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~Abu Simbel, Aswan and
the Nile~
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EGYPT, THE NILE
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~ CAIRO
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~ ABU SIMBEL, ASWAN AND THE NILE
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As I picture the piers used by the Nile cruise ships, an encounter that I had with one of the dockworkers comes to mind. Making eye contact with Egyptian men who were strangers often resulted in a glare of disrespect coming back to the eyes of a foreign woman. I quickly recognized this, though I found it curious that men would often goad me into looking at them by staring at me intently. Since most women in Egypt still choose to dress traditionally and cover their heads with a veil, it seems that very gender specific roles still abound within the culture. Women meeting the eyes of men on the street must not be a socially accepted practice.
As we left our cruise ship one morning, we passed several men working on dock repairs. It can be stunning to see the amount of manual labor still performed in many parts of the world, particularly considering the array of tools and mechanization that exists in America. These men were actually carrying large metal pans on their heads that were full of heavy, wet concrete. One of them glanced at me, and I noticed that his eyes seemed friendly. I smiled at him and said hello, and I vividly remember that in that instant he greeted me respectfully, as an equal. It is curious that this rare, respectful encounter with a man I did not know in Egypt occurred with one who probably held a fairly low role in society. I still remember his kind eyes.
Connecting with the mighty Nile was an amazing experience for me. The fairly slow movement of our ship allowed me to fully absorb the glories of life along the river. Green and lush strips of fertile land produced a narrow and colorful border on both sides of the river which starkly faded to dusty sand at the edge of the irrigated areas, located on just slightly higher ground. Witnessing the growth of much of the nation's food supply in such narrowly defined, irrigated areas of the river banks gave one a glimpse into the life of a rural farmer.
EGYPT, ANIMALS ON THE NILE
Animals tethered in the shade along the river serenely chewed their meals of grass as their nearby comrades in harness assisted with the chores of harvest. Scarecrows, dressed in Egyptian garb, protected the tender crops from the bellies of crows. Life appeared slow and gentle; the people unrushed as they moved among their crops and creatures in perfect time with the steady onward flow of the river. I spent hours observing these gifts of the Nile from the observation deck of our ship.
The High Dam of Aswan has greatly impacted age-old farming methods of the Nile region. An infiltration of salt water, once stopped by the normally strong river current, now enters the river from the Mediterranean Sea. Flora and fauna in this northern region are being challenged by this change in habitat. As native species either adapt or die, the river itself is experiencing erosion along its banks.
One of the most potentially destructive repercussions from the dam is its effect on the soil’s fertility. The annual floods of the Nile were honored throughout all of Egypt in art and lore, long heralded as a great gift bringing fertility and abundance to the land as rich topsoil was deposited along vast stretches of the river’s banks. Much of this healthy topsoil is now being unceremoniously deposited directly into Lake Nasser, so the use of chemical fertilizers on the Nile’s irrigated fields is increasing. Nitrogen run-off entering the river adversely affects the water quality, the river’s fish supply, local animal and plant health, as well as the health of the country’s people who so depend on this great river for their sustenance.
The cost of the High Dam of Aswan is certainly much greater than its price in dollars. A valuable natural cycle has been interrupted. The gains of predictable water levels and hydroelectric power have inevitably ended an ageless and celebrated yearly event in Egypt. For eons the great Nile naturally fed the soil, and ultimately, her people.
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