After returning from Libya during our
Winter Break (2006), we spent a couple days in Cairo
for Christmas, and then set out for the Western Desert — twice!
We broke down on our first attempt, spent an additional
3 days in Cairo getting the car fixed and then set out
again.
We did a loop of the Oases in Egypt,
logging 1,800 kms in the process. Our friends, Mike,
Maryann and baby Jacob, traveled with us through
the first two Oases, Bahiraya and Farafa. We continued
on to Dakhla, Kharga and back to Cairo through Asyut. |
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| A door in the village of Al Qasr in Dakhla
Oasis. The stones above the door frame have hieroglyphics
on them they
are reused stones from an ancient Egyptian temple. |
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| Getting the car towed out of the sand near Crystal Mountain
in front of 50 tourists and a dozen Bedouin guides, totally
humiliating! |
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| Co-pilot Zoë and I discuss the next
leg of our trip. |
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| Another view of Ain Umm Dabadib. Notice that Robyn is sitting
on a pile of pottery thousands of years old, the pottery
was everywhere and was impossible to avoid! |
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| The most amazing feature of Ain Umm Dabadib are four underground
aqueducts coming out of the mountains to supply water to
the castle. |
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| We were effectively confined to our hotel
when we passed through Asyut, a supposed center of fundamentalism.
Our confinement was somewhat mitigated by views of the Nile
and room service that delivered the cheapest beers I have
found in Egypt: $1.25! |
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| January 5, 2007 |
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