Masterpiece

One lazy afternoon in March as Shirley and I were cruising back up The Nile to Luxor, Emma, our bubbly holiday rep, came round the lazing passengers to ask if any of us would like to attend an art class in the top deck bar area. There were few takers but being a creative kind of chap, I thought I would give it a go.

To tell you the truth, there was no art instruction as such, we were just given small canvases, brushes, water and various paint tubes. Then we had free rein while Emma went off elsewhere - perhaps to her cabin for a snooze.

What to paint? I had been watching the banks of The Nile sliding by. So many potential pictures - and most of them timeless as if the pharaohs were still in charge. I wanted to portray a rather unremarkable, peaceful riverside scene. Palm trees and someone by the shore - perhaps a fisherman with desert hills rising behind and the canvas you can see at the top is what I came up with.

The image has been on my bookcase next to this computer desk since we returned from Egypt.

I look back on that cruise week with a happy smile. It was a great experience. We both thought the holiday was better than anticipated.

On our second morning in Luxor, before embarking for Aswan, we walked to Luxor Temple and arrived before most other visitors. In olden times there was an avenue that linked Luxor with the Karnak temple complex - a mile away. It was flanked by hundreds of stone sphinxes. 

Fortunately, the antiquities arm of the Egyptian government have done a great job in the last hundred years of restoring that avenue - even to the extent of demolishing houses that had been built over the ceremonial thoroughfare.

What a privilege it was to be the only two people walking along The Avenue of the Sphinxes that memorable morning. It was a "pinch me" moment and the amazing Luxor Temple itself was not far behind it in the wonderment stakes...