In late December 2022, my husband Russell, his brother Ethan with his wife Brenda and I went on a fantastic Nile River cruise. Before boarding the ship, we spent our first two nights in Cairo while visiting some sites there. Our tour group then flew to Luxor where we explored the Karnak Temple Complex before boarding the ship.

 

That afternoon, upon awakening from a much-needed nap, I slid open the wooden shutters and peered out of the window in our ship’s suite. To my surprise and delight, a nearby darkened felucca was gliding on the Nile River right in front of our window amid a flaming orange sunset. I immediately grabbed my cameras and took some quick photos. I felt like I was dreaming still and I knew that this magical scene would become one of my paintings.

 

Egypt is fascinating and there is so much to see and learn about the Ancient Egyptian monuments and culture. The trip was never boring, but there was so much information to absorb, it was almost overwhelming and was not a restful vacation. However, our group eventually had the joy of sailing in a felucca when we were in Aswan. Despite the welcome presence of our knowledgeable Egyptologist Mohamed who told us about the sites on the Nile that we were seeing, the felucca ride was the most relaxing and peaceful time of our trip. If you are interested in antiquities and ancient civilizations, Egypt most definitely should be on your bucket list. And while you are there, I highly recommend a felucca ride on the Nile River.