Page 121 - WDT Magazine Egypt

Aga Khan Mausoleum on the west
bank of the Nile. Opposite: the As-
wan Botanical Garden on Kitchener
Island.

were later turned into Aswan Botanical Gardens. A hundreds of people and camels. These camel cara-
short distance down river an imposing building came vans of tourists, we learned, were making their way to
into view atop a cliff. Mohamed explained it was the the Monastery of St. Simeon, one of the largest and
Aga Khan Mausoleum, the tomb of the Imam Muham- best preserved Coptic monasteries in Egypt.
mad Shah Aga Khan (1877-1957) who often summered Nature also took a turn at wowing our group at a part
in this area with his family. After the Mausoleum was of the Nile called Saluga and Ghazal Islands nature
completed, his widow placed a red rose there every reserve. Our driver guided our boat into the clutch of
day until she died. islands where the river was thick with papyrus reeds –
Once passed the Mausoleum, majestic sand dunes then turned off the motor. The beautiful stillness was
towering above the river gave way to a steep rocky broken only by the songs of Nile birds. A few minutes
bank where, to our amazement, we saw dozens of later, the spell was broken as the engine roared to life
boats just like ours, hugging the shoreline filled with to continue our journey to the Nubian village.

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