No river is so shrouded in legend as the Nile, no river so dominates the land through which it flows. The longest river on earth runs like a green ribbon from south to north through Egypt, through the land that is kept alive solely by the waters of the mighty river... A trip along the Nile is a journey to the cradle of a great civilization, whose buildings continue to amaze to this day. On the Nile island of Elephantine, archaeologists explore the monuments from the Pharaonic era. This was the transshipment point of gold and ivory for the rulers of ancient Egypt. The famous Nilometer measured the height of the annual Nile flood. Today, the future at the great river seems full of opportunities to some, such as the "mango king" Hak Hussein, who even exports to Europe. Others see dangerous temptations in the new era and feel their existence threatened, like the river boatman Mahmud, whose wooden sailing barge is no longer competitive...