortunately we had an early arrival into Cairo and we had to go straight on to our tours. This trip was a step-by-step in faith. This was Christmas Eve. It was heart-wrenching for a Mom to have to push her kids to bravely continue on feeling terrible on Christmas morning but I didn't see a way around it. Just like them, I had to put one foot in front of another.
 

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