Mahmoud is the coolest cat in the village

After the first night, we stopped near Said's village, where we learned that someone in the village was getting married. Maybe it was the domino beating, our love of anything Hassan put in front of us to eat, or the shine that camel took to Heather... not really sure, but we connected with the guys, so much so they actually invited us to come back the second night and attend the wedding.
This would force us to take another mini bus to Luxor, but balance a few hours of misery against a Nubian wedding?... Nubian wedding wins everytime.

Nothing but blue skies... oh and that badge on the sail... wait for it, wait for it... Che Gueverra portrait... viva la Revolucion!

More chillin photos...

In Egypt, the Nile is life... just over those trees, the desert and endless sand into Tunsia and Libya...

Before heading up to the wedding, Said treated us to a Nubian feast in his home in the village.
I apologize for not showing more of his home and village, but it was very dark (no street lamps) and very little light in his home. The meal consisted of roast chicken, potatoes, kufta (a rice and mince meat sausage), pasta, rice, foul (a bean sauce) and finally a green sauce which we could not pronounce or spell, but was deeelicious...

After dinner drinks of Karkade (a hot Hibiscus tea)...

Then we relaxed and played with Said's kids, Zennif, Zenna and Mohammed. Heather and Helen taught them never to hit on a 16...

We headed up to the wedding with Mahmoud, where the party had already started. The Nubian music (sounds very much like West Indian music), was cranked to 11 and people were laughing, mixing and of course... smoking sheesha...

Unfortunately by midnight, the bride and groom had still not arrived (we think they were in the bride's village before coming here)... we were beat and headed back to the boat.

In reflecting afterward, we all agreed, this evening and experience was magic. Said, his family, Mahmoud, Hassan, and actually the whole darn village, were incredibly hospitable and welcoming. We finally felt that we got a small taste of the "real" Egypt.