Dahab

Dahab was our last destination in Egypt. After Alexandria we headed back to Cairo with the group, and then everyone was off in their own directions... some back home and many off to other countries and destinations.

We flew into Sharm El Sheikh, and had a driver from our hotel pick us up and drive us the hour to Dahab. We stayed at a really cute and small boutique hotel right on the boardwalk/beach - it was called the Red Sea Relax resort. All the hotels in Dahab are actually small like this (the big ones like the Westin are all in Sharm el Sheikh). It was awesome. Free computer/internet in the lobby, breakfast each morning with fresh crepes and coffee, and a spot right on the beach to lay out and enjoy the view with fresh made fruit juices. It was a VERY relaxing little town, probably the most relaxing of any place I've been... even more so than the caribbean or mexico or hawaii. 

Most people are there to snorkel and scuba dive as it has some of the best in the world. Matt did some snorkeling at the Blue Hole and thought it was fantastic. I was just happy on the beach, taking long walks (the boardwalk went forever...), and even got a massage and pedicure.

The 3rd night we were in Dahab (wednesday night of that week) we signed up with a group to hike Mt. Sinai. You take a mini-bus with about 10 people, and leave at 11pm at night. The drive to the mountain is about 2 hours. Once you get there you have a local guide, and he takes the group up the mountain in the dark with flashlights (if you brought one) for about 4 hours. We stopped 2 or 3 times along the way at small little huts for 15 minute breaks for tea. The whole night was exhausting. We were freezing cold, and yet it was a really steep hike and we were walking super fast so you are panting and sweating and it makes the cold even worse when you stop. As you walk in the dark you are constantly being hollered at by locals with camels up the mountain trying to get you to pay and take their camel up the mountain.... and in the dark it was actually quite startling, haha. Overall it was a tough experience, but in the end worth every minute. Being at the top for sunrise was amazing and one of the most beautiful things I've seen. Religious group sang songs at the top, and the whole experience was very unique.

Dahab was the perfect way to end our Egyptian vacation. We spent 5 nights there and it was a much needed way to unwind after all our touring around, and yet also getting to see a whole other area of Egypt. That Friday we caught a flight back to Cairo, and were on our way home... One stop in Amsterdam and then back to Seatle Saturday afternoon. It was a trip of a lifetime, and I am so glad we decided to just do it. One of those things you always want to do and finally just have to book the trip or it wont ever happen.

I would highly recommend Egypt as well as Intrepid Travel to anyone! The people in this country are so welcoming and friendly, it felt so safe, and the things you see are things you will never forget.

View from our hotel room

  

Beach time

Our hotel's restaurant/bar... British themed.

The Liquor shop, was called Americana Shop. I thought this was really funny at the time, haha.

At the top of Mt. Sinai. We dont have pictures of the dark hike up the mountain. This is at the top as we are watching the sun rise. Tonya (one of the girls from our Intrepid group) was also in Dahab while we were and also hiked the mountain the same night we did.

There is even a bathroom at the top, if you can call it that. =) It was actually quite expensive to use the restroom at the top (5 Egyptian pounds, or $1 US)! They have a monopoly I suppose.

One the way back down the mountain.

Our guide. He looked about 70 years old and had holes in his shoes, but he put us all to shame running up that mountain. 

 St. Catherine's monastery, a view on the way down. It took forever on the way down!

 A bush... which is supposedly a "relative" of the original Burning Bush from the bible.

 Back at our little hotel, a nice surprise for us. The staff there were so nice.

One of the MANY restaurants along the boardwalk in Dahab.

 

Dinner on our last night with some of our friends from our Intrepid group.

Alexandria

After the desert, we were off to Alexandria. Quite a bit of a change from the small desert towns. We stayed at a cute little boutique hotel right on the water.

It was a lot colder in Alexandria, and I remember feeling chilly there and wearing our jackets the whole time. The people also seemed much more modern, and we saw more of men/women holding hands or being affectionate in public. There was even REAL coffee in this city, and quite good I might add... we had amazing lattes at a cafe called Cilantro.

There was a lot of "modern" shops everywhere, and even little alchohol shops where you could buy beer and wine easily. I did make an obvious mistake of asking the guy at the wine shop which wine he thought I should get (a typical question in America) - he glared at me for a second and then told me the one "which most foreigners buy". Oops. Didn't mean to imply that he might drink. Oh well, I just smiled and bought 2 bottles. =)

The 2nd day we were there we headed off with just the 4 of us (Matt & Me, and Matt & Stacey). We saw the Catacombs - underground tombs in Alexandria that were discovered not that long ago (in the last 50 years?) by a donkey falling through the street into some of them. Bummer for the donkey. It was really cool to see these though, they definitley had more of a Roman feel to them compared to the Valley of the Kings down south.

We also saw the Citadel (the castle looking building in the pictures below). There were a ton of locals and school kids with teachers there as well checking it out. The school kids were very amused by us, and all wanted pictures with us on their cell phones. It was pretty funny, although after a while it did seem a tad odd. Haha. We tried to be good sports though.

We also took a long walk back from the Citadel around the harbour, even saw some local fishermen bringing in the days catch which was cool to see. We ended the afternoon seeing the Library, it is really modern and new.

Overall Alexandria was beautiful. We had some cheap seafood, enjoyed the nice city, and a wonderful last dinner out with our whole Intrepid group.

View from our Hotel room

Seafood and Beer, another change from the desert

enjoying some sheesha, apple flavor of course.

Catacombs

The Citadel

There were tons of local school kids touring around with their teachers here, and they all wanted their pictures with us. The teachers even took the pictures for them. It was pretty amusing to us... at least at first.