This afternoon, the Time Traveller and I ventured off around the neighbourhood on the rented bikes. We covered about 5 km. There is not much activity in the fields after 11am but the water pumps seemed to be operating everywhere we went. Diesel pumps lift the water from a canal and feed it into the irrigation ditches that run through the fields.
Tractors have parked carts loaded with sugar cane alongside the narrow gauge tracks that lead to the sugar refinery just south of Luxor. The cane will be transferred to open train wagons -- I will get a photo on the next outing.
The abrupt change from green fertile fields to brown stony desert always takes me by surprise. We found ourselves on a dirt path approaching Old Gurna village. The village is now very quiet -- the government seems to have successfully moved everyone from these houses that were built over pharaonic tombs beginning at the turn of the 20th century.
I am always happy to get out of the desert and see water. Water is life!
The reward at the end of journey was a slice of fresh strawberry pie and cups of good coffee at a French cafe located near the Colossi of Memnon. The coffee was so good that I plan to bike to the "Aux 3 ChAcAls" cafe on a regular basis. Good exercise. ;-)
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