FROM THE CITY TO THE DEEP BLUE SEA - Cairo and Dahab, Egypt

......the last of our wanderings around beautiful, ancient Luxor sites.......

Those who have read a few of our blog posts know we are extremely fond of train travel (hence the blog title!). We're attracted to countries we can explore by rail, and Egypt is one of those destinations. On deciding we'd had enough of Luxor, we booked two tickets for the day train to Cairo. We had done this trip in reverse years ago, but remembered very little from that time. We did notice the ticket stated a journey time of ten hours, and thought that seemed very ambitious. But as we had decided on the 04.50am (!) train out of Luxor, we figured even if it was a few hours late, we should still arrive in the capital before dark. 

The train was filthy, painfully slow, stopped and started constantly, and jerked violently every time it braked. It was also 15.5 hours in total. But actually, the seats were very large and comfy, and we had books and music to keep us occupied, as well as the scenery out the window, and overall it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Luckily, the hostel we were staying at in Cairo was used to late arrivals, and greeted us warmly.

Entrance to the old building where our hostel was situated, Cairo

Cairo is one our favourite cities in the world, and even in our exhausted stupor upon arrival, we immediately felt positive being there. There's something about the combination of the grand yet decrepit buildings, relaxed people, pulsing traffic and busy crowds on the streets that's an immediate pick-me-up. We felt a huge difference from Luxor with the brightness of the place- it seemed lit up like a Christmas tree and almost hurt our eyes. Other differences were the extensive range of fashions in the glitzy clothing shops, the amount of women out and about, and the huge number of fast food eateries/restaurants/cafes everywhere we looked- the choice seemed endless. We could relax a bit too, and not be asked constantly what are our names, where are we from, do we want a taxi etc. Cairo was refreshingly free of touts and scammers for the most part. Most interactions were of a friendly and mellow type.

Food stall, Cairo

Islamic Cairo

Antique shop, Cairo

Sexy gear for sale, Cairo market

Waking up in Cairo streets

Wonderful light streaming into Cairo mosque

We spent a whole month in Cairo in 2020 (here and here), and were captivated by walking around the contrasting areas, and especially with the old Islamic architecture. We found so much to see we actually ran out of time! This time, a week was enough as we keenly felt the need to move on to the coast and appreciate some beach time as the weather improved. 

Orangemania, Cairo

View down backstreet in old part of Cairo

Green shop, with cat, Cairo

Colourful market, Cairo

Classic old apartment block, Cairo

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Dahab was inhabited pretty much solely by Bedouin people until the 1980s when Israelis and hippies discovered the laid-back coastal town. Situated on the Sinai peninsula, the town was still fairly quiet and low key even on our last visit in 2007. We had heard it had expanded in popularity since then, but weren't quite prepared for the explosion of tourism we discovered upon arrival. The first few days were extremely hard to adjust, as we struggled to find a place of calm (both somewhere to stay and mentally). Coming from very quiet Luxor, and very "Egyptian" Cairo, Dahab felt like another world. It didn't help that the overnight bus from Cairo was long and slow due to the many security stops, and we take longer to recover from such journeys these days!

The colours are real!, Dahab, Egypt

We were lucky to have a friend staying in a wonderful, arty camp, where we got a great deal on a cute little A-frame hut that would have been quite at home on a South East Asian beach. At one time the whole of Dahab was made up entirely of camps- basic compounds with rooms around the perimeter, a courtyard with seating in the middle and shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. Some still remain, alongside the newer villas and hotels, and are still popular with budget travellers. Ours was nice in that it catered to both foreign and Egyptian guests. Most of the latter were from Cairo, and were predominantly young professionals who were friendly and spoke English perfectly, many working for good wages in foreign IT companies. Although they didn't drink alcohol or take drugs, they did love late nights full of music, drumming, singing and dancing around the campfire. We mostly enjoyed the fun and it was great seeing them let loose a bit on holiday from work and home. On the odd occasion the noise went on into the wee hours, and we had to ask them to quieten down, they were always polite and respectful. In some ways, the camp was quite conservative, which was fine by us. One example was when a crazy German guy was thrown out for wandering around naked in the unisex bathrooms!

The resident artist at El Rayga Camp, Dahab, Egypt

Our home for two months, El Rayga Camp, Dahab, Egypt

Musical evenings, El Rayga Camp, Dahab, Egypt

Plenty of chill-out opportunities, El Rayga Camp, Dahab, Egypt

Very short video in the camp......

The town of Dahab is difficult to describe. It certainly had a completely different feel to everywhere in Egypt we had been. Russian expat families, Egyptian tourists, backpackers, divers, nouveau hippy wannabees and digital nomads coexisted quite harmoniously with the Egyptians who had moved to Dahab from other parts of the country and the local Bedouin people. There was quite a mix, and it somehow seemed to work. Although we weren't hugely impressed by the atmosphere of the town, it was definitely nice to be able to walk completely freely and without almost any hassle at all. People were so relaxed and used to seeing foreigners, we were no big deal, and that was a pleasant feeling! 

Shop in main street, Dahab, Egypt

Meandering along the busy seafront, Dahab, Egypt

Other advantages such as a variety of foods, cafes and restaurants we had never seen before in Egypt were welcome (although not particularly needed for our waistlines). We took advantage of the plethora of European style breakfasts and cakes, as well as our favourite Egyptian delights. The frenzied town centre with stalls selling colourful clothes and Bedouin trinkets, dive schools and fish restaurants petered out in each direction and was replaced with paths perfect for refreshing long walks and peaceful long beaches.

One of our favourite eateries, Dahab, Egypt

Selection of Egyptian drinks- surprisingly good!

The weather became properly hot in April, between 30 and 40 degrees, and we spent many a day lazing on the local beaches, mostly at the nearby Lighthouse area, on the tiny, rocky shoreline. We watched the divers hauling their gear in and out of the water, yoga freaks showing off in the most public of spots (there's always a few), and people generally enjoying cooling off in the clear water. Although Dahab beaches were hardly up to our high standards, and unfortunately often covered with dog crap from the many local strays, we found some pleasant venues to while away a few hours, and even dip our toes in the Red Sea. After so many years on Asian beaches, we are self confessed wimps when it comes to swimming in any water cooler than body temperature. 

Lighthouse beach scene, Dahab, Egypt

Got the blues, Dahab, Egypt

Creative rocks, Dahab, Egypt

Around Dahab, Egypt

After two months, our stay had to come to an end- there's only so much chilling out even we can take! Our experiment of trying Egypt as a potential winter hang out for the future had been useful and thought-provoking. We enjoyed our days in Luxor and Dahab, but we would not return to Egypt for a long-term stay in the winter months. The country is not built for chilly weather, as the cold only comes for a relatively short time, and the bitter desert evenings combined with no heating didn't suit us. 

Our destinations within Egypt

Our spirits lifted greatly during April, as day by day many countries began to remove Covidian restrictions, and travel in certain areas suddenly became an option. Although our favourite haunts in Asia were still off limits to us, there was now a greater choice of where to spend the Northern Hemisphere summer. Where we would end up was anyone's' guess!! Stay tuned to find out!!

On the beach in Dahab, Egypt

.....a new country for us up next.....Romania.......

LITTLE GREEN MEN AND CHEEKY BOTTOMS- Exploring the Ramesseum and Tombs of the Nobles- West Bank, Luxor, Egypt

.........the last blog post exploring royal and worker's tombs on the West Bank, Luxor......

The glory of the Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

The Ramesseum is a catchy name and easy to remember, but it's not the original term- it was actually coined by a French explorer in Victorian times. The ancient Pharaonic name, translated as "House of a Million Years", and was sadly not to be prophetic, as we discovered at the ruins remaining at today's site. But the memory of the pharaoh who built the remarkable building and his achievements will not been forgotten.  

Grand remains of the Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Headless Osiris statues standing guard, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Remnant of a bigger statue, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Beautiful detail at the tops of the glorious columns, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Morning light on the columns in the Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

King Ramses II, son of the celebrated Seti I (he of the fox temple), was considered by most historians to have been the greatest, most powerful and wealthy pharaoh. He supposedly fathered more children than any other leader, and certainly erected more monuments- he was more of a builder than a warrior. If you've seen The Ten Commandments, it's Yul Brynner. His most famous architectural accomplishment was Abu Simbel, a magnificent temple in the far south of Egypt, which we were lucky enough to visit on our first trip to Egypt 15 years ago. We didn't have a blog then, but here are a couple of old photos from 2007.

Couldn't avoid the other tourists at Abu Simbel, 2007 trip to Egypt

Outstanding sights at Abu Simbel, 2007 trip to Egypt

We were dismayed to begin with when we arrived soon after sunrise at the Ramesseum and found the place a hive of activity, with dozens of workers digging, moving piles of dirt and large stones around. However, the activity was focused in the mudbrick structures around the outskirts of the complex, leaving the central temple itself mostly peaceful. As we spent time there, we began to feel it was actually nice to feel some life in the place, but also have the sacred bit mostly to ourselves. 

Hard at work, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Brick arches around the side of the temple, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Figuring out moving logistics, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Such clear engravings, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Close up of Ramses II on a pillar, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Light streaming in, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Although not much was left of the funerary temple compared to the grandeur that once was, we found the complex to be special and moving, and one of our favourite sights at Luxor. No external walls remained, giving a completely different feel to the other temples we had visited- an open, atmospheric space with so much detail to soak up in the couple of hours we spent there.

View of the Ramesseum from the excavations

Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

The Opening of the Mouth ceremony before the journey to the Afterlife 

Shadows on the story, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Looking along the temple from the front, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Fallen statues lay about in what had been the main hall, including the monumental 1000 ton statue of Ramses II, broken and just lying where it fell, showing the breath-taking scope and size of what must have been originally erected. What a shame such massive monoliths had been wrecked purposefully by the subsequent Christians after having stood proudly for thousands of years. There was also much destruction by way of scratching out faces and scenes on wall carvings at this temple, and many other we saw. A fantastic section of the temple showed a harvest festival dedicated to our old friend, he of the mighty erection, fertility God Min. 

Contemplating the shot, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor (not Min)

So much Victorian graffiti around the temples at Luxor- hundreds of years of tourism

Supporting the boat, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

We were intrigued by this headdress, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Little green man, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

Many signs and information were placed around the site, which added interest and background to the ruins. The rooms being excavated around the edges once housed facilities such as bakeries, workshops for carvers and weavers, and a school for scribes. 

Delicate stone carvings, Ramesseum, West Bank, Luxor

To round out our tomb experience on the West Bank, the final group we visited was the Tombs Of The Nobles, the eternal resting place of various governors, administrators and minor nobility. The Royal tombs we had visited had been formal and all containing similar imagery, there in order to help the Pharaoh or family to reach the goal of the Underworld. The artisan's tombs had a completely different artistic style, broader strokes, less delicate, and containing images of normal activities with family. Different again, the Tombs of the two noblemen which we visited were simply stunning in their scenes of everyday life. Unfortunately, once again we were forced to use an extremely inferior camera on Sal's phablet, and as a result, the quality of the pictures are terrible. It is better than nothing, however, and hopefully gives some idea of the complex scenes.

So much detail in this tomb, Tomb of Rekhmire, West Bank, Luxor

The first, the tomb of Rekhmire, a high ranking minister, was in a dreadful state for looking around. The guard turning on the lights hardly made a difference, as most of them didn't work, and those that did were ineffectual on the images high on the wall. We had brought our own torch, but it was a shame to know we were missing much of the detail. We were able to make out the fascinating rendition of Rekhmire overseeing the receiving of various exotic animals from foreign dignitaries- giraffes, baboons and panthers from Nubia and Syria. In the scenes of Rekhmire inspecting all manner of work productions, and we found it easy to make out trades people making bread, working with metals and laying bricks, all with detailed tools, quite captivating. Another charming section showed ladies being prepared by servant women for a banquet, with one of them shown from behind, apparently a very rare depiction in ancient Egyptian art. 

Wall showing intricate detail of a building site, Tomb of Rekhmire, West Bank, Luxor

An unusual upward sloping roof, Tomb of Rekhmire, West bank, Luxor

Women preparing for a banquet, spot the cheeky bottom!

This photo shows how we were struggling to see the magnificent paintings with a torch!!

We had saved the best for last with Sennefer's tomb. Sennefer was administrator of gardens, granaries and cattle, and the tomb was completely different to any others we had visited from the moment we stepped in. The tomb, a long way down a steep plain staircase, opened up into a colourful and busy wonderland- a chamber completely covered with various plant life, most notably grape vines on the low uneven roof. The designs mingled with geometric patterns to have the effect of a giant gorgeous carpet above our heads. Although the panels on the walls were covered with glass due to the snug proportions of the room, it was easy to make out engaging scenes of the gardener with his wife and family. 

Loved this portrayal of Sennefer with Lionel Richie-style perm!

Gawking at the ceiling, Sennefer's Tomb, West Bank, Luxor

Gawking at the ceiling Part 2, Sennefer's Tomb, West Bank, Luxor

Stunning interior of Sennefer's Tomb, West Bank, Luxor

A short video gives a much better idea of the wonderful atmosphere inside Sennefer's Tomb

Outside in the fresh air once again, a walk around the site hinted at the presence of literally hundreds of tombs- little doorways and gates to what must be endless burial places. We could only wonder what was behind all the entrances.

Mysterious little openings every where we looked, Valley of the Nobles, West Bank, Luxor

Our second month's stay on Luxor's West Bank, wasn't quite as enthusiastic as the first. Of course the benefits of staying in Luxor for the coolest winter months were many. We enjoyed sunny days, relaxed residents, a cheap-ish apartment, plenty of fresh food and endless ancient sights with which to occupy ourselves (although, we did start to become a bit "templed out" after two months). It is just in our characters to start getting itchy feet after a long stay in one place! So, plans were put into place for the next part of our Egyptian travels- to Cairo, and then to think about what to do next.

Man and egrets, West Bank, Luxor

Early morning hot air balloons, West Bank, Luxor

A list of prices for the various sights around Luxor, we will include this at the end of each Luxor post for reference:

East Bank

Luxor Temple 160

Karnak Temple 200

West Bank

Medinet Habu 100

Deir-al Medina (Worker's Village), including Hathor Temple 100

Tombs of the Nobles, between 40 and 60 for a group of three

Valley of the Kings 240 for three tombs

Valley of the Queens 100, Tomb of Nefatari an extra 1,400!!!!

Al-Deir Al-Bahari (Hatshepsut) 140

Temple of Seti I 60

Ramesseum 80

We got around almost entirely with public transport. This was easy and very cheap. Each public minibus ride around the West Bank was 2 LE each. Bike hire was 50 LE for 24 hours, with an excellent selection of bicycles.

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.....further travels in Egypt, this post from Dahab on the Red Sea coast.......