Felucca

Another way to escape the heat slightly is again to get near the Nile- this time by felucca. Beautiful white triangular sails (ok so some have coca-cola plastered over them – but let me enjoy the romance of the idea) look like dancers performing a sedate ballet as couples, families, and wedding parties take to the water and away from prying eyes… usually food is taken on board (in fact most social occasions involve food) and occasionally alcohol since one of the few places young people can get away from adult interference. Weddings on board a felucca often have music blasting out which can spoil the calm but everyone on board is in such a holiday spirit that all is forgiven. Felucca's can be as cheap as 20le for the hour (can be up to 100le too !!!) so it a lovely way to get away from the noise of Cairo for a couple of hours- esp. if you take the felucca from Maadi area so it can move more and not be trapped between the many Nile bridges. The worst bit about taking a felucca is coming back to the road again afterwards!