Big Steps Back

This pile of rubble is really...

An ancient Harbour and Lighthouse (1st c BC to 2nd c AD)

The end of our stay started with an interesting crossing of the Suez Canal on a local coach.  We all had to de-bus to complete a security check; cameras forbidden of course.  Then it was back headlong into the smoggy, hectic, bustle of Cairo.  We found some respite in the Salma Hotel before making plans for our last day in Egypt.  Mr DIY made arrangements to visit a work colleague; I made for the Egyptian Museum.   We met in Khan al-Khalili for some last minute shopping.  Well, it was nearly Christmas!

Amazing colours near Sharm el-Sheikh

I’ve included a map of our romp through the timelines of ancient Egypt; a path that allowed us to get a sense of life in those times – a mere jump away from prehistoric man.  You can however, become quite giddy as you try to  assimilate the many layers of history that have been imposed as civilisations glitter then fade, again and again.    

We covered a lot of ground!

We enjoyed our Imaginative Traveller tour; it was professionally managed and well organised.  Athena, our group leader and all the monument docents were well informed and friendly; as were our bus drivers and cruising staff.  Our travelling companions were good fun and we enjoyed being able to do extra “cultural immersions” on our own and at our own pace.  Would I ever go back?  I don’t think so.  There are just too many other wonderful things to see and do.  I’d need to live a thousand years to cover it all.  Perhaps I could make a start by building a big pyramid in readiness for my next life….now there’s a thought!

Farewell to Egypt

Diving In

Bread by Bus

Mr DIY and I said farewell to our travelling companions at the village of St Catherine and caught a local bus back to Dahab.  It took us a while, but we eventually worked out that the flat, round objects on the dashboard were breads.  We started to relax…

A Cool Corniche overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba

So began a wonderful few days of diving whilst I renewed acquaintances with my moggie friends at the many cafes along the corniche.  One was particularly charming – a regular old gentleman, until I tried to gently move him off my lap.  The claws, ever so slowly dug into my leg – a reminder that he, not me, was in charge of seating arrangements.  I did eventually escape to find another nice silver shop while Mr DIY splashed about madly in some very clear diving spots.  We could hardly believe we were on the sleepy fringes of the Gulf of Aqaba and a mere stones throw from the Suez Canal.

Meet the Boyfriend

More Animals - A Woven Mat

Watch Tower

Relics of the Past

Busy at the Burning Bush

St Catherine’s Monastery is sited at the base of the mountain and after our dawn climb, we were able to visit a few of their unique treasures.  The Monastery was built at the time of Emperor Justinian, on the site where Moses saw the burning bush.  Follow the link to see more detailed information about this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Quiet by the Well

We were able to see a contemporary of the burning bush, the well where Moses first met his wife Zipporah, and inside the richly dark Byzantine style basilica.  Athena, our guide had arranged a special treat for us.  We moved on into the usually closed-to-the-pubic Museum & Library for a guided tour of its special treasures.  It certainly is a rich treasure-hold for Christian faith.

From inside the Monastery

You can see the towering mountains behind

Monastery Grounds

Here Moses Stood

Sinai's barren landscape

Copper and turquoise were the treasures Pharaohs sought in Sinai’s desert, however the peninsular was more than just a mine.  In ancient times, Sinai was crossed by major trading and pilgrimage routes.  It has seen Roman Legionnaires, Nabataean camel caravans, refugees, Christian monks, Crusaders and Mecca bound pilgrims.  The Suez is a strategic modern day facility that replicates this same utility.  The Bedouins are the original inhabitants of this harsh desert area.  Their traditional nomadic life has declined with the rise of tourism so villages like Dhahab are spreading.  However, the area still remains an uncompromising landscape, harsh and barren.

Warming up with pre-walk drinks in a Tea House along the Route

We however had come to climb the holy mountain of Sinai where Moses received the Ten Commandments.  And to be there for sunrise!  We were to climb (in 3 hours and in the dark) a very high mountain, at 2285m, on the Sinai Peninsula.  We oldies had a plan.  Slow and steady was the pace – no stopping at tea houses for refreshments, just a goodly paced slog.  The youngies dallied about, socialising at the teashops.  We counted stairs.  The unfit and unwell resorted to a camel ride, but they still had a few stairs to climb to the top.  We set out, after a 2.30am rise, on the ancient path of 3700 steps.

We were there...and made it to the top for first light

We made it to the top to be greeted with blankets and cushions (a nice touch in the cold) to wait for the sunrise.  We should not have been surprised to see a  small chapel built in 1943, over the remains of a 5 ^th century church.  

We perched on a ledge overlooking the east and recovered.  The sunrise was stunning and the view across the mountains worth the climb. 

How ever did they carry up the building materials??

The early morning sun a cast strong golden light and it picked out the red & purplish colours in the mountains.  We walked slowly back following Sikket el-Basha (the Pasha’s path), outpaced by some very tired camels.

We really climbed up that??

Going Down Sir....

Desert Convoy

Colourful Hotels? in the Desert

For safety reasons, our bus and several others, met early to travel together to Hurghada in convoy.  We also had policemen assigned to individual buses.  Reassuring?  Not!  Thankfully, our trip across the desert to the Red Sea passed without incident and we soon took to the streets, exploring the local area.  The weather was not great and we eyed rising waves unsure how exciting our hydrofoil ride to Sharm el-Sheikh would be.  Still, Mr DIY dipped his toes in the Red Sea.  He was looking forward to the after-tour tour.  We were spending a few extra days in Dahab so that he could dive the Gulf of Aqaba.

Boats on tempting blue waters of the Red Sea

Having safely negotiated our way to Shem el-Sheikh, we moved on across the Sinai heading for St Catherine. Luckily we had an early taster of Dahab as our group stopped to take lunch there.  This town, once a small Bedouin village, has now grown to cope with a ready tourist market.  Dahab is mostly about water sports; its waters are pristine and many dive spots are within walking distance of the shoreline.  Over lunch we met interesting locals and a few more attentive cats.  Actually we were all thinking about our stroll next morning up the Steps of Repentance.

Typical Sinai Scenery - through a dirty window

Who would argue with those yellow, oh so knowing eyes...Lunch Stop at Dahab