Another day at keypad  just typing away all the experiences before I will forget them all and also have a day of breather after all the walking and saying no to all the street vendors who thinks that we tourist are walking ATM. This is best explained by kids who said to me on one of the street “Hello, Money” 😊 exactly as they see us, walking wallet what is there for them to tap in it as much as they want, which is on the market, shops and food stores except some honest who really charge you as the locals, when I watched the locals buy something I saw how much they paid. Only so much typing one can do in a day without feeling like it is work…. So now walking to the east bank promenade and do some drawing of the  west bank from the bench at side of Nile with locals sitting next to me and some also looking at my childish drawing. I asked the God and Angels to protect me from the street vendors as I was losing patience and nothing worked so far “except physical violence” what I restrain myself from, so this option is the best after a meditation a bit on the topic in the morning sun I went out and behold nothing had happened, I was hassle free. Actually one came but I just kept waling as he followed me and when I asked God, Angels that he will leave me,  puf and he was gone “ no he did not drop dead or fall into manhole” he just simply stop talking and went back. Therefore I was able to draw, walk uninterrupted for few hours until I realized that it is time to get changed and go to Sunrise Café at West bank where I arranged felluca trip to sunset with Ahmed directly without any tourist agency. Short Ferry trip on the nice open Ferry with ornaments all over from ancient Egypt made from the polycarbonate “just paint was bleached by sun” hanging over the side railings to please the gods probably but most likely just as tourist attraction. Sunrise Café is fabulous spot and in case you are in Luxor go to the West bank and walk to the right as you disembark the ferry on the footpath and then continue on the dust track under the trees for no longer than 50 meters. After a cup of tea I had to get my afternoon nap so I lay down at seating area and got probably half an hour good nap, even with dreams, which I do not remember 😊 but Ahmed was laughing when came back and asked if I had good sleep and if I want coffee. Got a another cup of tea when the captain Abdul arrived and we had to go to the boat immediately, so with cup in the hand we walked towards the Felluca down the dusty path under the trees until we crossed the railings and descend the stone bank to the river to board Bob Marley Freedom boat 😊 seriously even with own flags …

Boarding the Felluca and we are off to the Nile in silence with sun shinning through the mast on us and the waves of green Nile gently crushing on the side of boat we pull up sail, got wind and went up river towards Banana island. The journey was nice as it could be when only wind propels you and occasionally local tourist motor boats full of tourist, blasting music like it is Ibiza party time passing by to get there to see the sunset. We opted not to follow tourist trail but instead we went to the old banana island which actually is island and since the sun was low and sailing was pleasant we continue upstream towards the sun. Passed the Maritime Jolie Ville Kings Island Hotel what is simply your most luxurious living room from New York or Paris or any main posh place on the Nile bank for a lot of money you have experience of posh living on island “what could be anywhere in the world” as you are isolated from any regular contact with Egypt. But hey whatever works for everyone. As the motor boats were left behind us on the so called banana island the water become still as mirror, without any motor boat making the waves it was serene and so mind clearing that I do now understood why is so popular… I could easily sail all day long on it and just observe the nature, listen to sounds of nature, watching the migrating birds overhead and clear my mind… Of course eventually this paradise was disrupted by big cruise ship belong to Winter Palace Hotel with all those people dressed immaculately and sophisticated in their white trousers and polo shirts taking pictures of us on the felluca instead of their luxurious boat 😊

so funny as we did not bother to take any photo of this floating hotel but they paid top dollar to have Egyptian experience and then took  photos of us on old battered Felluca doing real local trip. Hard to explain it but at the moment it seems like they rather be on Felluca instead of their mighty luxurious ship. Anyway as the boat passed the sunset came and we were just observing it with awe as the sun went down through the trees over the banana island.

 Since we were now going downstream the sail was not that important and captain lowered the weight and turn the boat side ways to catch the stream and move us down slowly. Another search light hit us from cruise ship so we felt like movie stars on the Hollywood boulevard and wave back 😊 then the light went off and silence and darkness enveloped us with city light shimmering in the distance with its noises of traffic. As we were near the ferry place captain took out oars and we slowly rowed to fit to our parking spot. Since we were a bit later, the usual spot was taken and we anchored at side of the bigger boat and got up on it and then pulled the Felluca a bit to her parking slot. Back on the land walked towards the café both dogs came and guard us all the way. Got a cup of tea to warm up as on the river is a bit cold even in Egypt, as much as I pulled my long trousers from back pack and even wind breaker still I was feeling cold, nearly like in Ireland where the dampness is going into your bones. Warmed up and paid for the three hours trip 200 pounds / €10  instead of agreed 150 pounds, walked towards the Ferry and on the way say good bye to captain Abdul and Ahmed,owner of the café who were sitting at railings and having a smoke “everyone here smokes as chimney” we parted and I went back to rush hour of town. As my last meal was at 13:00 and the water made me a bit hungry I stopped at local street vendor to get fresh falafel and aubergine chips for dinner” really got used to them” than slowly walked towards side streets towards the Hotel and got a small snack of freshly roasted peanuts, what tasted differently than any other I had previously. Few moments at the roof terrace of the hotel to finish my drawings and then bed time as tomorrow is last day in Luxor.

What a last day it was…. Since I loved the sailing so much I went to Sunrise Café again to get on board of Felluca and to learn how to sail it, in one to one session with captain Abdul on sunny and warm day.

Before the sailing we’ve got a bit of lunch at local place near Ferry bank. I’ve got falafel and captain got cigarettes 😊 As real sailor and not Egyptian I took off the t-shirt to get some vitamin D and sun tan so I will no longer have my pale white yogurt colored skin. Wind was strong and we were able to sail upstream and downstream few times and when we have got wind wow what a nice speed we have gained in seconds the Felluca was on one side slicing water as knife into butter. Not many Fellucas on the river as it is holiday so we were only one between speed and motor boats and also floating hotels what slowly took up nearly whole river as they departed to Aswan later in afternoon.  Amazing sight to be beside the big floating hotel in small Felluca and just by changing the sail position we change the speed. Abdul  tried to teach me how to spot the different wind before it hit us and how to handle the boat in strong wind but I sailed myself only in easy wind. Few times up and down and we were ready to go back to shore as the sun was slowly start coming down and Egypt no Egypt when you are on the water and sun is gone it is cold. We picked his friend Mustafa from East bank who is also captain with his own boat and then he took over and as they have they smoke they talked and I just gazed over the Nile towards the Valley of Kings and coming sunset. Beautiful last day at Luxor, what a send of.

That’s it folks ! Luxor done.