Egypt 32: Cruising

My Egypt Tour: the evening of September 15, 2001.
After a long day of sight-seeing, we boarded our ship to begin our cruise down the Nile.
I grew up near the Ohio River, so I had this notion that all large rivers would be muddy and dirty. The Nile, in September, is not muddy.
Sparkly and clean. Clear -- you can look down and see the fishies.
The piture above is from the back of our ship, just before sunset.

We had a wonderful dinner in the ship's dining room, and don't call me jaded yet, but I was not surprised when a waiter flat-out flirted with me during our meal. He had no qualms about winking at me over my grandmother's head as he got our drink order (bottled water for me, thanks). I was flattered, of course (but really, how did these guys KNOW? some kind of tourist gaydar???) and I think I blushed. He was attractive, tall and muscular -- with a great hooked nose like Ramses II. In fact, he looked like how I picture Ramses The Great in my head. I was picturing him in a linen kilt and not much else...

After dinner, everyone gathered on the top deck of the ship to watch the sunset and relax in the deck chairs. Very comfortable.
I put Gram to bed at dusk, kissed her good-night, and made my way back up.
I figured: I had the rest of my life to sleep, but only a few nights on a cruise ship on the Nile.
I stopped by the ship's bar on the way up, to get a Stella. The bartender was a total freakin' hottie. Forget Waiter-Ramses --- the bartender was just my type: tall, lean, cinnamon mocha latte skin... dark eyes like pools of obsidian...
I over-tipped him for my beer and went topside.

Alone in the darkening sky, looking out over the Nile, I felt AT HOME.
What I mean is: my soul was home.
Something in me just clicked.
Like I'd been there before, lifetimes before.
The Nile welcomed me home, into Egypt's loving arms.

A clear dark sky sparkled with millions of stars. A waiter appeared (someone I hadn't seen before -- he was pleasant but no sparks) and asked me if I wanted another Stella. But of course.
He brought me my beer, and I tried to make small-talk. He didn't speak much English, but he attempted to answer my questions.
Then we cruised past a mosque, its spire lit up with green neon.
Every mosque we'd past that night was lit up in green neon.
Was that the only color available for mosques, or did it have a religious significance?
I asked my waiter, Said (pronounced "sigh-eed") about the mosques.
"Masks?" he replied, miming pulling a mask over his face.
He knew the English word for 'mask' but not 'mosque'? What did Muslims call mosques???
I pointed to the green neon, and repeated "mosque" then tried to ask "Why green?"
Poor Said, I'd overwhelmed his limited resources of English.
"Wait here," said Said. "I get my friend."

I waited and sipped my Stella. Wonderful beer.

Said returned. I stood up and was introduced to his friend, Memdoud.
It was the freaking sexy bartender...