Egypt Travel Part IX: Mount Sinai, St. Catherine’s Monastery and Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part IX: Mount Sinai, St. Catherine’s Monastery and Sharm el Sheikh
Day 8 Wednesday, 20 December 2017
Map showing the location of Mount Sinai near St. Catherine’s Monastery in south Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Map showing the location of Mount Sinai near St. Catherine’s Monastery in south Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Mt. Sinai Climb
It was at 1 a.m. on 20 Dec 2017 that we started the climb to the top of Mt. Sinai in St. Catherine, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. The mountain was 2282 metres above sea-level.
Tour members starting the Mt. Sinai climb in St. Catherine at 1 a.m. on 20 Dec 2017
Tour members starting the Mt. Sinai climb at 1 a.m. on 20 Dec 2017
Moonless Night
The lower mountain path was lit for a hundred metres then headlamps or torchlights had to be used to see the stony path to the summit in pitch darkness on the moonless night. The climb was easy at the beginning but later it was tough as the mountain guide allowed us a two-minute rest at each stop.
Stony path all the way from the bottom to the top of Mt. Sinai(2285 metres)
Resting at a Shelter
After two hours of climbing(3 a.m.), three of us including my brother gave up and rested at a shelter while the rest continued the climb to the summit of Mt. Sinai.
Colourful Sunlight
At about 5.0o a.m. I stood outside the shelter and was fascinated to see the colourful sunlight appearing on the eastern horizon.
Colourful sunlight at 5 a.m.
Colourful sunlight on the horizon at 5 a.m. as seen from a rest shelter on Mt. Sinai
Bright Yellow Sun
Later at 5.40 a.m., I saw the bright yellow sun peeping out of the horizon. Soon the whole surrounding was brightened up.
The sun appearing on the horizon at 5.40 a.m. on 20 Dec 2017 as seen from the rest shelter on Mt. Sinai
Bright Morning
When the morning was bright, I could see the stone-shelter where we rested earlier and the summit of Mt. Sinai in the distance, clearly. But those who went up to the summit had not come down yet.
Stone-shelter and Mt. Sinai in the morning
Writer at the rest shelter waiting for his tour members to return from the summit of Mt. Sinai(2285 metres above sea-level)
Friendly cafe owner
The owner of the shelter-cafe was a friendly Egyptian. He had been serving climbers for several years.
Friendly owner of the shelter cafe
Arrival of Tour-Members
At about 6.20 a.m. the rest of the climbers arrived at the shelter but did not stop there. So three of us who had remained at the shelter overnight followed them down the mountain. They told us that when they reached the summit it was still dark, but the mountain guide told them that they could not wait there to see the sunrise. He was told by our Egyptian tour-guide, Khaled, to descend immediately as we had to visit St. Catherine’s Monastery which would close at 12 noon.
Disappointment
The successful climbers felt disappointed and had to go down the mountain. But, fortunately, they did see the sunrise later as they were descending.
Tour members arriving at the shelter at 6.20 a.m. on 20 Dec 2017
Tour members arriving at the shelter from Mt. Sinai summit at 6.20 a.m. on 20 Dec 2017
Peter Lim and his happy family posing for a photo at the shelter.
Peter Lim and his happy family posing for a photo at the shelter
Tour members descending Mt. Sinai in the morning on 20 Dec 2017
Tour members descending Mt. Sinai in the morning on 20 Dec 2017
Tour members taking a long journey down Mt. Sinai
Tour members taking a long journey down Mt. Sinai(2285 metres)
Book of Exodus
According to the Book of Exodus, Moses went up to the summit to receive the Ten Commandments from God.On
Chapel and Mosque on Summit
On the summit of Mt. Sinai the climbers saw an Orthodox Chapel of the Holy Trinity which was built in 1934 on ruins of a 4th. Century Byzantine church and a 12th. Century mosque nearby.
Summit of Mt. Sinai
According to the Book of Exodus, Moses went up to the Mt. Sinai summit to receive the Ten Commandments from God
A painting showing Moses receiving two tablets of stone inscribed with the God’s Ten Commandments.
Moses on the Mi. Sinai summit receiving two tablets of stone inscribed with the God’s Ten Commandments, according to the Book of Exodus
Painting showing Moses with the Ten Commandments descending Mt. Sinai
Moses with two tablets of stone inscribed with the Ten Commandments descending Mount Sinai to see his people
Visiting St. Catherine’s Monastery
After the mountain climb, we returned to our hotel, Morgenland Hotel, took a quick bath and breakfast, and packed our luggage getting ready to go to St. Catherine’s Monastery which was 10 km away. Then our coach brought us to a place where we took a van-taxi that took us to the monastery, a km away.
Tour group stopping at a place to take a van-taxi to St. Catherine’s Monastery, a km away
After the Mt. Sinai climb, we were brought by our coach to a place near the St. Catherine’s Monastery that is 10 km from Morgenland Hotel
A km-ride to the monastery by van-taxi
Tour group taking a kilometre-taxi ride to St. Catherine’s Monastery in the hot sun
About St. Catherine’s Monastery
St. Catherine’s Monastery located at the foot of Mt. Sinai was built by the order of a Byzantine emperor, Justinian I, in the 6th. Century A.D.. It has become a sacred place for pilgrimage.
St. Catherine’s Monastery was built by order of Justinian I, a Byzantine emperor in the 6th. Century A.D.
The Monastery’s Treasure
St. Catherine’s Monastery houses a treasure trove of icons and manuscripts. It is surrounded by high thick walls with small entrance and windows to prevent it from being attacked by unknown people.
6th. Century Monastery
St. Catherine’s Monastery was built order of a Byzantine emperor, Justinian I, in the 6th. Century A.D.
Main Entrance of Monastery
Main entrance of St. Catherine’s Monastery
Monastery’s Compound
Tour group in the compound of St. Catherine’s Monastery
High and Thick Wall surrounding the Monastery
High and thick wall was built round St. Catherine’s Monastery to prevent enemies from attacking it.
Orthodox Church where no photographing was allowed inside
Tour group entering an orthodox church on the left. Visitors were not allowed to take photos inside.
Moses’ Well where Moses met his wife, Zipporah
Moses’ Well, the place where Moses met his wife, Zipporah, who was one of the 7 daughters of Jethro, according to the Book of Exodus
“Burning Bush”
“Burning Bush” in the Monastery garden from which God first revealed himself to Prophet Moses, according to the Book of Exodus
“Burning Bush: in the garden of the monastery from which God first revealed Himself to Prophet Moses, according to the Book of Exodus
Group tour photo at St. Catherine’s Monastery on 20 Dec 2017
Group photo at St. Catherine’s Monastery taken on 20 Dec 2017
St. Catherine’s Legend
According to legend, Catherine was a Christian martyr from Alexandria. She was sentenced to death on the breaking wheel that was supposed to kill her. Since it failed, she was beheaded. Later angels took her body to Mount Sinai. In around 800 A.D. monks from the monastery found her body and kept her in the Orthodox church. Thus. the monastery was named after her.
Mosque at St. Catherine’s Monastery
There is a mosque behind the Bell Tower at St. Catherine’s Monastery. Originally, it was built as a hospice for Christian pilgrims. Then in 1106 it was converted to that mosque for the use of local Bedouins , some of them were working for the monastery. It is still in use today.
A mosque at St. Catherine Monastery
Building behind Bell Tower was converted to a mosque for the use of the local Bedouins in 1106, some working for the monastery.
Travelling south to Sharm el Sheikh
In the late afternoon on 20 Dec 2017, we left St. Catherine’s Monastery and headed south to a famous coastal tourist town in Egypt, Sharm el Sheikh. On arrival we checked in at a well-known hotel, Maritim Jolie Ville Golf and Resort.
Map showing the southern part of Sinai Peninsula
Map showing the southern part of Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort, Sharm el Sheikh
A lovely resort that has many facilities, like swimming pools, tennis courts, 18-hole golf course, over 300 rooms, beach for swimming in the Red Sea, restaurant, bar, etc..
Tour group stayed for two nights at Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort in Sharm el Sheikh on 20-21 Dec 2017
Fresh water and sea-water swimming pools at the resort
Water-slide for children at Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort, Sharm el Sheikh
Beach for swimming in the clear water of the Red Sea
Sunbathing and swimming at Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort, Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
Writer and wife relaxing at Maritim Jolie Golf Ville and Resort, Sharm el Sheikh, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt
Resting at Resort
We stayed at that resort for that night and would go to Naama Bay for a submarine ride to see marine life in the bay on the following day, 21 Dec 2017.
(Continue in Egypt Travel Part X)
Egypt Travel Parts I to XII
Egypt Travel Part I :Salah el Din Citadel, Muhammad Ali Mosque, Tahrir Square and Egyptian Museum
Egypt Travel Part II :Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon
Egypt Travel Part III :Hot Air Balloons and Karnak Temple Complex
Egypt Travel Part IV :Papyrus Paper-Making, Luxor Temple and Esna Lock
Egypt Travel Part V :Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple and Galabia Party
Egypt Travel Part VI :Abu Simbel Temples and Nubian Village(Elephantine Island)
Egypt Travel Part VII :Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple
Egypt Travel Part VIII:Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, Moon Beach(Ras Sudr), and St. Catherine
Egypt Travel Part IX :Mount Sinai, Catherine’s Monastery and Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part X :Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part XI :Cairo Food, Saqqara Step Pyramid Complex and Memphis
Egypt Travel Part XII :Great Giza Pyramid Complex and Khan el Khalil Bazaar
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