Egypt Travel Part VIII: Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, Moon Beach(Ras Sudr) and St. Catherine

April 1, 2018 by admin
Filed under: Egypt

Egypt Travel Part VIII: Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, Moon Beach(Ras Sudr) and St. Catherine

Day 7 Tuesday, 19 Dec 2017

Early in the morning, we left Cairo and would be on a long journey on the road by coach to St. Catherine and then to Sharm el Sheikh in Sinai Peninsula, Egypt.

Coach bringing tour group from Cairo to Sinai Peninsula

Coach that brings tour group from Cairo to Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

Map showing the places with names in blue in Sinai Peninsula the tour group were going to stop or visit

Map showing the places in Sinai Peninsula tour members were going to visit

Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel

To go to Sinai Peninsula from Cairo our coach had to go through a tunnel under the Suez Canal. Known as Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel it is about 1.63 km long and about 120 km east of Cairo. It was opened in 1981 and reopened in 1992.

A place near the entrance of Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel from Suez to Sinai Peninsula

A place near the entrance of Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel from Suez to Sinai Peninsula

Part of the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel as seen from the writer’s moving coach.

Inside the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel as seen from writer’s coach

Sinai Peninsula is a desert area with very little vegetation and rain. The roads were straight and looked new.

Sinai Peninsula is a desert area with very little vegetation and rain.

Moses’ well in Elim

On the way to St. Catherine we stopped at a place, Elim, which is 100 km south-east of the tunnel in Suez. There was a well in its oasis. It was one of the 12 wells used by Prophet Moses and his followers, Israelites, who were on their way to the promised land.

Moses crossed the Red Sea

According to the Book of Exodus, Moses led Israelites to escape from the ancient Egyptian army. They then crossed the Red Sea parted by God to a promised land in Sinai Peninsula.

On the way to the promised land, they stopped at several wells. One of them was at in the Elim oasis.

A painting showing Moses leading Israelites across the Red Sea parted by God to a promised land in Sinai Peninsula. They were being pursued by their enemies, the ancient Egyptian army.

Moses leading Israelites crossed the Red Sea parted by God to escape from the ancient Egyptian army, according to the Book of Exodus.

Moses leading Israelites and crossing the Red Sea parted by God to escape from the ancient Egyptian army, according to the Book of Exodus.

Tour group stopped at Elim which is 100 km south-east of Suez to see one of the 12 Moses’ wells in the oasis.

Tour group stopping at an Elim oasis to see one of 12 Moses’ wells

The Israelites led by Moses stopped and camped at the well for a short while before they continued their journey to the promised land, according to the Book of Exodus.

One of 12 Moses' wells where the Israelites led by Moses stopped and camped there for a while

One of 12 Moses’ wells in Elim where the Israelites led by Moses stopped and camped there for a while

Unoccupied Houses

On the journey in northern Sinai Peninsula, we noticed many houses were unoccupied by civilians. It was due to Sinai insurgency between the Islamist militants and the Egyptian security forces. Besides, the civilians were afraid of being attacked by the militants.

Unoccupied houses by civilians along highways in northern Sinai Peninsula

Unoccupied houses along highways in northern Sinai Peninsula due to Sinai insurgency

Unoccupied houses by civilians along highways in northern Sinai Peninsula due to Sinai insurgency, and civilian attacks by the militants

Lunch at Moon Beach Resort Restaurant, Ras Sudr

Tour group stopped at Moon Beach Resort Restaurant, Ras Sudr, for lunch after travelling 226 km by road from Cairo.

Tour group stopping at Moon Beach Resort Restaurant in Ras Sudr for lunch after travelling 226 km by road from Cairo

Tour group stopping at Moon Beach Resort Restaurant, Ras Sudr. for lunch after travelling 226 km by road from Cairo

Lunch in dining hall of Moon Beach Restaurant, Ras Sudr

Tour group having lunch at Moon Beach Restaurant in Ras Sudr, Sinai Peninsula

Calm Red Sea and quiet beach of Moon Beach Resort, Ras Sudr, Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

Calm Red Sea and quiet beach of Moon Beach Resort, Ras Sudr, Sinai Peninsula

Leaving Ras Sudr after lunch

After lunch we left Ras Sudr and travelled another 200 km to St. Catherine. But two hours later, we stopped at a roadside cafe for tea-break.

Tea-break at a roadside cafe.

Tour group stopping at a roadside for tea-break after having lunch about two hours ago at Ras Sudr

Tour group stopping at a roadside cafe for tea-break after having lunch at Ras Sudr about two hours ago

Tour group relaxing at a roadside cafe for a short while before they continued their journey to St. Catherine in the south.

Tour group having a drink and relaxing at the roadside cafe before going to St. Catherine in the south

Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty(1979)

Sinai Peninsula was occupied by the Israeli forces from 1967 until 1982. It was returned to Egypt in 1982 although the Peace Treaty between them was signed in 1979.

Sinai Peninsula was occupied by Israeli forces from 1967 until 1982.

Sinai Peninsula was occupied by Israeli forces from 1967 until 1982

Arrival at St. Catherine

After a long journey from Cairo via the Suez tunnel, we finally reached St. Catherine in Sinai Peninsula. We had travelled a total distance of abou 440 km on the road from Cairo to St. Catherine during the whole day.

We would stay at a hotel, Morgenland Hotel, for a night. But some of us would leave the place after midnight and travelled 6.7 km to the foot of a mountain, Mount Sinai, which is 2285 metres above sea-level and then climbed up the mountain to its peak in pitch-darkness.

A large billboard welcoming visitors to St. Catherine in South Sinai Peninsula, Egypt

A large billboard welcoming visitors to St. Catherine in South Sinai Peninsula

Tour group resting at Morgenland Hotel at St. Catherine before climbing Mount Sinai(2285 metres) after midnight.

Tour group resting at Morgenland Hotel at St. Catherine before climbing Mount Sinai(2285 metres) which is 6.7 km away after midnight

Writer and wife at Morgenland Hotel, St. Catherine, on 19 Dec 2017

Writer and wife at Morgenland Hotel, St. Catherine, on 19 Dec 2017

Moses received the Ten Commandments on Mt. Sinai

According to the Book of Exodus, Moses went up Mt. Sinai to receive two tablets of stone inscribed with the God’s Ten Commandments.

Mount Sinai, a tourists’ popular site

Mt. Sinai attracts tourists as, according to the Book of Exodus, Moses had gone up to receive two tablets of stone inscribed with the God’s Ten Commandments

Writer getting ready to climb Mt. Sinai with other tour members after midnight on 20 Dec 2017