Category: Egypt

Caught up

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First rule of working while on the road, always stay at the best hotel you can afford. 2- Never fall behind with your blogging. It’s not big and it’s not clever. So I’ve caught up.

Here’s my final blog of the day from the Four Seasons, Alexandria.

I’ve never stayed in a Four Seasons before, although, I have memories of the one in Sultanhamet and the staff coming out to take photo’s for us when we were all backpackers with no money. This was at the start of my travelling phase in 2001.

I tried to stay in one once in Sydney so this is the first time I’ve tried and succeeded.

Here’s a video taken from the entrance to the breakfast area, restaurant section.

Note cheeping birds piped music in the background. Authentic rainforest from what I can make out.

Verdict

The ambience is one of complete luxury and relaxation. The service is second to none. The prices are astronomical.

Port Said

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Or port Sa  id as it is pronounced.

Sports the Mediterranean entrance to the world most lucrative stretch of water. The Suez canal.

Port Said is supported by a mixture of naval tradition and cruise ships which stop off.

Part of my journey is made along the canal which offered better views of the massive ships than I was expecting in Port Said.

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Suez Canal

Hotels

After some time travelling round sunesta and hotmellia couldn’t be bothered looking any further, and went for an Egyptian job costing $30. No Internet connection, hence no blogs for a couple of days.

Tourism

There isn’t much by way of tourism, but what is to be seen is easily taken in with one of the guides horse and carriage tours which last about 1 hr.

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This took me to the bazar, past the military museum, which was closed, past the chapel of st. Eustice and a couple of mosques.

Here are a couple of shots of town to give you the idea.

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Lighthouse, Port Sa-id
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War Memorial, Port Sa-id
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Caddilac, Port Sa-id

I would say Port Said would be worth visiting as a stop-off point.

If you want to see the ships, stick to the desert south of Said.

The Church of St. Anthony

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Was fed by Ravens for over 10 years, a solitary raven brought St. Anthony, who lived to 105, half a loaf of bread each day until he died.

Background

St. Anthony roamed the desert for many years until he came across this the site of the first monastic tradition, started firstly by Anthony the followed by Paul and supported by Ravens.

Monasteries originated from the cave dwelling monks converging on the desert springs.

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St. Anthony’s Monastery

Later walls were built around them and the cave dwellers came out from their caves to form small communities this was brought about mostly from the need from survival mostly from the elements but sometimes attacking Bedouins drove the monks together, where otherwise they would have had solitary lives.

These monasteries are the first in the world.

They are St. Paul’s and St. Anthony’s.

Visiting times

Visiting times are from 4am till 4pm.

There are 131 monks living at the monastery at present, much of the building dates back to the 13th century and some has been restored with the help of USAid project. Notably the Byzantine fresco’s in the chapel of the St. Anthony restored by Italian artists. Some of the fresco’s date back as far as 6th century.

From here you can visit the gardens, the gates and also the spring which supported so many monks.

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Spring of St. Anthony

The spring supports 400l of water each day. St. Anthony used to live in a cave 200m above this spring until St. Paul arrived, at which point many more monks came to the area. The spring was able to support them also.

You are able to drink the spring water which is kind of metallic with a hint of phosphorus.

Shop

At the end of the trip you are invited to buy from the shop. As I enter music is turned on to add to the buying ambience. I buy some honey, a bottle of monastic wine and a postcard of a particularly ugly nurse shark.

There are many different gifts and languages.

Mount Sinai

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Background

Also known as Mount Horeb. It was here Moses witnessed the burning bush whilst tending Joseph’s flocks. ‘The bush burned but was not consumed’ is the common theme. There are different versions.

Sinai derives from the Semitic, Sin or ‘Sun God’ OR sin-ah, meaning hatred referring to the Jealousy people felt against the Jews. I’ve been to many places where the sun rises, and this isn’t the greatest amongst them.

Definitely a place for reflection.

Moses received the ten commandments here.

Ascent

Mount Sinai is a journey reachable from St. Katherine (town). Where there are a few hotels.

They say that Mount Sinai is best viewed at dawn, when one can wonder at the true spectacle of this desert mountain landscape and the beauty of it all etc. etc.
The truth is, if you attempted in the day, you would suffer heat-stroke, exhaustion or both.

This is a 2 hour, 3 mile jaunt ascent of roughly 1500ft along dusty track followed by steps which last for 700 steps.

Expect to be fit or fast if you want to get there at dawn.

Here are the rewards.

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mount Sinai at dawn

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chapel at mount Sinai

Descent
Took the descent down the 7,000 step route.

This is the original, steep route, and the one we hear so much about. You will know you are on the right track as you pass through 2 arches.

It descends from the mountain taking in 7,000 rock hewn steps, although I didn’t count them so I can’t be sure where this statistic was coming from.

One thing I can be sure of was there were no Camel trip or attractions to plunder your money on.

I enjoyed the silence and was able to reflect on how Moses must have been thinking in order to wonder up to such a wild and desolate place and what inspired people to hate the Jews so much..

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rocky descent, 7000 steps

The chances of death are high. You’re on your own, in every sense. Perhaps more than anywhere else I’ve ever been. But the silence is great. Shame there are so many tourists around :)