Nilometer

A Nilometer is a vertical column that measures the water level of the Nile to determine how much to tax the people (more water, more crops, more taxes). They date back to Pharaonic times but the particular one we visited was built by an Abbasid caliph in 861 on Rhoda island.

Obviously, this one isn't in use at the moment. We walked down one steep and winding stairwell to get to the bottom.

Of course, no trip to the Nile is complete without throwing some rocks.

Right next door to the Nilometer, there's an Om Kalthoum museum. In terms of popularity, Om Kalthoum is like the Elvis of the Arab world. She was and still is WILDLY popular. She's well known across the globe, but especially loved here in Egypt since she was Egyptian.

The museum had a few of her personal items, some photographs and a little room for listening to her music. It's no Graceland, but it was fun to check out.