ESNA -- Village Tour

We explored Esna, once an important center for trade and later a regional capital under the Greeks and Romans. Today, Esna is a quiet farming town with a lively market scene. A short walk from your pier into town.  Along the waterfront, there are several examples of 19th-century houses with elaborate mashrabiya, or elaborate wooden lattice screens. 

We walked past the 14th-century Emari minaret, one of Egypt’s oldest, and viewed the remains of the ancient temple dedicated to the god Khnum. Built in Greco-Roman times by the Ptolemies on the site of an older temple, its hypostyle hall is the only building that has been excavated—the rest remains underneath the surrounding modern city.

Oldest Minaret

Temple of Khnum

We then venture into the covered street market, where you can purchase fabric, or have the fabric made into clothing.  Robbi had a metal stamp made with her name in Arabic for stamping her cards.

We saw a market that is home to an old mill that presses sesame and lettuce seed into oil 

Also a bakery where we sample hot bread

And finally a scarf weaver and an iron clothes and fabric presser

Iron-Man Presser

Scarf Weaver

Oh, and by the way, John got his water buffalo sandals moisturized, polished and repaired for $2 -- look like brand new!!.  

So with Esna behind we set sail to Aswan,