A LITTLE ABOUT TOURIST LIFE AT THE RED SEA

Now, this will be the last part of my Egyptian holidays at the red sea and I wanted to show you the way how all 5* hotels are built. It sounds a little snobbish with my 5*, but if you want to be in a nice, clean hotel with no danger for our feable health, you have to take that and the prices anyway are the same as if you would book a 2 or 3 * here in our western world.

Tourist security is n° one rule in Egypt. Since there had been this terrible attack in 1997, where 58 tourists and 4 Egyptians were killed at The valley of the Kings by Islamist militants, a special Tourist police has been created. Some bad tongues say that there is almost one policeman for one tourist. But it is nearly true. You see them everywhere and when you need something they would help you and are very friendly in general.

You have to keep an eye on your bag and things when you are in a restaurant or at the beach, but not because of the Egyptians at the Red Sea (I don't know about the others), they don't steal, they only cheat on you when you don't huggle well enough, but because of tourists, who help themselves if there is something they like. Last year one of the Ukrainian (russians) stole me a thermometer which was attached at a keyring !

All hotels are very big and extended, they are not built in heights. Land is not missing, there is the whole Sinai desert at your disposal. Once we have been in a hotel, where a little bus drove along the whole day and night,on which we had to jump on because the way was so far from the rooms to the restaurant !

We had two security controls to pass before you could go into the hotel. The first one was located very far from the entrance, at least 500 m (1640ft)

click on the pictures to make them bigger

Here the taxis were controlled and the driver had to give his driver licence and leave it there until he returned.

Mr. Gattino chats whit the security guards.

and here the second entry, like in an airport, where everybody had to go through. They also checked your bags, even amongst guests a crazy guy could be hidden ! I found it very good. Some people complained about that, but I thought they are stupid, better controlled than dead !

After the control you arrived here at the entrance of the hotel. It really looks like a palace and the architecture is wonderful.

Our "living" room where people sat and chatted waiting for others or for the restaurant or playing. I am sure our King has a smaller one !

The entrance to the bar, where you could get everything of course.

The Egyptian bread we used to eat was baked here. It just tasted wonderful when it still were warm and blown up. Once cooled down it shrank to a pancake.

Grilling were done here outside. Fresh fish, meat or chicken it tasted very good.

The whole hotel was built around this place here you can see a bridge who led to the other side of the buildings.

The elevator to the beach. The elevator was outside out of glass so that you had a great view on swimming pool, beach and sea.

You also could use the steps !

One of the two big swimming pools. This one was heated which was necessary now in this period of the year. The sea was much warmer.

The garden. That day I saw this strange bird. Can you believe that we are in a desert ? Only a little water is sufficient to let everything grow.

View from to sea on the hotel

Mr. Gattino's view every morning.

Here is the place where I used to go for Internet connection. It was a suspicious looking little street, but the room was very nice and had very new Computers and programms. Even IE 7 and Firefox. For one hour I payed 1 € (in the hotel 8) and he always served me the traditional Karkade tea.

So if you see the beauty of this hotel and then pigs as guests, you won't agree either. Apparently it's only since half a year they accept Ukrainian guests. It's a pitty, but we won't return there unless the management and the guests change.

I als saw a lot of young women (25 - 30) with very old men of about my age ! I had never payed attention to that but here it was so obvious. And the "old" guys behaved "young" which made me laugh, because there is nothing to do, nature is nature and at 60 you can't hop around as at 30 ! Some of them were really nice, but some broke almost into pieces.

Every day they went shopping and of course jewlery. Gold and silver is a lot cheaper there, sometimes (it depends on your country's prices) half of the price. I don't know why, but some of the girls loved us. They came with their husbands or partners to us, to show me their new acquisitions. One of these couples had even bought new diamond wedding rings. Now, I don't know if it was a coincidence or not (I don't want to generalize) but all these young women were Ukrainians.

When I were ready to leave and waited for the bus to take us to the airport, a young Egyptian waitress ran behind me and offered me this beautiful silver chain with a cross in cristals. I were so surprised at first and then kissed her to thank her and asked why ? She said because I always smiled and were so kind (ask Mr. Gattino) It was so touching. I hadn't done anything, not even given her a tip, I had only seen her serving. And she as a muslim offered me a cross !

and last but not least the truth ! (I am suspicious minded)