Miracle Beach - Marsa Matruh

Miracle Beach
Originally uploaded by Mix Master.

If you seek something off the path and away from the masses, yet still stunning, this is the place to go. I haven't been to Sinai yet, but this will be hard to beat.

Politics

Mubarak will run for president again. In other news, the grass is green.

In case you've never seen it

Sand dunes in the desert around Siwa
Originally uploaded by Mix Master.

This is the desert in western Egypt, outside of Siwa and about 50 - 100 km from the border of Libya. I forget the official name of the area.

Cafe

In a cafe
Originally uploaded by Mix Master.

The cafe is the quintessential part of Egyptian social life. Whether lost or found, you will always be near a cafe and its glorious, savory wares. Tea, shisha, juice, and some dominos or cards is all you need to ride out the dark hours. Don't expect a variety of shisha flavors, most have just apple. My standard order goes as follows:
"Shisha tuffa wa shay koshri binana."
(Apple shisha and real tea with mint). If you don't say "koshri" you get the liptons tea packet crap, which I think is lame. Not all places have real tea, but this increases your chances of organic success. Now sit back, relax, and have some conversation. At the end, pay three pounds max, two for a shisha and one for tea.

From a trainee apartment

The Nile.

Beefing up the home security

Editing of this blog is open to anyone with an interest in Egypt.

To all the Pharaohs out there

Let your voices be heard.