Cruise day: 103/152
Ports days: 45
Sea days: 58
Countries: 18
Continents: 5
Ports: 33We are in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, near the southeastern tip of the Sinai peninsula. While the Cape Verde Islands are technically part of Africa, this was our first time setting foot on mainland Africa, but the Sinai peninsula is only sort of mainland Africa. Tomorrow, in Safaga, we'll be on Africa proper. It is a busy day today with two planned excursions - a glass-bottom boat ride in the morning and a desert jeep tour in the afternoon.
The port is attractive with rugged hills just off in the distance.
We set off on the morning tour. We picked up our passports from the ship. They had a shiny new stamp from Egypt. As we went down the gangway, an Egyptian official was inspecting every passport to ensure we had the Eqypt Quick Trip passport stamp in place.
It turned out to be a short (one minute) bus ride from the ship to the checkpoint to leave the port. Everyone had to get off the bus, proceed into the building, walk through a metal detector and get a pat-down, have their bag x-rayed, and then get back on the bus. They did make some exceptions for folks with mobility issues. This was just to get out of the port.
As we waited, here's what we saw.
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| Two of the many guards at the port, packing loaded AK47s and wearing flack jackets - note the metal barrier the camo-wearing guard is behind |
We also had a well-dress stranger on our bus - more on him later.
We rode to the resort where the boats were waiting.
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| This was one of the most stunningly beautiful mosques I have ever seen - the Mosque of Sahaba - I only wish we had a chance to photograph it from any other platform than through the window of a speeding bus |
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| Not sure what this was |
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| Sharm El-Sheikh International Hospital - I guess there is something to the healing power of pyramids |
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| Our destination at Naama Bay |
We walked out along the sand and waited to board our glass-bottom boat. This was the extra guy on our bus. Snappy dresser. Look at the bottom of the back of his jacket.
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| I can't tell for sure from just the barrel and forward grip, but it might be an HK MP5 9mm automatic submachine gun |
So yeah - AK47s at the port and machine guns with the escorts. Feel safe yet?
Arlona took her obligatory feel of the Red Sea.
We headed out over coral reefs and took in the sights. I won't try to ID the fish - except the pufferfish.
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| The boat had eight viewing windows that made up most of the floor area - there was seating all the way around for passengers to look down as we sailed |
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| Pufferfish |
After viewing the reefs, we went up on the top deck of the boat and took in the views of Naama Bay.
Then, it was time for the scenic drive back to the ship.
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| We took in the sights |
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| A few more of the Mosque of Sahaba |
When we got back to the port - guess what? Everybody off the bus again to go through the metal detector again and get patted down again and have our bags x-rayed again. Except...they didn't make everyone get off - just most of the folks - it was really random and made no sense.
We arrived back at the ship, got our passport stamps inspected again, and boarded the ship. We had about 90 minutes before our next excursion. We grabbed a quick lunch and headed out.
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| Eight Toyota Land Cruisers were waiting for the excursion passengers |
We walked off the ship - guess what we had to do. Get out passport stamps inspected yet again. Then we were allowed off the ship and to board the waiting Land Cruisers. The seating was face-to-face side-facing bench seats in the back. Four of us piled in, two on a side, facing each other, and made the long arduous one-minute trip to the checkpoint to go through the metal detector, get patted down, bags x-rayed again, and off we went.
The Land Cruiser bounded so much that photos en route were an exercise in futility except for a couple of quick snaps.
After we got off the paved roads, our Land Cruiser convoy with two police vehicles holding our security detail, one in front and one behind, headed off-road blasting through the desert. Our first stop was at a mangrove nature wetland. We saw some mangrove trees and the edge of the bay.
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| Mangrove roots peeking up from the sand |
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| Arlona, shell hunting |
Our next stop was a wildlife museum. I'm being a little gracious calling it a museum - there were perhaps six small displays.
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| The view behind the museum |
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| Our security detail was busy taking photos of themselves - note the sidearm on the guy in the yellow |
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| Bedouin fishing shacks |
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| A gull flying by |
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| Hen Harriers |
After our time at the museum, we headed off to a Bedouin camp.
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| I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille... |
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| Acacia tree - called the bleeding tree as red sap runs from wounds on the tree |
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| Our security detail - well, most of them - more on that in a minute |
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| Preparing customary bread, cooked over wood and cooked right in front of us |
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| It was served to us hot, with goat cheese and an herbal tea |
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| We were then treated to a whirling dervish style dance |
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| Arlona, getting in on the act - more to follow! |
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| Two more of the security team - note the machine gun barrels hanging below the right side of their vests |
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| Arlona, checking out the acacia trees |
Next up was a belly dancer - she was quite entertaining and had incredible muscle control.
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| She got Arlona up to teach her some moves |
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| Just do this and make your chest bounce up and down... |
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| Hmm...that doesn't seem to be working |
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| Trying again |
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| Uh...nope - still a no-go! |
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| OK - let's work on the other side! |
After the show and a couple of more minutes to look around, we took the 45-minute ride back to the port. Guess what we had to do...
Back through the metal detector and pat-downs - however...they only took selected random people. The security measures at the port were just silly. I get security. I get taking precautions. But, they have to make sense and these just didn't. All it did was inconvenience tourists and accomplish nothing. A terrorist could have easily smuggled anything into the port. And, when we boarded, they gave up looking at our passport stamps too. Well, whatever.
The day was still fun and entertaining. The morning excursion was a little disappointing, but still enjoyable. The afternoon excursion would have been much more enjoyable with comfortable seating, but it was still fun blasting through the desert and seeing the Bedouin camp. All in all, another good day.
They grilled grouper out back on the Aquavit deck for seafood salads but the desserts stole the show.
We are headed to Safaga, Egypt tomorrow - about 87 miles, so tonight will be slow sail south. We have a 13-hour excursion to the Karnak Temple and Valley of the Kings tomorrow, so expect lots of photos and little narration as we won't be back on the ship until 8pm or so tomorrow night.
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