Rob and Anna's travel adventure

Egypt - the unexpected journey

Anna's entry:  

...As we were taking a rest pause during a long desert hike, a gentleman on a camel approached us.  We exchanged a couple of smiles and friendly gestures followed by a light conversation.  I heard something mentioned about camels...  I didn't really pay much attention to what was being discussed as I was distracted by the vast views and ancient pyramids right in the foreground, so I just kept nodding and smiling back.  And then I realized - the conversation wasn't just about the camels, it was also about me.  Apparently, I was being traded for camels, and Rob was discussing a few options.  I thought to myself - Egypt might just turn out to be an interesting trip after all...

Giza Plateau - start of the journey

I have to admit that for years I avoided even considering coming to Egypt.  All that hype about the Pyramids meant one thing to me - tourist crowds.  And, in my extensive travel experience, being surrounded by hoards of people would destroy the entire magic of a place...  To experience one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, a person would have to do it right.  In addition, Pyramids just didn't interest me that much - of course, I had a high regard for their significance and construction mystery, but that in itself was not enough to motivate me to plan the journey just to look at them.  There had to be more to the obvious.  So, I thought to myself - maybe if we were to spend more time around the Pyramids and explore them in a more unconventional way, I could appreciate more the experience?  I wanted to "understand" what the Pyramids are like during sunrise and sunset, daylight and nighttime;  I wanted to touch them and feel the sand they have been standing on for over 45 centuries...

What could be a better way to be able to do some of those things unless you wake up right next to them and see them just before you go to bed at night?  And, so I knew what had to be done.  I chose a small guest house run by a lovely Egyptian family - it was an inexpensive place, the owners had a great attitude, and every morning and evening were filled by interesting conversations and cultural exchanges.  In addition - we literally were in the front row to observe the ancient wonders.  Our very first traditional breakfast in Egypt was served on the terrace with a sweeping views of the Pyramids right in front of us.  

True to my plan, I wanted to spend hours independently exploring the desert and get close and personal to the Pyramids.  And, there were NINE of them to explore along with long distances across the plateau in between.  We independently hiked all over the Giza plateau in all directions we could physically conquer to reach every Pyramid - we touched the ancient stones, and observed the vast sands, and the best part - there were NO crowds!  It was so special to leave all the tourists behind attached to their vehicles and tour packages.  Prior to coming to Egypt, I read horror stories about all kinds of scams surrounding the  Pyramids of Giza, and how unsafe and intense it would be if a person was to venture on their own.  NONE of this applied in our case.  Maybe we got lucky, or maybe because we have a "hardened" look on our faces from all their prior travel experiences.  In either case, everyone we encountered in the desert was helpful, mellow and easy going.  

We even had three entertaining encounters with camel owners who offered to trade their camels for me - the first offer was 10 (which I mistakenly thought was good), the second offer came in at 100 (which raised my self-esteem even further), and the third camel owner said for a nice girl like me even 1,000,000 camels would not be enough.  Of course, these offers were all intended in a humour fashion, but these interactions further contributed to our fond memories while exploring the desert and great Pyramids.  It is those impromptu cultural exchanges that make travel experiences so fun.

We spent four full days observing the Pyramids and life surrounding the ancient plateau...  In addition to the Great Wonders of the Ancient World right in front of us, we could also observe what a real Egyptian life was like in the modern day.  At sunrise and sunset the plateau was filled with sounds of camels, horses and donkeys; during the day narrow alleys of Giza were filled with daily activities of local residents; in the afternoon local eateries  would be dishing out traditional staples (which, by the way, we thoroughly enjoyed).  History, views, sounds, walks, desert hike, traditional food, stories - embracing all of the angles surrounding the Pyramids is what gave us that special meaning about the place.  

Giza was our very first introduction to Egypt, and it was just the beginning of our journey.  From that point on, I was ready to embrace what was waiting ahead...

Giza to Aswan

Our 14-hour overnight train ride to Aswan started on a wrong note.  With the help of local residents, we located and took a local public bus from our Giza neighborhood to Giza train station.  Our bus had a de-tour due to a road construction, and we ended up passing through several neighborhoods that foreigners never get to see - they looked more like a shanty town.  Eventually, we got back on the road that was supposed to be going right by the train station.  And, as much as we kept reminding the driver to let us off the bus close to the train station - to our surprise, our bus driver kept on going.  We saw our train station disappearing further and further in the distance.  A few kilometers further, our driver pulled over and with a smile announced "Giza!".  Except it was not THE Giza we wanted - he took us all the way to a Giza bus station which was useless to us.  Other bus passengers began scolding him for taking us to the wrong station, which we appreciated, but it wouldn't do us any good at that point.  So, we began walking, loaded with our large backpacks along the busy roads over-packed with traffic, crossing under and near freeways towards our initial target - the Giza train station.  Cairo's traffic is unforgettable - it is a complete chaos with non-existent traffic lights and NO pedestrian crossings.  But locals somehow deal with it, so could we.  Luckily, we allowed two extra hours to get to our train station, but the time was ticking by then...   I also have to mention that prior to this trip, I had a foot injury that resulted in pain with every step taken, but I did not want to cancel our trip and decided to proceed with our travel plans.  So, being dropped off at a completely wrong part of a large chaotic city certainly wasn't helping with the pain.  Eventually, after several kilometers, we began approaching an area adjacent to our train station, but wait - the area was blocked off by the Egyptian military posts.  Whaaaaat?  I told Rob - let's just keep going no matter what.  When we were getting closer to the military police post, I smiled and waved at the officer.  It must have been either a determined or discouraged look on my face (or both) - I don't know,  but after staring at us for a second, the officer just motioned us to proceed.  And, after a few hundred meters, we reached the back entrance to our Giza train station.

The actual train ride went OK.  The seats were comfortable enough, we had some tasty Egyptian food with us, and our Egyptian co-passengers were mellow.  I utilized a large head scarf to cover my face completely and create a good privacy screen in the local tradition manner.  One thing, however, was a bit stressful - prior to our arrival in Egypt, the Egyptian government kept changing rules allowing or NOT allowing foreigners (like us) to be on a local Egyptian train.  The rules (and prices) kept changing constantly, and we happened to be caught in the "transitional" stage.  Luckily, our conductor (with some help from another helpful Egyptian passenger fluent in English) could understand the situation, and seemed to have no issues with us being there with a local train ticket.  For the record - on another train ride later on, we had to deal with a completely opposite situation (but about that - later).

The train was surprisingly (almost) on time, and we met our sunrise along the Nile as we were approaching Aswan.

Aswan

Aswan has multiple personalities - there is the actual bustling and spread-out city of Aswan with congested traffic, noise, shops, cafes, markets, and more modern amenities.  There are also other "Aswans".  One of them is located on the Nile's West bank where the Nubian serenity and low paced village life prevails, along with the desert and scattered ancient tombs and a monastery.  And, there is also Elephantine Island surrounded by Nile from all sides with similarly laid-back Nubian culture, narrow lanes and tranquility.

We explored all of the above, and it was a good mix to get a glimpse of this part of Egypt and the mighty Nile... 

Admittedly, tourism has made its way to Aswan - even though the majority of tourists never make their way so far South and deep into the Egyptian upper Nile.  However, most tourists stay "sheltered" in their hotels either before or after their Nile's cruises (usually in the actual city of Aswan offering more modern amenities).  It is maybe more luxurious, but being in a "tourist bubble" is not traveling - and it is not Egypt.  We spent many days on the Nile and crossed it many times back and forth as well, but on public ferries with local residents.  It was so much more like our type of traveling - seeing the real life and being surrounded by real Egyptian people.  Traveling independently, also gives us a special opportunity to experience the local attitude.  We encountered several kind gestures on a number of occasions - we will never forget how a group of local girls showed us around the Aswan's bustling market and introduced us to a delicious baked treat - zalabia (these girls even offered to pay for it, which of course, we gratefully refused).  On another occasion, a couple of young guys showed us a local stall with inexpensive and freshly made hawawshi and pizzas.  And, I will never forget a delicious eggplant bechamel and curry meal freshly prepared right on the Nile shore.  

The encounters with the local residents is THE essence of traveling in remote places -  absorbing the culture and observing local interactions (which are frequently misrepresented in the Western media),  is the best way to learn about the place.

Aswan - the West Bank & Elephantine Island

To get a deeper understanding of this part of Egypt, I decided to position us in two various parts - in a Nubian village at the edge of the dessert and on the Nile's West bank, and on  Elephantine Island surrounded by Nile from both sides. 

We enjoyed both locations - local people were pretty mellow, and we walked freely along narrow lanes surrounded by colorful mud houses. We explored and observed a sleepy Nubian village community, did several walks along the Nile shores, hiked across the desert sands and dunes above the Nile, watched the sunsets, had a pleasure trying an excellent cooking right on the Nile bank - and the best part, we left the crowds behind and were able to indulge in a more peaceful travel world of our creation.

It felt like we were really traveling again, and Egypt began embracing us a little hug at a time...

 

Luxor (West Bank) - Valley of the Kings and Temple of Hatshepsut

Luxor is sometimes referred to as "an open museum under the sky".  And in many ways, I could agree with that description - a presence of major ancient history is evident on both banks of the great Nile.  You could get a glimpse into an underworld of the most powerful dynasties of pharaohs and queens - with elaborate burial tunnels and labyrinths, ancient paintings and scenes, and you could get up close to their very sarcophagi and mummies.  Where else in the world could you stand right above THE Tutankhamun's mummy, and be surrounded by all the mysteries and enigmas of the ancient world?

We spent long hours exploring the most significant tombs of those pharaohs, descending down the steps under the ground, leading to arched hallways all the way to their burial places.  My most favourite part was observing and taking in magnificent paintings and colours - it was hard to believe that tombs have existed here for over thirty five centuries!  At times it felt like we were descending to a city hidden under the ground - the tunnels and the art on the walls and ceilings looked stunning, and very well preserved!

There was another special place we had a privilege to explore - the Mortuary Temple of Hatshepsut.  This temple is considered to be a masterpiece of ancient architecture, and the entry approach to this temple is unmistakable, and one of the kind... The giant colonnaded terraces rise above the desert sands, and they are cut directly into the cliffs of Deir el-Bahari...  The most striking memory for me about this temple was the actual story about Hatshepsut herself - YES, Hatshepsut was a FEMALE King (not Queen), and her reign may have been the most successful and powerful of all prior (and possibly post) pharaohs.  Hatshepsut was so successful, that about two decades after her death, under the direction of the succeeding pharaoh (whose name does not deserve to be mentioned here), all references to her rule were erased or obliterated.  It is likely that either her gender or abilities (or both) were so painfully resented, that a personal grudge was the main reason for destroying the achievements of this successful female pharaoh.  I think some of us (present company included) can personally relate to what it feels like when someone tries to discredit you and undermine your achievements when their resentment over-comes any kind of logic and a sense of gratitude...  In either case, in my book -  Hatshepsut will have the utmost respect and fascination for her dramatic reign and succession to power.

Luxor - West Bank and the Nile

Having so much ancient history and sights to offer, Luxor has to be crowded.  So, to minimize our exposure to tourists, I had us stay the entire time on the quieter (and a more real) West side of the Nile.  I purposely picked two very different places to stay - the first one was simple, super cheap and very basic.  It reminded us a lot of our past travels over the years, sometimes we wonder how many places like this actually still exist.  The hotel was walking distance to the ferry connecting East and West sides of the Nile, and the top floor had an open terrace with sweeping views of the Nile.  In the vicinity there was some open-air market with blaring traditional music, and the building itself we stayed at had karate practices on the ground floor along with soccer practices right upfront.  Basically, the accommodation was an incongruous mix of everything that Western tourists would find odd.  But, what lacked in comfort certainly compensated for in attitude - the main reason I picked this place for our arrival in Luxor.  We were truly treated as part of the family, and every effort was made to make sure we were happy.  The manager Hassan running this place and his dedicated employee Mohammed were incredibly attentive and looked after us from sunrise to sunset.  Every morning a simple, but heart-felt breakfast would be served for us on the terrace, and at lunch time this terrace would convert into a vast all-you-can eat traditional Egyptian buffet.  We were a walking distance to several local outdoor eateries where cheap fresh ta'ameya (falafel) would be cooked up and packed for us in sandwiches for take-outs.  When we felt like going to the "other side" - we would just jump onto a local ferry and cross the Nile.  

The second place I picked for us to stay on the West side was the opposite of the first - we had an entire apartment right above the Nile.  It was super comfortable, almost posh, with our own private balcony overlooking the Nile - but, the owners' attitude was nothing like Hassan's.  This place was "our version" of a cruise ship along the Nile, but without tourist crowds.  The upper open-air terrace had 360 degree views, and the sunrise and sunsets were available any time we felt like watching.  From our balcony we could perpetually observe scenes along the Nile, sail boats and ships going up and down the river, blinking lights of Luxor and the lit up at night Luxor temple, and we were literally steps away from the actual Nile.  What we also had was a tiny family-run open-air restaurant just a few meters away from our place - and their attitude and food were wonderful (and inexpensive).  Every evening, right on the Nile's shore, we would pick a table decorated in colouful traditional Egyptian fabrique, and soon after - a collection of freshly cooked Egyptian food would appear.  A humble young guy would always meet us with a smile, and his smile over the days would get even bigger when he would see us return back night after night - the sign of our commitment to their place and food.  This was the eatery where I tried my very first traditional Egyptian molokhia soup that actually was quite good - most foreign tourists would never even touch it, but we liked it - which was met with even bigger approval from the restaurant staff.  There were no crowds, no hassle - the West side of Luxor was definitely a good choice as a base to explore the surroundings.

Luxor -  East Bank and Karnak Temple

East side was busy, chaotic, with more traffic, more hassles, and less interesting.  There were a couple of markets and nice amenities, but they were nothing special.  It was pleasant enough to take a walk along the corniche (waterfront), but having spent days along the Nile - it just was OK.  For me, the main reason to explore the East side (aka Luxor proper) was the vast Karnak Temple complex.  Again, we did this all independently - no tours, no guides.  We hopped onto a public ferry from our West bank, crossed the Nile, and walked along the river all the way to Karnak's entrance.  Easy, breezy (even for someone like me, with a recent painful foot injury).  

Karnak Temple complex is world famous, in some research literature you could even come across a description like that - "the Temple of Karnak was believed to be the spot where creation began".  Pretty pompous, right?  Besides the fact that this vast temple complex was dedicated to various tales of battles, pharaohs, gods and religious rituals, it is truly visually remarkable.  It seemed like every column was inscribed with hieroglyphics, and besides being an ancient place of worship, this temple complex was also a reflection of the achievements and aspirations of ancient Egypt's rulers  They say that approximately thirty pharaohs contributed to the buildings over fifteen hundred years - pretty incredible!  My favourite part was the colonnaded hall with soaring columns painted with various scenes and stories - and it was possible to touch the history that might be going back as much as forty centuries ago!  

Exploring the world independently gives us a plethora of opportunities to spend as much time as we desire around the monuments like that.  It also provides us with the opportunity to interact with the local people - which, in my opinion, is THE essence of mature travel.  I love history and I adore art, but none of it would have any significance unless I can connect it with a personal story - either associated with the creation of a masterpiece, or the events leading to this masterpiece creation.  What I liked about Egypt so far, was the fact that we were surrounded by history around us, all under an open sky and within a humble reach - what can be better than that?

 

Luxor to Cairo - symbolic train ride 

Our 10-hour train ride from Luxor to Cairo was absolutely fascinating.  We were the only foreigners on the train (always a good sign of authenticity), and almost every minute of the ride I felt like I was learning about the real Egypt with its crumbling infrastructure, never ceasing piles of garbage, dilapidated buildings, broken roads and bridges, clothes hanging out of blistered buildings, and shacks made out of dry palm leaves laying on their sides...  And, yet - among all this destruction, I couldn't help but notice how calm, collected and relaxed the local people were.  They were just going around their business - mothers carrying children in their arms along the dirt paths, young boys walking and chatting along river banks, donkeys and camels loaded with harvest waiting for the train to pass, men and women going to and returning from their work along the train tracks, green patches of vegetables growing along dusty roads, people fishing from their boats in dirty canals, but most importantly - there was a strange sense of calm and peacefulness in people's facial expressions.  I'm sure that for Westerners (that is if they even dared to step outside their packaged cruises and hotel bubble to see what else may be around them) - the only explanation would be that the local people have accepted their pathetic reality and gave up.  However, my interpretation is that the local people have accepted and went beyond the obvious.  I keep thinking of one powerful image that struck me as the symbolism of what I was seeing - a beautiful orange tree covered with healthy looking fruits was growing, against all odds, in the middle and straight through the roof of a mostly dilapidated shack by the side of the dusty train track.  And THAT was a symbol of resilience and defiance for me - it was not only poetic, it was beautiful.

There was another reason this particular train ride became the most memorable event that exposed us to the unbelievable hospitality and kind nature of the Egyptians...  From that point on, we understood that we truly had found ourselves in the most special destination - we met incredibly kind people who went out of their way to help us with an issue that developed on our train (related to foreigners being on a local train).  What could have been an unpleasant ugly situation turned out to be the best turning point of our understanding and admiration of Egyptian people.  Captain Orabi, Asmaa, and Mohammed will always be heroes in our hearts - the encounter on that train with those three beautiful individuals was like a revelation of what we could expect from our journey, it gave us a whole new level of curiosity and motivation to discover the Egypt other visitors may be oblivious to...

 Cairo

You love it, or you hate it - let's admit it.  Cairo's metropolitan area is the largest in the Middle East and the Arab world.  The city of Cairo is intense, vast, fascinating, exotic, scary, frustrating, infuriating, invigorating - the list of descriptions can be quite long...  Cairo is all of those things, and the sooner a person stops fighting it and accepts it for what it is - the sooner the city could start to feel calmer and reasonable.  Having visited Cairo twice on this trip, I could say that we enjoyed it.  Yes, there is only one traffic light in the entire city, and walking with traffic seems insane, but there is so much more to Cairo!  We loved the youthful vibrant attitude, we enjoyed the traditional food, we embraced the ancient markets and alleys - and, most importantly - we felt welcomed and accepted by the locals we encountered.  While walking around the 14th century souq (bazaar), we were given fresh from the oven bread to try (for free), while exploring the market temples - local ladies gave me sweet treats (for free), local people were helping us with directions, and a tiny cheap hotel we stayed at in the city center was welcoming and kind.  Even on the day of our departure, in the middle of the night, our hotel staff packed us a breakfast to take with.  

There are a lot of various activities you could engage in (as a tourist), but for us just being there and exploring various neighborhoods was fun and rewarding.  Even now, writing this blog several months after visiting Cairo, I still have various striking images about the city.  And, the best part, I still have a piece of it with me (literally) - a lovely Rose-Vanilla Egyptian perfume I bought in one of the traffic-congested neighbourhoods - it was super cheap (about $1), but it is absolutely wonderful, just like the residents of Cairo.  I cherish that perfume and wear it almost every day - it is peaceful and calming, and brings me a smile every time I put it on me.  So, yes - Cairo can be incredibly overwhelming unless you embrace it and be open-minded - and, once that happens, the city really impacts you in the most interesting unpredictable ways...

Marsa Matruh

Located on Egypt’s Mediterranean coast, the city of Marsa Matruh is quiet and real.  The only reason the city shows up occasionally on travellers' radar is due to its position as a connecting point for those heading deeper into the desert and oasis settlements.  No tourists means a lot to us - this is the only way a destination has a chance to preserve its authenticity.  I had us stay twice in Marsa Matruh - before and after our journey to Siwa Oasis, and both times we greatly enjoyed our visit.  

We were a walking distance to the coast, and even though the temperature was a bit chilly (yes - Egypt gets chilly in winter months), the ocean was beautiful.  Local residents we encountered treated us in a very welcoming manner, and it felt peaceful just to be here, in Marsa Matruh.

The owner of a hotel we stayed at had an incredible attitude and treated us as royalty - he upgraded our room, offered us enormous free breakfasts on their ocean-view terrace, gave us free gifts to take home, and provided us with the most helpful practical information.  His English was perfect which allowed us to have lots of chats and laughs, and it felt simply great to be staying at that lovely family-owned business.  We have stayed in many places all over the world, and I can honestly say that this hotel in Marsa Matruh is very close to the top of our list of the most enjoyable places to stay.

On one of our evening walks through a local market area, we located a Syrian place cooking up the freshest shawarmas and hawawshi you can imagine.  It was an utmost local place with open-air grills and long queues of locals - always a sure sign of a quality place to eat.  I would say that typical Westerners would be horrified to try some food here -  multiple strings of meat (of various animals' body parts) were hanging from the ceilings, and it was unavoidable to hit our heads at least once entering or exiting this place.  Needless to say, we were the only foreigners at that place.  While standing and waiting for our take-out order, the staff kept feeding us with cooked pieces of grilled chicken from their insanely hot grill, and they even put us ahead of the line to get our take-out faster.  Those Syrian guys were not only the most hospitable bunch of people, but they also knew how to cook!  I am not exaggerating when I say their shawarmas were the BEST and TASTIEST shawarmas we have tried to-date, they were also the CHEAPEST.  And, their garlic sauces and tahini dips were also incredible.  I myself normally prefer vegetarian dishes, but those chicken shawarmas were worth the exception.  

Marsa Matruh was definitely a very worthwhile stop-over - peaceful, off-the beaten-track, honest, easy going and safe.  I am so glad we stayed here on two different occasions, it was worth every minute of it.  It also served as a great connecting point for a local bus heading deeper into the desert for our 7-day exploration of a place called Siwa Oasis.

 

Siwa - seven days of discoveries

A settlement of Siwa is located deep in a desert - almost 250 kilometers south of Egypt's Adriatic coast and about 45 kilometers East of the Libyan border.  For many years Siwa has been off limits to visitors - mostly due to the security situation.  Recently, however, the authorities lifted the restrictions, and it was an excellent opportunity to explore this unique exotic place.  After all, it was here - in Siwa, that young Alexander the Great learned about his future and destiny as the world's greatest conqueror.  

Siwa is a special and unusual settlement, and to get more understanding and appreciation, I chose to position us in three various locations - the actual Siwa town, the south-eastern part of the desert closer to salt lagoons, and the north-east area surrounded by olive groves.  

When our local bus was finally approaching Siwa, the entire sky in front of us turned brilliant red - the sunset above the dunes welcomed us to start our journey...  

 

Siwa - town 

The town of Siwa itself does not seem that exotic at first until you start exploring the Shali fortress and the ancient town surrounding it.  Climbing an abandoned city made completely out of mud and salt (which is still preserved since the ancient and later on the Roman times) was incredibly peaceful and informative.  The sunsets from the top were incredible and the ancient history was oozing from all directions.  

However, our very first impression about Siwa was that of puzzlement and bewilderment...  Before arriving in Siwa, I had a chance to connect and chat with quite a few locals who reassured me that Siwa is the friendliest safest town, and the local people are the most laid-back residents one could imagine.  So, imagine our surprise when a few minutes upon our arrival and settling in our modest hotel located in the very center, literally under our very balcony an intense confrontation developed - and it was not a simple flight, there was a knife involved!  There were screams and physical exchanges, a bunch of locals running back and forth, the trucks parading along the road with blaring announcements in Arabic, and us - watching it all from our balcony, clueless what's going on...  For a second, I thought - is this why Siwa was off limits for a while, and what am I getting us into???  We watched from our balcony the local guys going at each other and wondered - if this is supposed to be the friendliest town, what could be happening next?

Luckily, our doubts were all resolved by the next morning.  The local residents were as puzzled as we were, and re-assured us it had nothing to do with the town itself, and it was an unfortunate coincidence that the incident happened when we arrived.  So, I chose to believe the residents advising me that the only danger we should be mindful of was watching out for donkey carts along narrow roads.  And, the residents were (luckily) correct - as of our second day in Siwa we had nothing, but the best time.  Our young hotel owner introduced us to his friends, who were a delighted group of people, and we so much enjoyed their company.  We were also invited to join them for a delicious home-cooked meal, and a lovely lady kept making a tasty local tea for me with special herbs and spices which was the most aromatic tea I ever had tried.  We wandered all over Siwa town and tried Bedouin food at several authentic family-run places - the food was cheap and filling, and the hospitality was welcoming and authentic.  We climbed the fortress, walked all over the ancient mud city and the markets, indulged ourselves in fresh Egyptian deserts, and had a wonderful time.  The local Bedouin residents got used to seeing us after a few days, and we began receiving more smiles and hand waves.  So far so good.  

After Siwa town, my plan was to take us deeper into the desert for a slightly different experience - a desert camp located in the vicinity of salt mines and lagoons.

Siwa - South East Desert 

As we were reaching the outskirts of Siwa town, the landscape began gradually changing into a more remote and secluded scenery - sand roads and hills covered in dunes.  I had us stay for a couple of nights in a laid-back camp built right over the desert sands.  It was peaceful with a few campfire pits, natural salt spring pool, and sitting areas with colourful rugs thrown right over the sand and olive trees extending their branches above.  Our room had thatch walls covered in thick traditional carpets, and our bed had several warm blankets for the night when the temperature in the desert would noticeably drop.  The shower had only cold water, except for occasional lukewarm flow after the sun would heat up the water tank.  The place was very cheap, but it was comfortable and exotic with meals cooked fresh on the spot, and the owner's attitude was pretty good.  

One of the main reasons I picked that place was the location -  near-by salt mines were only five kilometers away, and they were highly unusual and really beautiful.  The excavated salt area turned pretty much into spectacular salt lakes and pools with gorgeous teal and blue colours and crystalized salt particles glistening in the afternoon sun.  And the best part was that it was possible to swim in those unusual salt lagoons.  Well, actually, it was more like laying on top of the water - the salinity was so intense, that being in the water felt like laying on the floating mattress.  The water was actually quite cold, but it was a very rewarding experience, and the visual images of the surrounding area were striking - it really felt like a super unique place.  Due to situational circumstances, we ended up exploring these salt lagoons twice, and both times the salt lagoons looked mesmerizing.  

At night, we also had a privilege to join a large group of visiting Egyptians to our camp, and we had enchanting conversations over the campfire followed by dancing under the traditional tunes played by a visiting Bedouin band.  The dancing did not stop there - I continued that tradition the following day - dancing under Egyptian modern music barefooted in the sand having almost the entire camp to ourselves.  

We also decided to give a try to another activity that gained local popularity in recent years - an extreme dune safari.  Normally, we would not sign up for something organized (and it wasn't that cheap), but we had a good practical reason to do it, and it turned out to be an excellent experience.  It took some time to get the official permission and clearance for the entrance to the dunes (since they are located on the way to the Libyan border), but it was worth the wait.  The landscape was stunning, the dunes were enormous, and our jeep driver Mohammed was an absolute sweetheart.  It really felt like riding a roller coaster - climbing up an enormous dune and moments after descending a neatly vertical slope.  I was sitting in the front seat right next to the driver, and could see the enormous dune right under our vehicle as we were almost flying down the sand wall.  Every time our driver would start a new ascend or descend in his trusted jeep I would hear him whisper 'Bismilla' which roughly can be translated as "God help us''.  I think it was somewhat therapeutic for the driver himself (and us) to feel calmer and trust the skills of navigating such enormous dunes.  Occasionally, the driver would have to make several attempts before he would be confident his jeep could make safely and surely all the way to the top of a nearly vertical sand wall, and shortly after - over the slope, and then afterwards - all the way down.  We also tried sand boarding down the dunes, and I invited our driver to also have fun with it - I will never forget Mohammed in his full-length Arabic dress with a sandboard, and his big genuine smile while rolling down the dune hill.  We also had a tea picnic on top of a dune watching the sunset right in front of us.  Another group of young Egyptian guys joined us as well, and brought us sweets and treats to make us feel welcome.  It felt so good being there, and what a great experience to explore the desert! 

Siwa - North East Orchards

This area of Siwa was our final location for exploring the surrounding area before we would head back to Marsa Matruh.  Our accommodation here was completely different from the previous two, and especially after our dessert camp - the contrast was really striking.  Instead of vast sand dunes we were surrounded by green olive trees and date palms...  The place to stay I chose was designed in a traditional Siwian style - with mud walls, but there were a lot of modern touches - like wooden beams along the ceiling and (almost) functioning hot water shower.  The outgoing owner Ahmed was an enthusiastic gentleman with open-minded views and outstanding fluent English.  We had a plethora of conversations and cultural exchanges on open air terraces and while having our breakfasts in his garden surrounded by olive trees.  He also brought us home grown dates that were sweet and delicious.  Our room was located on the top floor, and we could watch beautiful sunsets and starry night sky directly above our roof terrace.  I had a whole range of visual associations from our previous trip to Africa, which is always nostalgic - considering one never knows if they would ever return back and repeat their previous journeys...  We would have our breakfast right in the garden under olive branches, and it felt peaceful to just absorb the quietness of the place.

In the afternoons we would walk to Siwa center following a dirt path via several tiny villages, and it helped us understand the way of life here.  By now, a few local donkey cart drivers would recognize us, and it felt like we were finally getting more accepted by the local villagers.  We took all our lunches at local Bedouin-run eateries - sitting on the traditional brightly woven rugs.  Not surprisingly, we were the only foreigners in those establishments, and even without speaking Arabic, we got along with the cooks and servers just fine - the food was simple, but tasty and plentiful, and it was super cheap.  And, in the local fashion, we always would finish up our meals with fresh strong sweet black tea.  We also located a tiny bakery in the Siwa center with a huge variety of amazingly tasty and freshly baked Egyptian desserts - basboosa, zalabia, qatayef, and kunafa.  We would pick a whole selection of those to try, and they were incredibly delicious, fresh, and cheap.  For the record, when we returned to Cairo - the same desserts were at least triple more expensive (and the quality was never as fresh as the ones in Siwa).  

In addition to walks and markets, there were two historical sights right in our vicinity - the 6th century temple of Amun (Oracle) where the young Alexander the Great received his future predicament (and quite accurately, I must admit), and Gebel al-Mawta (Mountain of the Dead) - with a number of ancient tombs and outstanding sweeping views from the top.  Despite my foot injury, I climbed the latter to the very top along with several other trips to a near-by ancient Shali fortress - another special and unique place I wrote about before.  

Having spent seven full days in Siwa packed with exploration from morning to evening, it still felt like we only scratched the surface of this unusual place.  Ancient mud-and-salt fortress city, salt lagoons, desert dunes, historical mountains and burial sights, stars and campfires, Bedouin culture, ancient markets, olives, dates, teas, and amazing hospitality of people we were so fortunate to meet here, added to the magic of this place.  I feel very fortunate to have visited this place NOW - before general tourism would eventually make its way here - and I am pretty sure, Siwa will change when that happens.  For me - the uniqueness of this place as it is now was worth the long journey, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Marsa Matruh

As we left Siwa, the desert road with wandering wild camels eventually turned into a paved highway taking us back to Marsa Matruh and from there back to Cairo.  We were fortunate to be offered a free ride back to Marsa Matruh by our Siwa accommodation owner Ahmed.  We spent two delightful hours talking with Ahmed and learning even more about Egyptian culture and diversity while he was navigating his vehicle through the desert.  He dropped us off at our place in Marsa Matruh as a major rain storm came straight through. 

We stayed at the same place as before in Marsa - and the attitude and hospitality were again stellar!  This time the owner went out of his way to offer us a complimentary upgrade to a nice two-room suite with ocean view, and same as before - a complimentary vast breakfast for all the days we would be staying at his place.  As before, his attitude was fantastic, we chatted and joked, and we felt so comfortable and welcomed at his family-run hotel.  We walked along the coast, picked up our favourite Syrian shawarmas, did some street scenes photography, and basically had a relaxing comfortable time before heading back to Cairo.  

I have said this before, and I am going to repeat it again - when a traveller feels genuinely welcomed and accepted, the rest doesn't matter.  It could be a pouring rain or a sand storm, the human connection is what really makes traveling so rewarding.  Even now, writing this blog several months later after the trip, I still remember a genuine smile of Mr Emad, the hotel owner, and his contagious laugh and a terrific sense of humour.  Yet another place in Egypt where it felt so good to be back - what can be better than that?

Cairo - the full circle

We approached Cairo late in the evening, our bus was several hours late, and it took the bus driver almost an hour to navigate the last few kilometers - the traffic approaching the city center was insane, honking was non-stop, and the amount of people packed into tiny lanes was almost surreal.  We jumped off the bus under a freeway overpass, somewhere near Tahrir Square, loaded up our large backpacks, and braved crossing the busiest roads without any presence of traffic lights or cross walks.  But, all these challenges somehow no longer mattered, we knew we had an incredible journey, and dealing with this practical insanity was doable.

Our last couple of days in Egypt were spent in Cairo, in the same place we had stayed before.  The central location was as buzzing as always, and the lively and fast-paced spirit of the locals on the streets never ceased - even into the late hours of the night the city was in full swing.  We explored a few other neighbourhoods in the Iranian and Syrian parts of the city, enjoyed Egyptian food, and basically started our preparation for departure - from Cairo we will be heading to Cyprus and continue our adventure there.  Our flight was in the middle of the night which did not stop our friendly and helpful hotel staff from packing a take-away breakfast for us exactly at 1 a.m.  They accompanied us from our room all the way to our transport, and it felt like we were seeing off by a family member.  As we were approaching the airport, we realized - Egypt, despite all the challenges, has rewarded us with one of the most unforgettable journeys and memories...

 

FINALE - conclusions 

Past thirty days exploring this amazing and diverse country were unforgettable.  I did not expect that Egypt, with all its challenges and cultural peculiarities would so much conquer our hearts - in the best way possible.  The hospitality and kindness of Egyptians we met was unparalleled to any destination we have travelled to (and by now we have explored close to fifty countries).  We felt so fortunate and privileged to have an opportunity to immerse ourselves with the local people, experience their daily lives, and learn about the real Egypt.  It also makes me realize how incredibly important it is to try and leave the stereotypes behind and have an open mind to learn about places and people in their genuine setting, without borders.  It is not the Pyramids or Pharaohs that make Egypt so special - it is the greatness of Egyptian people with their incredible hospitality that make Egypt a place like no other.  For me, it became a truly unexpected journey...

posted by Rob and Anna @ 4:53 PM