Indiana Jones and the Great Sphinx or Sierra New Year and Christmas charm
Having visited Egypt last year, we decided to repeat it, but this time to Sinai, in order to appreciate the Asian part of the country. We decided to stay at the Sierra Hotel, because. there are many positive reviews about it, including the review of my mother, who was in it in January 2009. The hotel was not disappointed: very good cuisine, a large selection of dishes, the fish is especially incomparable, every day its own cuisine (Italian, Russian, Oriental, international , English), cozy territory, very green, there is even a golf course, as many as 5 swimming pools, with each bar, and even pizza burgers, fries, ice cream . . I really liked Soho Square, which is between our hotel and Savoy: there is also a bowling alley , and an indoor skating rink, and Kulturama (such a historical movie about the history of Egypt), and a hookah that you can smoke right in the fountain (in a niche in the middle of it, more precisely), and a singing fountain with light music, and everything was decorated just amazingly (backlight, and New Year's attributes like Santa Clauses, deer, decorated Christmas trees), sculptures in the style of the early 20th century are especially touching? and there are rocking cocoons very healthy. Every evening we spent differently on Soho, for 2 weeks we did not get bored even once! And the bar also works for free for Sierra and Savoy (though until 22.00, then for money), well, there are more than a dozen bars-restaurants there, just like shops, in addition, Soho has its own stage, where various performances and shows were held, each is also different day! The Arabs are very well-mannered, polite, so when they arrived in Naama Bay in the evening for a hookah and souvenirs, they were simply shocked by the merchants there - arrogant, snickering, I can’t find another word, they are bargaining badly, in general, a whole war))) Which we really won) )) To be honest, we were very glad that our hotel was not in Naama Bay, it was very noisy, crowded and dirty somehow . .
And now a few words about excursions. This time we went to historical places already twice, and not only in Egypt, but also visited such a specific (for me at least) country as Jordan, or rather its calling card, Petra - the ancient city of the Nabataeans, through which I ran in search of the Grail the famous INDIANA JONES (more precisely, according to the Treasury of this city) in the film "ID and the Last Crusade", solved all sorts of riddles of the knight in the Temple carved right into the rock. We decided to test our strength and left at 4.30 in the morning, then from Taba (a hole of holes in my opinion, if you are not an ascetic whose only passion is diving) 25 minutes by high-speed ferry (big boat) across the sea to Jordan (a rare moment: you are in the middle 4 states: Egypt behind, Jordan ahead, Israel on the left, Saudi Arabia on the right), then another 2 hours from Aqaba through the Wadi Rum desert to Petra. According to the landscape, Jordan is the same Sinai, mountainous and deserted (which actually was to be expected), but people live much better: compulsory school education for children, many freedoms for women, average salary = 700 US dollars, of which 2 for rent with all utilities it costs 40 euros, the food is cheap (1 euro costs 8 kg of tomato), i. e. the average family spends somewhere around 10% of income ((700 + 700)140) on housing and food, or even less . . this would be cool with us)))))) The only thing is very strict laws - for the slightest violation of a VERY severe punishment, but apparently it should be so. At least restrains the hot temper of the population. It was cool in Petra itself (the mountains) +8 approximately, and 4.5 km you have to walk along the bottom of a 100-meter canyon to the Treasury, it’s very beautiful: multi-colored layers interspersed, various monuments of the Nabataeans (tombs, sanctuaries, even the registry office (! ), we By the way, they refreshed their wedding impressions of six months ago (so they noted at the same time! ) Having married, like newly arrived Nabataeans))), rare trees and finally SHE! Of course, the spectacle is super . . you have to see it with your own eyes, but, frankly, the columns of Karnak in Luxor struck me more, although Petra is a unique creation of both nature and man. In addition, we examined the Roman amphitheater (well, where without the ubiquitous ancient Italians! ) And drank tea in a local cafe)) Our guide was gorgeous, Abdullah, short, lean, smart, just horror! As it turned out, he studied at the Kuban University, so he knows both vodka and even bacon with moonshine (but at home he smells Toko : )) We even took a business card from him, just like Jordanians are very sociable, good-natured and love their king and the beautiful Queen Rania. the same way, passing the border (now a passport with a visa and stamps of Jordan and as many as 4 stamps on 1 Egyptian visa) and at 23 o'clock we are at the hotel. We did not regret at all that we went, very informative, beautiful, well, where without Indiana)) Only prices for souvenirs are scrap (1 dinar = 1 euro, a plate is 25 dinars), but I still grabbed the book)))
The pyramids were originally planned, but a decision arose to fly to Cairo by plane, because she was dragging herself on a bus at 1 a. m. , remembering Luxor and imagining that it was EVEN further, a heavy groan escaped))) To clear her conscience, she sat on the Internet on the forms, the people assured that the planes of the Egyptians are not an example better than buses or our planes. Actually, it turned out that way: they flew exactly on the eve of Catholic Christmas, a very pleasant airplane, a roomy (more than 100 people), clean, fresh, well-trained crew and ONLY 45 minutes to Cairo - just lovely. Of the entire aircraft, there were only 6 Russians, including us, a lot of Italians and British)) We came to the conclusion that it was time to value ourselves and not to ruin in vain, but to choose comfort. The tour of Cairo took place in the same composition of 6 people + guide = sensible explanation of things that interest you personally, quite a lot of free time and in general all stops and walks at our request, great! Cairo appeared as I expected, after Luxor it was not shocking)) The pyramids with the Sphinx are grandiose! I went around everything that was possible and even climbed into the pyramid of the mother of Cheops, and BARELY went down there (very steep descent, stuffiness, fear of confined space and pressure stones of sevrhu), BUT it is worth it to feel yourself, if not an Egyptologist, then an adventurer for sure))))) The descent and crawling out of the pyramid was filmed on camera - the video came out just a thriller through laughter)))) But my legs hurt after day 3) ) Well, at 21.30 we were already at the hotel and ate dinner))) Lepota!
And on December 25 in the morning there was a meeting of Santa Claus on the beach, who sailed to us from the sea on a boat! : ))))))) This was the first time for me))))))))) The animation was very cool, adults had fun like children : ) Well, on December 27 we flew to Moscow, which met us +2 with rain and humid air)) ) We were late for 30 minutes with a departure, I think this is not a delay at all.
Bottom line: the rest was a success by 200%, we are satisfied with everything that is possible and we demand to repeat))))) Now, if in Sharm, then only in the Sierra))
