Dahab and Mt. Sinai

This weekend was a lovely respite from the quotidian chaos of Cairo.

3 friends and I had originally planned to spend the weekend exploring Luxor, but we were unable to get train tickets. Instead, we hopped on the bus to Dahab - a tiny resort town on the Eastern coast of the Sinai. The 10 hour overnight bus ride was not entirely pleasant, but throughout the night I was awed by the great black expanse of desert stretching for miles on either side of the highway - and sunrise over the mountains was stunning, to say the least.

I was surprised by how mountainous the coastal region was! When I imagine Sinai I see a vast, featureless desert, but our route was hemmed in for several hours by dramatic sharp peaks of red rock. In Dahab, the mountains were a constant presence - they loom behind the sparkling bay, making the view even more exotic.

We spent a day and a night in Dahab - no snorkeling this time, but we did dip in the water for a bit, and spent much of our time on the beach and exploring the boardwalk and the town. Off-season Dahab is a gorgeous, serene place, populated by a smattering of laidback German and Dutch divers, and Egyptians who look healthier and more relaxed than their Cairene counterparts. Even their sales-pitches were less insistent! I will definitely go back, preferably before peak season hits.

The next morning we hurried to the bus stop to catch the once-a-day bus to St. Katherine's, home of the mountain most commonly agreed to be Mt. Sinai, only to discover that it would not be coming that day. As tempting as it was to give up and spend another lazy day in Dahab, we perservered and found a minibus driver who would take us. We were joined by a friendly German man named Toby, who was also planning on making the biblical climb. St. Katherine's is a little hamlet nestled in a valley about 2 hours from Dahab. It is home to the alleged Mt. Sinai and St. Katherine's Monastery, which houses (among other treasures) a bush alleged to be the burning bush of biblical fame.

The monastery was mobbed with tourists and pilgrims, and many portions were closed off, but it was nevertheless a beautiful complex, rich with flowering trees and sun-soaked courtyards. We spent several hours reading, snacking, and napping in the sun before our ascent. Our plan was to watch the sunset from the top of the mountain, so we began the 2 hour climb around 3:30. The climb itself was not overly strenuous - just a series of long sandy switchbacks - until we reached the Stairs of Pain and Punishment (not their actual name. But there is a staircase that runs the whole length of the mountain, which has been used for centuries as a form of penance for the monks!). The last half an hour of the hike was composed completely of a steep, narrow rock staircase - rough on the knees and treacherous if mis-stepped!

*****

Much more to say about these lovely places, but I have to run to a meeting soon - I am looking into a volunteer opportunity at a local church, wherein I would work with Sudanese refugee children, teaching English, reading stories in Arabic, and helping with homework.

Love to all!