16th April 2012
Easter Monday - Nile Event - Luxor West bank
What an uplifting day to see so many people having a great time. The atmosphere was amazing and as I went around the green in front of the ferry station looking and speaking to those I knew, you could taste the air of fun and enjoyment. There were balloons and flag, donkeys and camels all to entertain the children. Its amazing just to see the amount of people here.
Where it is mostly a children’s day, it most certainly is a male orientated day as they are the ones swimming in the Nile. I did however, get some photos of some women in the Nile, all dressed as you can understand but none the less, taking just a dip and some more than a dip. What ever I put into writing here, it could not fully express just what an occasion this is, you have to be here to take in the full atmosphere of the day.
It is a once a year Nile event where people picnic on the greens and the beaches along the Nile and go swimming. Never at any other time will you see so many people swimming in the Nile. The police normally do not like people swimming in the Nile because it is dangerous, but on an occasion like this, they have no control over it.
I was told that two or three people die of drowning each year at this time. Sadly I was told that a woman of 23 years drowned at the Gazira/Qurna end beach, I believe this is to the right of the ferry station as you arrive at the West bank. It really is a pity that they could not arrange to have a life guard at each beach to look out for the unfortunate.
When I went to the end of the Ramla lane to meet Mohamed and family for tea, I could see people many kilometres in the distance, so many all the way up to Banana island.
Gazira - West bank
Easter Monday - Nile Event - Luxor West bank
What an uplifting day to see so many people having a great time. The atmosphere was amazing and as I went around the green in front of the ferry station looking and speaking to those I knew, you could taste the air of fun and enjoyment. There were balloons and flag, donkeys and camels all to entertain the children. Its amazing just to see the amount of people here.
Where it is mostly a children’s day, it most certainly is a male orientated day as they are the ones swimming in the Nile. I did however, get some photos of some women in the Nile, all dressed as you can understand but none the less, taking just a dip and some more than a dip. What ever I put into writing here, it could not fully express just what an occasion this is, you have to be here to take in the full atmosphere of the day.
It is a once a year Nile event where people picnic on the greens and the beaches along the Nile and go swimming. Never at any other time will you see so many people swimming in the Nile. The police normally do not like people swimming in the Nile because it is dangerous, but on an occasion like this, they have no control over it.
I was told that two or three people die of drowning each year at this time. Sadly I was told that a woman of 23 years drowned at the Gazira/Qurna end beach, I believe this is to the right of the ferry station as you arrive at the West bank. It really is a pity that they could not arrange to have a life guard at each beach to look out for the unfortunate.
When I went to the end of the Ramla lane to meet Mohamed and family for tea, I could see people many kilometres in the distance, so many all the way up to Banana island.
Gazira - West bank
Flags, Balloons, gifts and drinks. They will swim where ever there is water, that
means by all of the boats at the side of the ferry.
means by all of the boats at the side of the ferry.
Three happy men. You can see the ferry boat in the middle.
One happy guy offering donkey rides. They will jump and dive off from anything.
The perfect diver, what a shot. The boat owners are only too happy to oblige by
letting the children dive from the boarding planks.
letting the children dive from the boarding planks.
Well, get a camera out and as you know, everyone wants to be in the photos. I normally oblige to keep the peace and with the idea that ill delete them, but when I look at these photos and their faces, well it says it all really, such happy people having a great day; worth taking and keeping.
Just look at their faces. I hope their future is as bright as they look. I think it will be.
Just after this shot the saddle fell of this camel and hurt the young woman. It then trod on my foot as I went to her aid, but I was not sure to touch her. I beckoned another woman to come and told her it was her back and pointed where. All was ok.
Ramla - West bank
Again, thousands of people having a good time.
Ramla - West bank
Again, thousands of people having a good time.
You could see the crowds of people for kilometres into the distance towards Banana island.
I hope that in my time living here in Egypt that I see many more of these very happy occasions; it fills me with joy.