Natura

Flight from Aswan to Cairo, short haul, domestic terminal MUCH nicer than international. Picked up at the airport by Mustafa and dropped at the hotel. Four broken down cars, one accident and construction causing six lanes to reduce to one made for an interesting journey.

Morning all. Sitting on the top deck of the ship waiting to disembark so I'll update you on what we were up to yesterday. By the way we're in Aswan now and the last two blog entries were uploaded (put onto the internet for the grannies) from here after the tour in the morning. Awan is the final stop on the NIle cruise due to a massive dam regulating the level of the Nile and providing electricity for the rest of the country. Once again we were off bright and early in a van travelling up river to the dam. There's a look off spot to take photos (no video allowed though how they can tell when a digital camera is in video mode I have no idea) where there is the basic information about the dam. This is actually the second dam located here in Aswan, the first built during British occupation in Victorian times. The second is about three times the size and uses Russian engineering (having been refused assistance by the americans, the UN, the europeans...not sure if they asked Canada). Its an incredible structure (wide not high given the flatness of this flood plane) and holding back the largest man-made lake in the world. I wonder if they will have this claim once the chinese are finished with the Yangtzee. The hydroelectric output is 175,000 trillion mega-watts max. That's quite a bit. It services the entire country (for now) with the exception of Aswan which has its own facility. Their electric demands are mounting so there is a nuclear project underway. Pretty much the entire Nubian society (which was located in the south of Egypt and is more african) had to be re-established elsewhere since its now underwater. We then were taken to a boat launch and motored to an island where another temple stood. This had also been moved due to the new level of the Nile to its current location. T

his was the most modern temple having Trajan and Hadrian elements to it which is getting to around 300 BC. I won't elaborate on the elements since they are similar to the temple Horas. Following this we returned to Aswan and went sailing on one of the Feluccas, very gracefull vessels constantly moving around the Nile. Its funny when you read the guide books where they are mentioned I kind expected to see one boat. Maybe. But there are tons of these things.

They really are the main method of transportation on the Nile. Very different from our boat at home it has a fairly short main mast very far forward in the boat (like a lazer or sunfish or pram). It's one sail is like a right-angled triangle (pythagorus?) with a very long mast on the verticle, a short boom on the horizontal and nothing on the hypotenuse. The sail is constructed from strips of cotton sewn vertically and this sail bascally rotates around the shorter main mast. Simple, brilliant and cool is how low-tech it is.

The lines made from hemp, pullies from wood, no traveller, a dagger board instead of a keel and it all functions above a big sunshade that pretty much covers the entire deck/cockpit. This sunshade also doubles as a platform when tieing up the sail and, if necessary, for crew if the boat is full of tourists. We are quite lucky travelling with just the three of us. We always have our own bus, boat, guide..... so we move about efficiently and can ask as many stupid questions as we want. In the afternoon instead of lying around on deck we wandered about, found the internet cafe, bought hyacienth leaves (you'll find out why) and strolled through the markets.

Facinating.

Started the day at 7:15 with Pancakes !

Crepes with a light sugary syrup - probably sugar cane.

We arrived in Las Vegas after an uneventful flight with WestJet (about 4 hours). 

We took a taxi to the RV center (about 20 minutes) in blistering heat (38C+).  

We had to watch the video all about taking care of the RV (Paul had watched it before but I made him watch through it again).   We signed up all the papers (paid extra $60 to not have to fill up the propane or do the grey or black water – yuck – well worth it).  

Get the ticket bought.  Then, check out Jack Rabbit’s email blasts and the Survival Guide for much information. 

The important thing is water.  All else is secondary.  Got to bring our own.  This will be fun !

Not much time to go !

I’ve got most of my items all ready to pack, but need to wrap up the clothing (most shorts, tshirts, lots of socks, undies, etc). Still might get a few more of the bike lights (spoke lights) as I have only one. Little things like various drugs (just in case) are still on the list, but we’ll be passing by Walmarts and various stores while we are collecting all the items for the trip down there.

PEANUT OIL (10 Gallons) – whats that possibly for?
Also, 100 buns, 5 6litre boxes of chillable red wine (Sangria’s I assume),
3 lbs grated parmesan cheese and some other things.
We should be fine, but the RV will be crowded as we are also getting 2 bikes down there (new) and assembling them. Maybe they will go on the roof ?

Its thursday, two days to go.  I’m just starting up the blog to set it up for blogging on a daily basis for text items, and to include photos. 
Heres a pix of my ticket that cost about $260 back in march. There are supposed to be about 65,000 people there.  Paul Mizzi and I have joined the LAMP LIGHTERS and are in the village with our 24’ RV (with air con and all the luxuries).   I’ll be drinking lots of water soon – they recommend over a gallon a day.  Lots of PC in that !

Big day..... Decided to do the trail.....and every craft store on it.

We did very well, got some Christmas prezzies etc.  Quite something to see some of those runs in the day light. I never knew MacKenzie mountain had a valley with a beautiful river at the bottom and finally saw that most famous view that you see on the post cards. It's between north and MacKenzie but it's always been too dark to see it.  

Those hills at the end of leg eleven are killers but I think I've always been asleep. And leg twelve is tougher than a level three for sure.   Once we were through Margaree forks we left the trail to follow the coast line to Invernes and Mabou.  We ate dinner in the Red Shoe pub of course but the music didn't start until ten which we couldn't stay for since we have an early start tomorrow in order to get to the Halifax market. Apparently anyone who wants to can just start playing though.  

There was a family eating dinner beside us and when they were finished the Dad went out and got a fiddle.  His son who looked to be around  nine started playing and boy was he good.  He played about three numbers, was given a round of applause and then had his dessert.  Talk about playing for you supper. There is a fairly stiff north east'r tonight which made the drive back to the inn interesting but we made it back in one piece.  

We're tucked up in bed now so I'll sign off.

Sent from my iPad

Ok .... So I'm in the Broadwater before nine in the morning and the whole crowd is playing..... Only apart from the accordion player they've all switched instruments!!!!  Glenda's finishing the hair over at the cabin.  I'll update you on the last couple of days and then send the link to the photos.   Think when I updated last we were in Chester. We had a little walk around Chester .... Which took until about ten and then took off for Peggy's Cove.  Stopped at he ONLY open antique store where there was a treasure trove of Pink Vista and G stalked up on soup bowls. Visited the Swiss Air memorial and then into Peggy's cove.  I think Glenda is struck by how small everything is....Peggy's Cove is tiny.  Also how close the towns are.....and then we drove to Cape Breton!  a very long drive indeed. Dinner with John in Baddeck at the yellow cello followed by great music in the living room at the Braodwater.....then we got thrown onto a bus...really to the Gaellic college for the after pub.  Everynight after the different concerts around the island all the performers converge at the college and play from eleven at night until three in the morning....there was group there the Cotters,.,,,,, amazing, will definitely be getting the cd. Not to be until two a.m so were were a bit slow to start Thursday.... Ok I'll give you the link now...G wants to get going so I'll let you know what we did yesterday a little later on today. Sent from my iPad

Tuesday's album

So we're back at our inn after a really busy day.  Glenda's reading Hello! And I'm doing this.  We headed out along the Evangeline trail but stopped at the Prescott House for a tour.  It was owned by a gentleman farmer who introduced all kinds of apple varieties into Nova Scotia.  The woman who gave the tour was really knowledgable and was kind enough to open parts of the house for us that are ordinarily closed the the public.....here's a photo from outside

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After the tour we continued on to Kempteville and then headed south over the centre of the province to Lunenberg. No Bluenose!!!!! Being completely refitted but we did stop for a gorgeous fish sandwich which was absolutely yummy.  Toured the town a bit and then continued on to Mahone Bay.  Another stop and then on to Chester. We're staying at the Mecklenberg Inn which is run by and innkeeper with a sense of humor if the audible snoring stuffed sheep on our beds is any indication. It was trivia night at the local so that's where we went for dinner. Oh yeah, on the way we stopped at a pioneer farm museum.  Learned what a stave an ox and a citron was.  As it happens Glenda had citron chutney with her fish cakes at dinner.  Never would have known what that stuff was if we hadn't stopped at the farm!! Here's the photos

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  Sent from my iPad