The Bahariya Oasis

Posted February 24, 2020 by Jan
Egypt: Western Desert

Desert Safari Home

Bawiti Town

Bahariya Oasis

Giza Governate

Western Desert

Egypt

February 24, 2020

Duplicating the other oases in the Western Desert of Egypt, the Bahariya Oasis boasts an ancient history.

The modern road from Cairo has introduced changes in language, traditions, and agricultural practices. 

What is immutable is the scenic beauty in and around the oasis. 

Please walk with me in town and ride with me to the lakes and dunes and mountains of the Bahariya Oasis.

Mersa Matruh

Posted February 24, 2020 by Jan
Egypt: Western Desert

Mersa Matruh

Matruh Governate

Egypt

February 23, 2020

Despite our itinerary to spend only one night in Mersa Matruh, I decided to spend two.

I was exhausted after the journey across the desert from the Siwa Oasis.

Except for meals, I never left my hotel room.  

Why leave?  The hotel was called the Belle Vue Hotel.

The view was beautiful across the beach and the  Mediterranean Sea.

El Alamein

Posted February 23, 2020 by Jan
Egypt: Western Desert

El Alamein War Cemetery and Military Museum

Al Alameen City

Matrouh Governate

Egypt

February 23, 2020

Fifteen years ago, a thought came to mind as I wandered through the rows of gravestones of British soldiers at the Htauk Kyant Second World War Memorial Cemetery that lies 25 kilometers north of Yangon in Myanmar:

Britain had the largest Jewish population in Western Europe. Surely many Jews fought in the British army. Surely some of them were casualties in the battles in Southeast Asia.  Are they buried here? 

Siwa Oasis Temples

Posted February 20, 2020 by Jan
Egypt: Western Desert

Siwa

Matrouh Governate

Arab Republic of Egypt

February 19, 2020

In her book The Western Desert of Egypt Casandra Vivian writes “Siwa is different. It is not Egyptian, but North African.  Most Siwans are Berbers, a people who once roamed the North Africa coast from Tunisia to Morocco as early as 10,000 BCE.  The Berbers are the true Western Desert indigenous people.”

The Berbers had many visitors: Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Christians, Arabs, British, Germans, Italians … and Yours truly. 

I visited four of the ancient sites:

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