Dahab and the Sinai
We spent a really good day in Dahab. We took Jeeps to “The Blue Hole”, very close to the town centre. After a bumpy ride we arrived at a very nice rocky beach with an amazing coral reef. We snorkelled and swam, seeing the most amazing fish! Along the beach there were cozy cafe/bars where you could literally lounge the day (or a week) away… pillows on the floor, low tables, sheesha pipes, amazing fruit smoothies, good tunes, etc. We definitely want to spend more time chilling out in Dahab and/or other Red Sea resorts. After this tour, I think we will need a vacation!
We took a bus from Dahab to Mount Sinai, where Moses received the Ten Commandments. Big climb up after a wakeup call at 2am! We made it in time for a beautiful sunrise. On the way down I tripped and literally rolled down three steps (three of 3500 “Steps of Repentance”). I am ok, but look like I have been roughed up - scrapes, a couple of cuts and a whole lot of bruising! The embarrassment!!. Despite the tumble I managed to save the camera that was in my hands at the time. I swear I am developing an anxiety about stairs!
In the late morning we headed to Cairo. We will be coming back to Cairo at the end of the tour, so this was a full day before we take an overnight train (tonight) to Aswan. Today was a long day!! We started out seeing the pyramids at Giza. Anyone who has been to Cairo has already no doubt been amazed at how close they are to the city! The three pyramids here as well as the Sphinx are literally being crowded by the city. 94% of the population of Egypt lives in 4% of the land, and you can really see the congestion here in Cairo. In some spots, experts know that there are ruins (example two huge sphinxes) underneath residential and retail properties, but negotiations have failed to convince owners to sell at a reasonable price ($50 million for an apartment was being asked, for example). Anyhow, the pyramids are impressive to say the least. We were being guided by an Egyptologist and you can’t help but be amazed at the ingenuity. The largest pyramid is equivalent to a 100 story building, and the stones used weigh no less than 2 tonnes each!
After the Pyramids and Sphinx, we headed to the Egyptian Museum. There are approximately 1.5 million antiquities on display and over 4 million antiquities in storage, waiting for a new museum to be built that will house it all. Our guide said that they believe they have only uncovered 8-10% of the existing antiquities. Highlight would have to be King Tut’s tomb exhibit, but a close second would be the mummified animals — snakes, massive crocodiles, baboons, dogs… bizarre and amazing!
Not looking forward to an overnight train but definitely looking forward to seeing Abu Simbel!
More later, and also hoping to get more pics posted soon!
Paula
June 04 2007 03:57 pm | Egypt
June 5th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Those stairs!! Sorry Paula, I think I may have scarred you for life!
June 10th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Paula, be careful on those stairs and DO NOT piss off the old pharoes, you know they put curses on the tombs etc, for protection in the afterlife. Alice had op on her eye in Halifax June 6, had shunt put in .coming along ok.Got home Friday, met your mom $ dad in Grand Falls, on their way to T.O.