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~Mount Sinai and Saint Catherine's~
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SAINT CATHERINE'S MONASTERY
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~ MOUNT SINAI AND SAINT CATHERINE'S
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~ MOUNT SINAI AND SAINT CATHERINE'S MONASTERY~
Our first night back in Cairo following our Nile Cruise and excursion in Luxor afforded us time to again visit the Giza plateau. Deep meditations in the shadows of the star-illumed pyramids grounded us and prepared us for our next magical destination, the legendary and historically rich Sinai Peninsula.
Our night of lodging in the shadows of St. Catherine's monastery on the Sinai Peninsula had been arranged only days before. It required the rental of a van, as well as the hiring of two drivers as well as a guide who also served as our security. It felt a bit extreme, but we were really excited at the prospect of experiencing the energy of Mount Sinai and also St. Catherine's Monastery, the site of the famed burning bush of Moses.
The six-hour drive from Cairo to St. Catherine's was relatively peaceful and quiet. Our drivers were on a fixed schedule yet were given adequate time to drive safely. We appreciated that they drove with much less aggression than was the norm in Egypt. I relaxed as I took in the beauty of the drive, which took us from the bustle of Cairo, across the Suez Canal, down and around the gorgeous western side and southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula on the Red Sea, and on to the stark deserts surrounding Mount Sinai.
We were surprised with an unexpected stop at what our entourage called the "Eye of Moses". This site is better known as Oyun Musa, or the Springs of Moses, and is believed to be the location where Moses turned brackish water into sweet spring water after he led the Israelites across the Red Sea. In recent times the remaining springs have again turned brackish and undrinkable. A large tree on the site was pointed out to us, and our guide assured us that its shape closely resembled the name of Allah in Arabic. As the only visitors at the small site, we were solicited by a few vendors whose wares were set up on dusty tables. We walked by them quietly and return to our van.
This area of the peninsula is known as Ras Sidr, and after another short drive further south, our driver suddenly turned off the main road onto a narrow lane that had in places been taken by the sea and then rather carelessly rebuilt on slightly higher ground. The mystery of this place deepened as the van stopped where the road ended abruptly on a sandy beach, and our doors were opened without a word spoken. We were the only people at the site and I connected with the water as I deeply breathed in the clean sea air.
I was transfixed by the waters of the Red Sea. They were myriad shades of crystal blue, all layered and blended within and above and around each other, and I found them exquisite and alluring. In the distance across the water, a shaft of light penetrated the clouds below the sun in a surreal and otherworldly manner. The scene truly looked as though it had been created through the hand of God. We felt light and free and privileged to be on the shores of a famed and exotic sea that was literally worlds away from our home. In a completely blissful state, we connected to the amazing and magical energy of the site. It was to hold features that astounded us.
We were led down the beach by our quiet and reverent driver. He pointed ahead to a cave not far from the water's edge. We walked into its dark recesses and could not help but notice that the air inside was much warmer than the coolness of the air outside by the water. It was clear that we were in an area of geothermal activity. We toned inside the cave, thanking the earth for sharing the warmth of her energy with us. Another surprise awaited us.
EGYPT, BLESSED BY THE RED SEA
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