Thelongestriverintheworld，theNile，flowsthroughthenorth—westernareaofAfrica，andthenintotheMediterraneanSea.Greatcivilizationshavealwaysflourishedalongsiderivers，buttheEgyptiancivilization，whichstartedontheNile，isthemostfascinatingandmysteriousinthehistoryofmankind.TheNilevalleyisafertileonewherethereisanabundanceofwaterandsun，elementswhichtheancientEgyptianbelievedweregods，theycalledthesunmmonandtheNileApis.MemphiswasthefirstgreatcapitalofEgypt，unitedasasinglekingdominthethirdmillenniumB.CButtheNileburstitsbanksafewcenturiesago，floodingtheancientcapital.Theriverhoweverhasgivenmorethanithastaken，enoughtomakeHerodotus，theancientGreekhis—toriansay：EgyptisagiftfromtheNile.Theannualfloodsleftprecioussiltonthefields，amiraculousnaturalfertilizerwhichmadethecropsgrowluxuriantly.Thisinstrument，calledaNilometerwasusedbytheancientPhar-aohstOestablishhowhightheperiodicfloodswouldbe.TheNilometer，onthepresuppositionthattheharvestwouldbeplentiful，wasnothingotherthanadeviceforsettingincometaxlevel.ThedatepalmiswithoutadoubttheplantwhichcharacterizesEgyptianagriculturemorethananythingelse.ThepeasantsuseittOmakeroofs，tOconstructfurniture，tOweavebaskets；butaboveallthesweetefruitonearthgrowsonthepalm：thedate.Ondisplayarethesouks.Reddatescanbepurchasedhere.Theyaredryandcrunchy，lesssweetthantheothers；thesemi—sweetoneshavealltheshadesoforange；thebrownandtheblackonesareverysoft，andtheirsugarseemstodissolveinyourmouth.IftheNileyieldssimple，rawmaterials，theinspirationofitspeoplegivesrisetOoneofthemostperfumed，flavorsomeandcolorfulcuisineinNorthAfrica.FoodinEgyptishotandspicy，drenchedinsauces.Thenationaldishisfouhl，afragrantsoupofbeanswhichissoldoneverystreetcomer.Egyptianstendtowashdowntheselibationswithblacktea.Non—Muslimsalsoenjoythefinelocalwinesandbeer，whoseoriginsareactuallyEgyptian.Eversincethe3rddynastydrinkingitwhileeatingbreadwasconsideredagoodomen.WhatweareseeingisthevillagenearLuxor，whichischaracterizedbythetypicalhousesbuiltwithmudandstraw.Someofthesehouseshavebeenpaintedwithcolorfuldrawings，whichareverycurious.Aeroplanes，departures，shipsandscenesfromjoumeys.ThesepaintedwallstellUSabouttheIslamiccustomofgoingonapilgrimagetoMecca.Adutywhichshouldbecarriedoutatleastonceinalifetime，aneventthatistobepasseddowntodescendantswithavividfresco.ThepopulationontheNilehasgrownatadizzyingrate，givingrisetOagreatmetropolisofthesizeofCairo，thesecondmostpopulouscityintheworld.Toseetheswarmingcrowdsinthecapitalitwouldseemthattheles—whsec。l。ssalstatureisl。catednearCairo’scentralstillaliveinEgypt。RamsesIIhadmorethanahundredchil.drenandinEgypttodayababyisbornevery20seconds.Thepopulationisveryyoungandhalfofits54millioninhabitantsareunder20yearsold.ThecrowdsinCairo，thehustleandbustleofthetypicalsouk，areanunmissablespectacleforpeoplearrivinginEgypt，abrilliantcontrasttothemysteriouscharmofthemonumentsofthePharaohs.Thesesolemnstatesarealmostparticipantsinmodernlife.YouCanalmostfindyourideasabouttheNilereflectedintheireyes.