I miss this place a lot, specially that I have so many memories here. The people of this city have made an exceptional reputation for themselves, they are by far considered the most generous of all Egyptians. They have always been the ones that smile sincerely and care for their guests unconditionally. The friends I made here, years ago, are still my friends today although we don't meet as often they always make me feel home. It is the place located on the most southern part of the Nile in Egypt.
Aswan is Egypt, it is everything that is kind about Egypt and is where my countries warm heart beats steadily. I’ve waited twenty seven long days to be here, and intentionally choose Aswan to be the last destination on this journey. I wanted to end it all here, one of two spots I feel most relaxed at in the whole of Egypt. Aswan, is the only place I allow myself to swim in the Nile. The crystal clear water is impossible to resist. Aswan is the place that has been blessed in every aspect from its gorgeous nature, to the beautiful people, and breathtaking scenery.
Visiting Egypt without stopping for a few day in Aswan is as if you haven't been to Egypt. The city is considered on a moderately large scale, and consists of the two main banks. The Eastern bank, the modern city of Aswan with the markets, banks, and offices. While the West Bank "Gharb Sehel" is the original Nubian village with it older clay built houses and traditions that still stand till today. In between both banks is what I consider the magic of Aswan, several islands inhabited by people the created small villages on each island.
The islands on Aswan are truly something else with a mixture of authenticity, culture, traditions and a more basic way of life. Living on any one of these islands delivers an indescribable sense of freedom and earthiness. The summer in Aswan might be a bit warmer than the rest of Egypt, but despite the heat there, has always bee a secret weapon to help the people of Aswan stay cool during the summer. The Nile, everyone goes swimming in the Nile, no matter age or gender. A dip in the chilling cold water of the Nile during a hot summer day is how people stay cool in Aswan.
The way this city functions is a bit different than other cities in Upper Egypt, people tend to start their day right after dawn. Most markets will serve you until 9:00 am at most and after that the summer heat forces most people to stay indoors until a couple of hours before sunset. At night the city is quite busy functioning at full capacity despite it not being a crowded city due to its relatively larger scale. Aswan is as beautiful by day as during the night and is a city I can't recommend enough for everyone to visit.
