Photo of the Week - The Nile: Lifeblood of Egypt

Even as a child, I recall learning of the huge importance of the Nile flood plain to the ancient Egyptians as their source of crops. Twisting its way through the Sahara Desert, the Nile was the lifeblood of Egypt throughout the ages.

This hazy photo snapped from a plane flying to Luxor shows the sharp contrast between the rich, fertile soils of the Nile and the arid sands of the Egyptian desert. Every square inch of arable land is dedicated to growing food, the housing relegated to the desert sands. I think the photo captures in the sharp contrast of green and yellow, the significance of the Nile as a source of food and transportation and its support of virtually the entire Egyptian population who live within a short distance of this meandering famed river.