Egypt

Visited: November 2004

Duration of visit: 35 days

Capital city: Cairo

Population: 75 million (2004)

Estimated reading time: 19 minutes

• Crossing the border via Nuweiba, which had become a ghost town following a recent bomb explosion.
• Exploring diverse types of deserts boasting a variety of structures and colors in Sinai and Western Desert.
• From ancient dentist equipment in Luxor to monumental underground tombs in the Valley of the Kings.
• Abu Simbel – some of most impressive and unique temples that were relocated from the waters of the Nile river.
• Cairo – the center of the Arab World, the pyramids of Giza, the camel market and the Egyptian museum.

Egypt was part of my overland trip from Europe, through the Middle East and East Africa – the African Big Tour.

The first African country I visited stands in stark contrast to the nations I explored before it: vast in scale, featuring heavily populated metropolitan areas, influential, rich in landmarks, beautiful desert scenery and developed tourism industry, which attracts millions of visitors every year.

Still, many isolated regions of Egypt are seldom explored and due to the insecure circumstances, I often found them nearly deserted.

My plan was flexible, adjusting to daily mood, activity possibilities and budget capacity.

A slow ferry from Aqaba arrived to the port in Nuweiba after seven hours of navigation on the calm Read Sea. It took me another two hours to approach immigration and pass through the custom’s checkpoint. It was already dark, I was getting tired and my taxi driver was having difficulty finding accommodation for me.

Almost all hotels and restaurants along the beach were closed, what was abnormal for this time of the year (November). When we finally arrived to the hotel on my list, which was surprisingly operating normally, the pleasant owner, Mohamed, explained to me that due to a bombing in nearby Taba town a few days earlier, all Israeli tourists were gone.

I was pleased to have refrained from reading the news, and during the next three days enjoyed in privileged attention and hospitality as the only guest around.

When I was ready to move on to Dahab, I discovered the opportunity to hire camels with guides for a short expedition into the Sinai Desert.

A three-day camel trek in amazing solitude of a rocky desert, among picturesque canyons during the day and sky lighted by stars at night, was a fantastic experience. Sleeping under the stars, talking by the fire and listening to the stories of local guides completely captivated me.

In the company of two Bedouins, Hait and Suleyman, I learned how simple the life could be in these harsh conditions. Following a light breakfast, we walked or rode camels through dry, rocky areas with scarce plants until midday. Cold snacks and hot tea gave us energy to repeat the activities in the afternoon.

Sitting high in the saddle on the back of my camel, enjoying a wonderful view and total peace, filled me up with calmness and satisfaction. In the evening, a small fire was prepared with dry wood that we had previously picked up during the day. Hait kneaded the dough for bread and baked it in a hot ember spread on sand. Sauces, vegetables and dry fruits were simple, but delicious.

The highlight of the trip was a the Colored Canyon, 800 meters long and 30 meters deep labyrinth of sandy rocks of vivid colors, with its magnificent arrays of rocks in wow alignments. The canyon got the name because of its many colorful and bright layers of stoneware. The gorge was shaped by a combination of rainfalls, erosions and harsh weather conditions some 500,000 years ago, when water cut out the rock and created this unique scenery.

In some places, the deep coloration of rocks gives the canyon walls a prismatic and metallic sheen; in others, the stone is so smooth that it appears soft and billowy. There were no other people around the canyon at the time of my visit.

Located on the southeast coast of the Sinai Peninsula, the coastal village of Dahab is an ideal place for water activities. From snorkeling and scuba diving, to windsurfing and kitesurfing, the town attracts thousands of visitors that look for active vacations. Although the laid-back hippy charm, mixed in with traditional Bedouin culture has been changing rapidly, it contrasts more luxury and all-inclusive resorts scene of Sharm el Sheik.

Still, I was surprised with Bedouins offering me all kind of activities, trips and support at ridiculously high prices. What a change from quiet Nuweiba, where I was the only visitor in town!

I pleasantly denied all offers, since I am not a big diving fan, but I used the opportunity for snorkeling among the corals of the Red Sea.

Snorkeling in the Red Sea is an amazing experience: a huge variety of fishes that breed, eat and swim among colorful corals of all shapes, only a few meters deep below the surface.

Great visibility, warm water and pleasant weather conditions only tens of meters from the shore seem unreal.

Plenty of inexpensive accommodation, cheap eateries, bars and fellow backpackers make the stay in Dahab affordable and entertaining even outside of sport activities.

The biblical Mount Sinai is one of the most important sacred places in the Jewish, Christian and Islamic religions as the site where a covenant between God and people was established through communication with Moses.

Jebel Musa, also referred to as the sacred Mountain of Moses, is recognized as the most religiously important peak in the Middle East.

I decided for an afternoon climb to Mount Sinai to combine it with the sunset on the top. Most of the walk was pretty easy, but the last seven hundred steps were really tough. I needed one and a half hour to reach the peak at 2,285-metres above sea level.

There is an option to rent a camel that helps to survive the heat and steep climb in a much more comfortable way, but I wanted to test my physical shape. Descending to the parking lot in the dark was faster and easier, thanks to a strong torch of French companion who showed me the way.

I combined the climb to Mt. Sinai with a visit of Saint Catherine Monastery, a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized as the world’s oldest monastery that has been continuously inhabited by Christians. This monastery has survived throughout its history without any destruction, thereby maintaining its unique characteristics of Greek and Roman heritage.

During my visit, I found myself amidst crowds of Russian tourists who were disrupting the serene environment with their continuous chatter.

Cairo, the capital of Egypt, with a population of approximately 20 million people, is the largest city in Africa and the Middle East. The center of the Arab world is located in the immediate vicinity of the Pyramids of Giza.

I can compare this Egyptian megapolis to the City of Mexico, Tokyo or New York, where I could stay for weeks and never be bored.

The city of a thousand minarets stands on the Nile River, right where the desert transitions into the Nile delta. The impossible heat in the summer is best to be avoided, but the weather in autumn was ideal.

The historic heart of Cairo contains one of the largest collections of ancient architecture in the Islamic world: mosques, madrassas, hammams, fortifications, fountains and tombs dated from the Islamic era of Egypt (from 7^th to 16^th century), making the capital of Egypt one of the world’s oldest Islamic cities. The narrow golden-stone streets of the UNESCO World Heritage Site took me back in time, while I was immersing in hustle and bustle of markets, coffee shops and getting lost various time.

The Egyptian Museum in Cairo contains the world’s largest collection of Egyptian artifacts. From numerous statues, jewelry and treasures through the Royal Mummies room to the breathtaking solid gold burial mask and the golden sarcophagi of Tutankhamun; the best-known works of art in the world and a prominent symbol of ancient Egypt. It houses over 120,000 items. Nevertheless, most of them are not exhibited due to lack of space.

I can easily rank The Egyptian Museum as one of the top five I visited around the world.

In 2004, there are a large number of Yugoslav cars Zastava 101 and Zastava 128 taxis in Cairo. Memories of the glorious days of the Non-Aligned Movement, when country leaders Tito and Gamal Abdel Nasser were making trade deals to subsidize local economies and well-being of third world countries. While driving in a Zastava taxi, I almost fell out through the side door when we drove into a left turn and the door suddenly opened.

A special breaking procedure of stopping down a car didn’t activate before I grabbed the door and closed it firmly. The driver had to hit the brakes three times before they even started to grip.

While the car’s speedometer was operational, the fuel tank indicator was not. This issue had historically been a vulnerability of Zastava vehicles, which later affected the legendary Yugo line as well.

One of the most recognizable sights in the world, the Pyramids of Giza, were built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt, between 2,600 and 2,500 BC. Home to the Great Pyramid (the Pyramid of Cheops), the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with their associated pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx, are located on the edges of the Western Desert.

At the same time, on the eastern boundary, they are adjacent to the urban settlement located in the suburbs of Cairo.

The largest pyramids built in ancient Egypt attract hordes of tourists at any time of the year. Not surprisingly, why the place can be quite uncomfortable with chaos of tour groups, intrusive vendors and extreme heat in the summer.

I was bombarded by aggressive offers most of the time:

“Souvenir Mister, camel, guide, translation, tea, water!”

It is a challenge to stay calm and politely decline all offers. The only other place, where I experienced a similar sense of intrusion from vendors, was in the Aswan region some weeks later.

The people of Ancient Egypt believed that death on Earth was the start of a journey to the next world. In addition to serving as a final resting place for the pharaoh, the pyramid also served as a storage for numerous possessions he would use in the afterlife.

The most impressive facts about the pyramids are the size and the methods used to move, form and raise mighty stones to an enviable height. These exterior blocks had to be carefully cut, transported by river barge to Giza and dragged up the ramps to the construction site.

The road to Birqash Camel Market led me through Cairo suburbs, where lush greenery prevails and palm trees mingle with bananas plantations. We arrived early at down, before the sunrise, when the air is still covered with fog. It was my first camel market and I was impressed with hundreds of camels that are on the exhibition for trade.

Traders analyze the animals prudently, negotiate hard and close down the deal with a specific hand shaking and saluting. The whole action seemed chaotic. Camels are hauled in small trucks. After being traded, most of them are slaughtered and used for meat.

Engaging in the dialogue with the camel owners was particularly enjoyable, as they sat serenely while overseeing their cherished animals. They leisurely drank tea and engaged in negotiations, eventually making deals with the buyers. The men were tall and slender, dressed elegantly in white attire, with turbans covering their heads.

Egypt is a Muslim country, but certainly women appear to be more liberal than in some other Arab countries. They still have to cover their hair and use a colorful long dress, but it can be very tight.  There is an abundance of fearless young women, especially in Cairo, who openly show off their curves, demonstrating any lack of shame.

However, the rights and opportunities available to women are significantly more limited than those afforded to men.

Alexandria ranks as the third largest city in Egypt and is often referred to as the Bride of the Mediterranean. This Mediterranean port city served as a significant hub of Hellenistic civilization and maintained its status as the capital of Ptolemaic, Roman and Byzantine Egypt for nearly a millennium.

In my opinion, there are insufficient reasons to recommend Alexandria as a travel destination at the beginning of the 21^st century.

Throughout a day trip, I affirmed the thesis that Alexandria’s most distinguished characteristic is its name and rich historical background, which, in today’s context, does not justify a visit. It is one of the very few places in Egypt where my expectations were not fulfilled and I was disappointed at the end of the long journey.

The scarcity of landmarks, combined with the abundance of hotels and restaurants, negatively impacts the visual appeal of the city. Besides drinking coffee or tea in the immense amounts of cafes along the sea line, and observing locals’ daily activities, I really didn’t find any particularly inspiring activity or landmark to remember.

I continued the journey towards the Western Desert, which spreads over the border to Libya and Sahara Desert. In the past, my perception of a desert was that of a monotonous, boring and endless landscape that is interrupted by green oasis.

After exploring Western Desert for three days on the back of a camel, along with a day in a jeep, my perspective and appreciation of this mysterious landscape shifted completely.

The diverse landscapes of sand dunes, white desert, rocky desert, black desert, serene oases, rolling hills, the endless stretches of sand and many other forms fascinated me from every perspective.

Accompanied by two young Bedouins and camels, I once again experienced a nomadic life that is simple, connected with nature, but on the other side very basic and tough. We didn’t ride very far from the civilization to feel completely disconnected, but the contrast was extreme.

Slow action and calm activities without hassle during the day, evenings by fire, Bedouin songs, sunrises and sunsets. Warm days and strong sunshine at midday were replaced by cold nights, as the temperature dropped to 8°C.

The starting point for White Desert was the village of Farafra, where I hired a 4-wheel drive with a driver to explore one of the most amazing sceneries I have seen in arid landscapes. The White Desert National Park offers landscape that seems from another planet; scenic white chalk rock formations were created through erosion by wind and sand. Cliffs and sand dunes are interrupted with wadis and oases.

Purely white rock formations are the remains of marine microorganisms, which, over the centuries, turned the former seabed into a semblance of the surface of some other planet. The contrast of layer of chalk and limestone with sand offer the most beautiful views during sunrise and sunset. Mushroom, Ice-cream cone, Chicken and atomic bomb, Monolith Inselberg are only some of the most famous calcium rock formations.

When I traveled through the desert, there were checkpoints in every village and at every control point or bus stop a policeman came aboard to verify that I was safe and happy. While driving towards Luxor, we stopped in the city of Asyut to change from bus to train.

Since at every mayor settlement local police were previously announced of a Slovenian guy arriving on a bus, it is not surprising that at the last stop, I got an escort for the following 4 hours until boarding the train and leaving Asyut. Foreign visitors are the most important source of income for the Egyptian economy. No wonder why I was registered, controlled and protected everywhere, especially off the beaten track.

My first stop in Luxor was a dentist. It was not easy to find one, willing to repair my sore tooth. Some were too basic, others closed or busy. Finally, an experienced, bald man with a strong voice and high self-confidence invited me to his dental office.

I was scared to death, untrustworthy, but in too much pain to run away. Without anesthesia, with rough, but experienced movements, he replaced the damaged filling in a few minutes and assured me that the rest of my stay in Egypt would be pain-free. He was right!

If the pyramids at Giza are an example of the diligence and power of the pharaohs, the tombs and monuments at Luxor are a proof of the artistic ability and progress of the Egyptian civilization from thousands of years ago.

Throughout its history, Luxor has been known as Thebes, the great capital of the Egyptian Empire, located on the east bank of the Nile River. It began to gain importance around 3,000 BC and eventually became Ancient Egypt’s political, military and religious capital for a period of over 1,500 years.

Luxor is home to a huge number of the country’s ancient monuments, the most important being: Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens, Luxor Temple, Karnak Temple Complex and the massive stone statues known as the Colossi of Menmon.

I had previously read and heard a lot about the splendid Luxor monuments and tombs in the Valley of the Kings.

I found myself captivated by the size, the remarkable architecture, the beauty of art and striking colors when entering the most picturesque tombs in the valley or observing the monuments.

The Valley of the Kings is a burial ground for pharaohs who ruled Egypt from 18^th to 20^th dynasties (1551 until 1080 BC). Famous kings and queens from that period include Tutankhamun, Ramses II, Tuthmosis III, Seti I and Queen Nefertari. The pharaohs were buried in rock-cut tombs in the Theban Hills, hidden from plain view. 62 tombs have been excavated to the day of my visit.

Long corridors lead through deep excavated underground caves through different chambers and passages that are beautifully decorated with the most exquisite reliefs. Bigger tombs feature a very long hallway and several series of staircases. The detail in the carvings is remarkable, and the colors are strikingly rich and vibrant.

Usually the tombs culminate in massive burial chambers. The paintings on the ceiling and walls are absolutely stunning, depicting religious texts and images, mythology and astronomical scenes. This description is valid for later pharaohs’ tombs, while the earliest tombs were generally sparsely decorated, and those of a non-royal nature were totally undecorated.

I rented a bicycle to move from one burial place to another, since most of the distances are short enough, beside getting an opportunity to observe how people live in the areas where hundreds of thousands of tourists arrive every year.

In my opinion, the most spectacular, colorful and nicely decorated tombs are: Tutankhamun, Ramses IV, Seti I and Queen Nefertari.

If impressed by the tombs, I was disappointed by the poverty of inhabitants and shocked by inadequate security system of some of the most valuable historical treasures in the world. Indifferent security guards, occasionally off duty, encouraged me to capture photographs with a flashlight, where prohibited, or let visitors do other things that are not allowed for a small bribe. Some tombs on the western part of the Nile are surrounded by poor houses, probably without permissions.

It is regrettable that the Egyptian government allows its most cherished historical assets to be put at risk by individuals motivated solely by the prospect of earning a few dollars. In contrast, they are publicly amazed to find that many of the tombs were either looted or damaged before scientists had the opportunity to study them.

The visit of Abu Simbel started early in the morning, with my alarm ringing at 3:00am. After a long drive in a touristic minivan through various checkpoints, we reached the archaeological site at 8:15 in the morning.

In company of hundreds of tourists, we were granted one and a half hour to explore one of the most special remains of old civilizations in the world. Two massive rock-cut temples carved out of the mountainside in the 13^th century BC during the 19^th Dynasty reign of the Pharaoh Ramesses II.

What is peculiar about Abu Simbel temple is that it became famous twice. For the first time, when it was built and the second time in 1968, when the whole complex was relocated in its entirety to higher ground to prevent submersion by Lake Nasser.

Through the international donation campaign to save the monuments of Nubia from the rising waters of the Nile due to the construction of the Aswan Dam, a multinational team of archeologists first designed an artificial hill to host the temple. The entire site was carefully cut into large blocks up to 30 tons, dismantled, lifted and reassembled in a new location 65 meters higher and 200 meters back from Nile river.

In one of the greatest challenges of archaeological engineering in history, the stones were assembled together with such a precision that only from a close look I was able to noticed the cuts in the structure.

Abu Simbel represents a unique form to protect the remains of human civilizations for next generations. It serves as an example of how we should protect cultural heritage, even if the task appears impossible at first sight.

My journey from Egypt to Sudan continued on a cargo-passenger ship, which provided an extraordinary expedition up the Lake Nasser and Nile River to Wadi Halfa in Sudan.

The trip from downtown Aswan to the port involved a two-hour bus ride in the early morning, which included customs control and immigration procedures in Egypt before departure.

The next step was acquiring a ticket for a ship to navigate Lake Nasser. I joined approximately 50 locals in a passionate quarreling, pushing and even fighting, during which we actually relocated the tiny sale booth to the edge of the pier. After all the hassle I realized that the whole drama was a complete nonsense, since we had to wait for the rest of the afternoon before the ship was ready for sailing.

The official ship capacity of one 40”container and 150 passengers was far exceeded. When I boarded the upper deck, there were around 400 people and seven trucks of goods loaded on the lower deck. During the next 5 hours, additional 200 passengers and 10 trucks of goods were loaded. When the engines finally ignited at 6:00pm, we resembled a group of migrants packed onto an excessively loaded cargo vessel, vulnerable to sinking with the smallest wave.

Following a sleepless night spent in a sleeping bag atop a mattress made of old newspapers, we continued slow navigation until 3:00pm, when we finally docked at the port of Wadi Halfa in Sudan.

Even after many years, I consider Egypt to be the sole country that can challenge Iran for the title of the most rewarding nation in the Middle East: from rich history, amazing natural wonders, mostly friendly people, to superb National Museum, snorkeling in the Red Sea and cultural experience of Whirling Dervishes performance in mystical journey of men’s spiritual ascent through mind and love to the “Perfect”.

Five weeks of travelling, swimming, food tasting and learning gave me an opportunity to understand the country much better than a short trip to an all-inclusive beach resort or Giza pyramids tour that most of the visitors usually do.

Three thousand years ago and beyond, the Pharaohs were regarded as the most advanced of civilization in the world. Modern Egyptians that I met in 2004 would never manage to achieve such magnificent breakthroughs in the field of human civilizations with their dedication to work. It is very easy to spot inefficient and unproductive people everywhere.

Egypt deservedly attracts millions of visitors every year, convincing them with its historical heritage, the magic of the Red Sea, the desert, and the hospitality of its inhabitants.