My good friend, Kate, is on a solo trip in Egypt. On March 25, she wrote:
I arrived in Dahab Friday at noon. The vibe is a lot like Montezuma, Costa Rica, but with more stray cats. My hotel is the Bishbishe, definitely a no star place, but of course I love it. The rooms are basic but I do have an ensuite.
Everyone gathers in the outdoor lounge area filled with pillows and low tables, Bedouin style. The owner is Jimmy, a very gregarious fellow, who loves to play backgammon. They play in restaurants and love to challenge the tourists.
Yesterday I went to St. Catherine's Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in the world. We drove two hours out into the desert. High stone mountains, no vegetation, lots of sand, it was very still and calming, had its own beauty. Tradition has it that the burning bush GOD appeared to Moses through is still living within the monastary, replanted several centuries ago. I have a picture.
The monastery is Greek Orthodox and the basilica was small but lovely, there were at least twenty chandeliers hanging. Had some quiet time in the basilica and lit a candle.
We had at least 20 vehicles in a convoy for the return trip. This is the area the kidnappings have occurred in. We didn't have a convoy to the monastery so I figure they sleep in and only kidnap in the afternoon.
Today I went to the beach at a family resort. Lots of children running around sans clothing.,also men in speedos, very European. The water was calm and shallow quite a distance out. Lots of wind surfers. The area also has good diving. I reclined (again) and read a trashy novel. More of the same tomorrow.
Tomorrow night I leave for Jerusalem and meet up with Pam. As the saying goes, next year in Jerusalem, but its tomorrow - can't wait. But I will be sad to leave beautiful Egypt!!
KATE
Note from Mzuri: A true-life adventure story about two Victorian women and what they found at St. Catherine's here.
I arrived in Dahab Friday at noon. The vibe is a lot like Montezuma, Costa Rica, but with more stray cats. My hotel is the Bishbishe, definitely a no star place, but of course I love it. The rooms are basic but I do have an ensuite.
Everyone gathers in the outdoor lounge area filled with pillows and low tables, Bedouin style. The owner is Jimmy, a very gregarious fellow, who loves to play backgammon. They play in restaurants and love to challenge the tourists.
Yesterday I went to St. Catherine's Monastery, one of the oldest monasteries in the world. We drove two hours out into the desert. High stone mountains, no vegetation, lots of sand, it was very still and calming, had its own beauty. Tradition has it that the burning bush GOD appeared to Moses through is still living within the monastary, replanted several centuries ago. I have a picture.
The monastery is Greek Orthodox and the basilica was small but lovely, there were at least twenty chandeliers hanging. Had some quiet time in the basilica and lit a candle.
We had at least 20 vehicles in a convoy for the return trip. This is the area the kidnappings have occurred in. We didn't have a convoy to the monastery so I figure they sleep in and only kidnap in the afternoon.
Today I went to the beach at a family resort. Lots of children running around sans clothing.,also men in speedos, very European. The water was calm and shallow quite a distance out. Lots of wind surfers. The area also has good diving. I reclined (again) and read a trashy novel. More of the same tomorrow.
Tomorrow night I leave for Jerusalem and meet up with Pam. As the saying goes, next year in Jerusalem, but its tomorrow - can't wait. But I will be sad to leave beautiful Egypt!!
KATE
Note from Mzuri: A true-life adventure story about two Victorian women and what they found at St. Catherine's here.
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