8th August 2013
Eid al-Fitr
In the past I have usually missed most of this festival for not getting there early enough, so this year I went to the Gazura festival at 8:30-am.
I visited the Gazira festival which is held on the green opposite the ferry station on the West Bank. The morning and most of the day seems to be for the children and the evenings for the parents, families and older locals as well as from other villages. There were the usual Camel, donkey and horse rides on offer. Many beverage stalls for both cool drinks and tea and shesha. Boys could also take a motorbike around the running track; several laps for 5 egp. This was amazing. As you can imagine there were many really small boys all ready and rearing to take a bike around the track. Naturally they all want to go fast and it was inevitable that someone was going fall off; and they did. I watched one small boy who could hardly touch the ground with his feet for being so small. He fell off with no damage to himself but he was too small to be able to kick start it up again and had to call for a friend to come over and get the bike started. There were many small boys taking bikes for a ride and several of them fell off, it was crazy.
There was also many boys and teenagers swimming at the near by sandy beach. Sadly, very sadly, one boy had drowned, it is believed he was around 12 to 14 years of age. I was told that this happens at all the Eid's and the Coptic Easter Nile Swimming. On the bright side I notice that there are more and more life jackets being worn by the local children.
It was a long day, I had a red face and was feeling rather under the weather, I probably was not drinking enough. It was very nice for me to see and meet many of the locals that I knew.
When I took a boat to Luxor town in the evening to meet my ladies, it was crazy, so, so many people everywhere, in the street, in the roads and the Haggag Square was quite full with festive people. Traffic had a problem getting around as did I and I was just walking. The ferry boats were full and coming and going quite quickly. Very nice to see this kind of activity. Taxi's were having a wonderful time with the extra business. On my return to the West Bank at around 9:15-pm, it was mayhem. So many motor boats coming and going. On the green there were many adults sitting, drinking, smoking and generally having a good time. There are four Eid festive days. It has to be good for everyone.
I love these occasions when you can see everyone having a good time and everyone is happy. When i got home I found a lovely plate of biscuits and cakes outside my apartment door. They were from my landlord. Wow.
In the past I have usually missed most of this festival for not getting there early enough, so this year I went to the Gazura festival at 8:30-am.
I visited the Gazira festival which is held on the green opposite the ferry station on the West Bank. The morning and most of the day seems to be for the children and the evenings for the parents, families and older locals as well as from other villages. There were the usual Camel, donkey and horse rides on offer. Many beverage stalls for both cool drinks and tea and shesha. Boys could also take a motorbike around the running track; several laps for 5 egp. This was amazing. As you can imagine there were many really small boys all ready and rearing to take a bike around the track. Naturally they all want to go fast and it was inevitable that someone was going fall off; and they did. I watched one small boy who could hardly touch the ground with his feet for being so small. He fell off with no damage to himself but he was too small to be able to kick start it up again and had to call for a friend to come over and get the bike started. There were many small boys taking bikes for a ride and several of them fell off, it was crazy.
There was also many boys and teenagers swimming at the near by sandy beach. Sadly, very sadly, one boy had drowned, it is believed he was around 12 to 14 years of age. I was told that this happens at all the Eid's and the Coptic Easter Nile Swimming. On the bright side I notice that there are more and more life jackets being worn by the local children.
It was a long day, I had a red face and was feeling rather under the weather, I probably was not drinking enough. It was very nice for me to see and meet many of the locals that I knew.
When I took a boat to Luxor town in the evening to meet my ladies, it was crazy, so, so many people everywhere, in the street, in the roads and the Haggag Square was quite full with festive people. Traffic had a problem getting around as did I and I was just walking. The ferry boats were full and coming and going quite quickly. Very nice to see this kind of activity. Taxi's were having a wonderful time with the extra business. On my return to the West Bank at around 9:15-pm, it was mayhem. So many motor boats coming and going. On the green there were many adults sitting, drinking, smoking and generally having a good time. There are four Eid festive days. It has to be good for everyone.
I love these occasions when you can see everyone having a good time and everyone is happy. When i got home I found a lovely plate of biscuits and cakes outside my apartment door. They were from my landlord. Wow.
Eid al-Fitr
In the past I have usually missed most of this festival for not getting there early enough, so this year I went to the Gazura festival at 8:30-am.
I visited the Gazira festival which is held on the green opposite the ferry station on the West Bank. The morning and most of the day seems to be for the children and the evenings for the parents, families and older locals as well as from other villages. There were the usual Camel, donkey and horse rides on offer. Many beverage stalls for both cool drinks and tea and shesha. Boys could also take a motorbike around the running track; several laps for 5 egp. This was amazing. As you can imagine there were many really small boys all ready and rearing to take a bike around the track. Naturally they all want to go fast and it was inevitable that someone was going fall off; and they did. I watched one small boy who could hardly touch the ground with his feet for being so small. He fell off with no damage to himself but he was too small to be able to kick start it up again and had to call for a friend to come over and get the bike started. There were many small boys taking bikes for a ride and several of them fell off, it was crazy.
There was also many boys and teenagers swimming at the near by sandy beach. Sadly, very sadly, one boy had drowned, it is believed he was around 12 to 14 years of age. I was told that this happens at all the Eid's and the Coptic Easter Nile Swimming. On the bright side I notice that there are more and more life jackets being worn by the local children.
It was a long day, I had a red face and was feeling rather under the weather, I probably was not drinking enough. It was very nice for me to see and meet many of the locals that I knew.
When I took a boat to Luxor town in the evening to meet my ladies, it was crazy, so, so many people everywhere, in the street, in the roads and the Haggag Square was quite full with festive people. Traffic had a problem getting around as did I and I was just walking. The ferry boats were full and coming and going quite quickly. Very nice to see this kind of activity. Taxi's were having a wonderful time with the extra business. On my return to the West Bank at around 9:15-pm, it was mayhem. So many motor boats coming and going. On the green there were many adults sitting, drinking, smoking and generally having a good time. There are four Eid festive days. It has to be good for everyone.
I love these occasions when you can see everyone having a good time and everyone is happy. When i got home I found a lovely plate of biscuits and cakes outside my apartment door. They were from my landlord. Wow.
In the past I have usually missed most of this festival for not getting there early enough, so this year I went to the Gazura festival at 8:30-am.
I visited the Gazira festival which is held on the green opposite the ferry station on the West Bank. The morning and most of the day seems to be for the children and the evenings for the parents, families and older locals as well as from other villages. There were the usual Camel, donkey and horse rides on offer. Many beverage stalls for both cool drinks and tea and shesha. Boys could also take a motorbike around the running track; several laps for 5 egp. This was amazing. As you can imagine there were many really small boys all ready and rearing to take a bike around the track. Naturally they all want to go fast and it was inevitable that someone was going fall off; and they did. I watched one small boy who could hardly touch the ground with his feet for being so small. He fell off with no damage to himself but he was too small to be able to kick start it up again and had to call for a friend to come over and get the bike started. There were many small boys taking bikes for a ride and several of them fell off, it was crazy.
There was also many boys and teenagers swimming at the near by sandy beach. Sadly, very sadly, one boy had drowned, it is believed he was around 12 to 14 years of age. I was told that this happens at all the Eid's and the Coptic Easter Nile Swimming. On the bright side I notice that there are more and more life jackets being worn by the local children.
It was a long day, I had a red face and was feeling rather under the weather, I probably was not drinking enough. It was very nice for me to see and meet many of the locals that I knew.
When I took a boat to Luxor town in the evening to meet my ladies, it was crazy, so, so many people everywhere, in the street, in the roads and the Haggag Square was quite full with festive people. Traffic had a problem getting around as did I and I was just walking. The ferry boats were full and coming and going quite quickly. Very nice to see this kind of activity. Taxi's were having a wonderful time with the extra business. On my return to the West Bank at around 9:15-pm, it was mayhem. So many motor boats coming and going. On the green there were many adults sitting, drinking, smoking and generally having a good time. There are four Eid festive days. It has to be good for everyone.
I love these occasions when you can see everyone having a good time and everyone is happy. When i got home I found a lovely plate of biscuits and cakes outside my apartment door. They were from my landlord. Wow.
One of the donkey boys was hitting his donkey with a cane, I shouted at him, took the cane and jokingly whacks him on his backside with it. He laughed.