Pilgimages

As promised by time in Luxor was spent visiting the temples of Luxor and Karnac. I decided not to go again to the Valley of the Kings as the tombs I would most like to visit are currently closed - anyway my memories are still very fresh of the tombs there. I used my extra time to visit the Sunshine Orphanage instead. This place was set up by an English lady a couple of decades ago and is currently home to over 70 children. They have recently moved the younger children into a purpose built centre full of everything the under 5 could possibly want - including a ball pool. Was tempted myself - I^ve never been in a ball pool. Its the kind of place you come away uplifted from.
From Luxor it was a 9 hour drive to our next location. This should not have been a problem but the bloody annoying Egyptian government will not let any tourist travel freely in mainland Egypt. Everyone has to travel in massive convoys that only leave once a day and at the most inappropriate times. There are checkpoints every few miles and you can not get pass them unless you are in a police convoy. The convoys were set up in 1997 after the tourist shootings and everyone is heartily sick of them - it also means you arrive at monuments alongwith every single other person who wants to visit them that day. Alas the convoys are funded in the majority by the equally annoying American government (their citizens must be safe at all times) so they will not dissappear anytime soon.
En route we passed the town of Suez - home of course to the suez canal. Unlike at Panama there is really very little to see here. In fact you cannot even see the water. It appears as if the ships are floating by on the sand. What was cool though was that we went under the canal. A bridge has not been built to cross the canel as that would get in the way of the ships. Instead you go under the canel in a huge tunnel - it was fun.
So it was half past 9 when we arrived at our destination and half ten by the time we had eaten. Normally these times would not be that bad - but we were going to climb a mountain - and now just to make it more fun , we would be doing it in darkness. The mountain in question is Mount Sinai - the place where Moses recieved the Ten Commandments. Never attempted a mountain climb in the dark but luckily for us, the moon was out so most ofthe 2285m were visible. The last bit was a particular steep part and it was here that the track changed into huge steps. Most people ^s legs were shaking as we reached the summit. At the top we hired mattresses from the bedouins and settled down for a couple of hours sleep. Yes there are people at the summit selling and renting out equipment. We were all settled down by 1am and in fact we were the first there. By 4am the place was heaving. Hundreds of people make the pilgrimage up the mountain in order to watch the sunrise. The singing and clapping started around half 4 dispelling any notion that sleep may be possible. Everyone fell silent though as the sun rose at aroud half past 5 - and for the first time, I got a glimpse of what the mountain and surrounding range looked like. We were treated to a stunning sunrise before the mad clambor down the mountain started. Trying to get hundreds of people down a narrow set of steps all at once is not easy and incredibly frustrating. But I made it - and a couple of hours later I was back at the base. Before leaving I went to visit St Katherines Monastry - this is a greek orthodox church but is also a place of pilgrimage as it is where the burning bush is situated. After 4000 years there is nothing left of the bush except some roots, but a new bush has been planted there and people offer up prayers to it. Again crowd control is a bit of an issue and I am so glad that I was here this friday - nstead of next friday - Good Friday.
We left the mountain ranges and continued driving through the Sinai penisular until we reached Dahab. This resort on the Red Sea is famous for the snorkelling and diving opportunities it has. I imagine I will be checking those out soon...