Sharm & Sinai

Arrival in Sharm

This time the destination did not allow a "do-it-yourself stay" and so we set off with EDEN Viaggi. The Livingstone flight leaves Rome an hour late and we arrive in Sharm at 22:00. Going down the stairs of the A-330 the impression is that of entering a large oven...the air seems unbreathable but you soon get used to the new climate. We arrive at the SHARM CLUB and, despite the time, they offer us the chance to have dinner. The village immediately appears very beautiful and we will have confirmation of this the next day!

Enchanted by the Reef

We get up early, impatient to swim in the much renowned Red Sea. I take a stroll around the village, it really is beautiful. We had chosen it for its small size and for the direct access to the sea..it does not disappoint us. No concrete or huge complexes...just various white little houses immersed in a large garden full of trees and flowers. The entertainment is discreet and you can enjoy the sound of the sea! And then we discover that the food is excellent! It doesn't have a large beach, but it is surrounded by small coves with a walkway for access to the sea. The first dip beyond the reef and just the time to look down are enough to remain enchanted!!! It is not only the impression of swimming in an aquarium because of the number and the different species of fish, but the wonder offered by the multicoloured coral wall. It is a true submerged garden.

I thought you needed to dive to be able to see "documentary-like" scenarios but I discover that here that is not the case!

Ras Mohammed

We get up very early and at 6:00 we set off for the excursion to the Ras Mohammed Marine Park, the protected area that extends over the southern tip of Sinai. As soon as we leave Sharm...we enter Egypt. And only here do you realise how Sharm was created solely for the use and consumption of tourists...what a shame. They check our passports and we continue along the highway that leads to Cairo, surrounded by the mountains of the Sinai desert. As soon as we enter the park we reach a beach from which we immediately set off for the snorkelling. We thank our guide for the early wake-up...it is 7 o'clock and there is only our small group of a few people.

The reef here is even more spectacular than the one in front of the village...there are so many fish and I wouldn't want to come out of the water anymore! We continue our visit with the mangrove channel and the fissure created by the earthquake, the landscape is very beautiful but the attractions are nothing special. Then again to the Magic Lake, a stunning natural pool created by the seawater that seeps into this lagoon. It is said to bring luck, love and fertility....so like every respectable tourist group we hold hands and do the ritual group dip shouting "Habibi"! We continue to the monumental entrance of the Park and stop to do "Snorkelling" in another bay. We taste the first tea in the desert and, exhausted by the 45°, we return to the village for an afternoon of Relaxation. In the evening we go out by taxi to go to old "Sharm".

Only the name is old and even this is nothing but a big bazaar for tourists. Rather fake....great only for buying some souvenirs, without forgetting to haggle for a long time...

RELAX

Today only SEA, SUN, RELAX

The Sinai and St. Catherine's Monastery

Today another early wake-up for the excursion to the Monastery of Saint Catherine. Crossing Sinai is very beautiful and evocative, and as you go inland it takes on colours and shapes so particular as to recall the great expanses of Arizona. We have our first contact with the Bedouin people, who by now seem rather used to receiving "visits". Despite the 1500 m of altitude, at the Monastery it is extremely hot and the long stretch of road that separates us from the entrance is truly tiring. The Monastery, in itself not exceptional, stands in a particular and...mystical place. I believe that whether one believes or not, it remains a place of great intensity. It is beautiful to see here gathered together symbols, traditions and history of the three great religions living side by side and attracting different faiths. Bell tower and Minaret here are close not only physically. Not to be missed.

Returning to Sharm we stop at Dahab for some shopping. Known as the favourite destination of surfers and hippies, Dahab appears with its seafront very pretty and well kept and less inflated than Sharm... It is not true that prices here are better, on the contrary....they bring groups here and the sellers are less courteous, used to "plucking the chickens" artfully...

Sinai & Abu Galum

Once again today we set off early for another excursion that was meant to bring together a few of the most significant aspects of this holiday: DESERT & SEA. We set off in a 4x4 Jeep and head into the desert, where we drive along paved tracks and off-road ones...great fun. We stopped for a break in a Bedouin village, where they told us about their customs and traditions while we savoured the typical tea! The day continued towards the Abu Galum Nature Reserve. Here, a camel ride along the coast and finally "snorkelling"! Lunch in a Bedouin tent and then back to Dahab... The day is very beautiful, though too "touristy" for my standards...the best thing, and the one that will stay with me the most, was once again the children. Even though they're used to tourists, pushed to sell every kind of trinket, I was struck by their beauty and by their smile that never fades.

Sea Again!

Today is a day devoted to rest and enjoying the last days of this wonderful sea. We abandon the beach umbrella and let ourselves be pampered by the sun... Even though I wasn't attracted to it at all, we go to spend the evening in the notorious Naama Bay. The impression turned out to be correct, but we devote ourselves to a bit of shopping in the many little shops. Sharm is all here.... between clubs and casinos.. in short, a Las Vegas-style "Strip" in Arab format. Anyway... worth seeing.

A gift of a day...

We were supposed to leave in the late morning, but instead our flight is postponed to 22:00! For a minimal supplement they let us keep the room until evening and guarantee us meals and services... so unexpectedly we grant ourselves another day at the sea to take one last look at the wonderful reef. We say goodbye to Sharm admiring the last sunset over Sinai.