Yal'labeen'na, My Lovely People! - Egypt 2007 - Part 3

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On the road again - the late afternoon convoy from Luxor across the desert to Hurghada on the Red Sea Leaving Hurghada in the morning We settle down for the journey across to Sinai This is the emergency exit! We arrive at Sharm el-Sheikh on the tip of the Sinai Peninsula
Luxor Hurghada Ferry Ferry Sharm el-Sheikh
         
The colours and rock formations of the Sinai Peninsula are fantastic Dahab on the gulf of Aqaba - the welcome sign The main street of Dahab Looking across the bay at Dahab to the mountains beyond Looking northwards from Dahab
Sinai Dahab Dahab Dahab Dahab
         
Looking back towards the south across the bay of the town We enjoy another wonderful meal at a sea front restaurant Local Bedouin girls come to sell us trinkets that they have made Hatem warns then not to pester us too much Katrina comes in for a fair bit of attention
Dahab Dahab Dahab Dahab Dahab
         
They end up playing with her hair I wonder who is the funny mummy? Jimmy made us all feel very welcome We spend a pleasant evening at the hotel's beach cafe I have a go at the shisha, much to everyone's amusement One of the many cats that lived at the cafe
Dahab Dahab Dahab Dahab Dahab
         
They were very appealing and very cheeky This is Smeagol Sadly, he had poorly eyes and ringworm, but Erin and Bruce give him a helping hand What a lovely setting for breakfast We set off for a day's snorkling at Blue Hole
Dahab Dahab Dahab Dahab Dahab
         
Driving through the outskirts of Dahab It was a bumpy ride The inevitable checkpoint Camels waiting for customers Blue Hole has many very deep canyons which can be dangerous for the novice diver
Dahab Dahab Dahab Blue Hole Blue Hole
         
Snorkling was safe enough A bit of relaxation after all that swimming Hatem relaxes in the usual way Back at Dahab after a super day at Blue Hole Looking across the Gulf of Aqaba to Saudi Arabia
Blue Hole Blue Hole Blue Hole Dahab Saudi Arabia
         
Jimmy introduces Katrina to the joys of backgammon Ben and Sarah play backgammon Welcome refreshments on the beach The highlight of my trip - riding Madonna On route to St Catherine
Dahab Dahab Dahab Dahab On route to St Catherine
         
The countryside is arid Our hotel at St Catherine Village We had been expecting a basic hostel - this was a very pleasant surprise! Time for a spot of relaxation and sunbathing We had forgotten that we needed to be covered up to go into the monastery.  Chantal came to our rescue with her
stock of colourful scarves
On route to St Catherine St Catherine Village St Catherine Village St Catherine Village St Catherine's Monastery
         
The garden and approach to the monastery of St Catherine's, one of the oldest continuously functioning Christian
monasteries in the world It is Greek Orthodox and was founded around 330 AD by Helena, the mother of Constantine 1 The Well of Moses, an underground spring which supplies the monastery with water Reputed to be the Burning Bush of Moses Only a small part of the monastery is open to the public.  The Bell Tower of the basilica
St Catherine's Monastery St Catherine's Monastery St Catherine's Monastery St Catherine's Monastery St Catherine's Monastery
         
I think this is part of the Codex Sinaiticus, one of the earliest versions of the bible. A view of the monastery from the opposite slope.  It is situated at the foot of Mount Sinai The garden outside the monastery, green in a very dry landscape The Charnal House of the monastery. The remains of generations of monks are stored here.  It is a gruesome sight
St Catherine's Monastery - Codex Sinaiticus St Catherine's Monastery St Catherine's Monastery St Catherine's Monastery St Catherine's Monastery
         
Presumably this was someone important - an abbot perhaps? It is a long climb up Mount Sinai.  A few of us decided that a camel ride was preferable It was comfy enough, though the pommel kept catching me in the back! We decided to go up late afternoon to see the sunset This proved to be much less crowded than the night time climb to see the sun rise
St Catherine's Monastery Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai
         
The views were magnificent.  The camera does not do them justice There was little sign of civilisation, just ranges of mountains We reach the end of the camel trail as the evening draws in Goodbye to my camel The view from the top was well worth the hard climb to the summit at 7,487 feet
Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai
         
The chapel at the top of Mount Sinai The chapel A rest whilst we wait for the sun to set Katrina Chantal and Ben
Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai
         
Our Bedouin guide Everyone gathers at the best vantage point Sunset at last It was worth the wait Back in Cairo we take a farewell dinner cruise
Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Mount Sinai Cairo
         
The entertainment was a bit touristy I went on deck and looked at Cairo by night instead Back at the hotel we have a farewell drink Our last view of Cairo  
Cairo Cairo Cairo Cairo  
         
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