A visit to the Sinai peninsula in the territory of Egypt

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A distance of only 3 ½ years in Egypt around this time in this small Asian country transcontinental. Indeed it is true that Egypt is rightly considered one African State as its capital, its major cities, the vast majority of land area and population in Africa is also true that the Sinai Peninsula is located in Asia . To divide the two continents via the Suez Canal. Are in the company of a friend in the evening and arrive at the airport of Sharm el Sheihk after a technical stop in Luxor. In Sharm there waiting for a minibus ready to lead the northern Sinai, Taba, a tourist resort on the border with Israel. We arrive late in the evening, just in time to eat a sandwich and lie down. Our resort is called the Swiss Inn Dream, as its name implies is part of a Swiss hotel chain and has been recently opened. There are still some wings of the hotel to be completed and gardeners are completing the gardens. All of this discharged the next day and the fact that the resort is still quite nice, has a spectacular fountain, a beautiful pool and private beach with sunbeds and thatched umbrellas. After meeting with our travel assistant take advantage of the beautiful sunny day and we carry on the beach. The golden sand is fine but on the shoreline and in water there are rocks rather boring. However, we dive in the Red Sea being careful not to hurt us with stones on the bottom. Then we prefer to use the pool, the water temperature is more than acceptable despite November. The resort's restaurant offers Arabic cuisine and some international dishes served buffet is a good assortment of desserts including Bacle in several versions. They are also very pleasing cookies while I will not dare to taste fresh fruit and yogurt. The first day that elapses between a bath and some relaxing in the sun. The next morning we take part in an excursion by bus involving many Italians. We cross the rocky desert of the Sinai mountains characterized by numerous completely devoid of vegetation where the predominant colors range from ocher and pink depending on the solar glare. Then at the southern tip of Dahab detour inland and stop at a point where the rocky desert seems to leave room for a large sandy area. Here we are approached by vendors trying to sell some Bedouins useless junk. Then resume our journey stopping at the foot of Mount Sinai, Moses rose from the summit to meet God in the midst of this desolate desert and the foot of the mountain stands the biblical fortified Monastery of St. Catherine. A thick walls introduced into the monastery where we visit the Church, the well of Moses and what the tradition is the burning bush described in Exodus. There is also a small museum with ancient icons and a manuscript of Mohammed who passed here. Not far away an ossuary that keeps bones and skulls of monks and the tomb of Aaron, the brother of Moses, whose body was transferred from a sultan but near Petra in Jordan. The monastery holds one of the most important collections of manuscripts, but unfortunately not accessible to the faithful. The bell tower of the church walls contrast with the rugged Sinai. Leaving the fort on a mountain climb to observe and photograph in its entirety the Monastery and its surroundings very unusual. After the visit we take the bus for a short distance away to the little inn where lunch buffet. Then we take the road back, this time in microbus, because our excursion and that of 4 other Italian includes a brief stop in the town of Dahab, famous seaside resort famous for its seabed. There is only time for a promenade filled with shops for tourists, dive centers and agencies that organize trips into the desert. Across the Red Sea you can see clearly the outline of the hills of Saudi Arabia. We go up the microbus and return to our resort of Taba for dinner. The next day we leave for an excursion from here to Cairo, the city where I had been 3 ½ years ago. Also on this occasion we are few, and so we face the long trip to microbus, fastest but definitely the most uncomfortable bus. From Taba road runs several miles to the Suez Canal near which we stopped in a room to eat breakfast package given us away. We take the opportunity to stretch your legs after hours of walking on a shabby street with potholes, bumps and frequent checkpoints. We go up the microbus and overcome the canal with a subway leaving Asia and going to Africa (see itinerary Cairo).
We return to Cairo the same underpass that crosses the Suez Canal and continue the long road to Taba where we get tired just in time for dinner. Luckily the next day, no transfer, we remain in our resort situated between the rugged desert mountains and the Red Sea in a very strategic point, the Gulf of Aqaba where a few well-4 kilometers bordering countries: Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. When night falls from the beach to see the lights of all the Gulf countries even if those who come from Aqaba in Jordan and Eilat in Israel seem to belong to a single city are so close. The day we leave for an excursion to Petra, the bus takes us along with other Italians at a nearby marina where the ferry waits for us to bring in Jordan (see itinerary on). We return in the evening just in time for dinner. Only a few hours sleep and then back by bus along with numerous connazzionali, this time we go down to the border with Israel that will cross on foot (see its route). Back from Israel bus will still be there waiting for us back to the hotel for dinner. After the meal, why not go to bed at 1, 30 there is a minibus to take him at Sharm el Sheikh where we start to return to Italy.
Some notes: The Resort is beautiful but isolated, not part of a complex of hotels and want to go anywhere near you, take a taxi and overcome numerous roadblocks. At the restaurant you eat moderately, but the hours are limited. If returned late from an excursion you will receive a meal in the room but is inedible. Inedible also what you find in so-called packed lunch. The basket of the other consists of a lightweight cardboard box that will break during the trip. The animation is virtually nonexistent. In November it is hot but it feels good, but unfortunately the days are short and 17 is dark. Monastery of Saint Catherine gets much hotter than the coast.