River adventures

The wedding was at a restaurant on a boat on the Nile. Here we are at the river a few yards away.



A Muslim wedding ceremony is simply the signing of the marriage contract. Usually this is done a few days prior to the party, but our friends had the ceremony at the beginning of the party. Yasmin, the bride, had a blue finger for the rest of the night from fingerprinting eight pages. After the ceremony comes hours and hours of dancing to everything from 50s Egyptian standards to contemporary Egyptian pop to Chubby Checker and international contemporary dance hits.




Here we are with the bride and groom. While this party was most likely more Westernized (with women in short dresses without sleeves), it seems that most women cover up on the street and then reveal more skin once they are inside for a party or club. I wore a sweater to the wedding, and then saw all the other women in tiny dresses. Technically, you're not supposed to wear black because it's a happy occasion, but that also seems to be acceptable now.



Here we are on a sunset felucca (sailboat) ride a couple of days later. Usually people bring snacks or dinner with them on the boat since you take about an hour ride.



Faluccas were for millenia the lifeblood of Egypt, but at least in Cairo they're mostly just for pleasure rides. In some parts of the Nile in Cairo they compete with motor boats with loud stereos, but we didn't hear any tonight.