I arrived in Aswan, cold and miserable after a long 12-hour ride in a over-air-conditioned train from Cairo, wishing for nothing more than rays of sun to warm my body and cleanse my soul.
The long trip in the train turned my face into a piece of ice–depriving me of the ability to express any emotions and freezing my senses completely.
Leaving the train station for the streets of the calm Upper-Egyptian city, I wondered if a trip to Aswan in December was the best of ideas, but then, and suddenly, I saw the Nile.
The mighty river in all its glory, separating the city from a flawlessly yellow desert on the other side. With a force that can only be compared to gravity, I suddenly found myself standing on the bank of the river, amazed by its blue and dazzled by the little boats flowing aimlessly along it.
I took a boat ride. Allowing my body to calmly enjoy the lapping waves of the river, I sat back as the sun warmed my icy skin. The boat men conversed lyrically across the water.
As I left the boat, after an hour of sun-bathing, I felt defrosted, ready to enjoy Aswan–its beautiful scenery, its history, the sun and its warm people.
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