Travelling to Egypt

It was Egypt that really ignited my travel curiosity. A friend’s husband, Ian, showed us slides of his student travels. He only took canned food along, ham and pineapple chunks, to avoid the stomach bugs. But I was already besotted with the ancient history – all those intriguing myths. Mummies and weighing of hearts. Tombs and curses. And after seeing the desert and all those gigantic monuments I was hooked. Several years later I finally got there, on a package tour to Cairo, Giza, Luxor and Aswan.

My last tour didn't begin very auspiciously. I took a photo of a donkey pulling a rubbish cart on my first day in Cairo and was immediately ‘arrested’ and escorted down to the police station. The Egyptians, it seemed, were not keen on having their garbage collection advertised. I hadn’t even realised that it was rubbish. I was only interested in the cute donkey. After an ear-wigging (how was I to know? Not the best way to encourage innocent tourists I think), they removed the film from my camera and let me depart. It was a rude shock and almost cured me of my travel ambitions. Almost.

But that was a very long time ago, so now I'm back, on my third visit to Cairo, but my first since the digital age. The plane from Heathrow is delayed already, because of traffic control. Apparently, the skies over Europe are busy today. It was a very early start and I’m waiting to sleep. My airport taxi driver told me to nap on the journey and then talked non-stop the whole way !

I’m met by Akram who is very organised and very superior. Especially when it comes to women. It’s not long before he’s taken charge of my ATM endeavours and drawn out much less money than I wanted. I mustn’t carry too much, in case I get robbed, I’m instructed. Even though there’s a four USD charge for every transaction. He’s also informed me I’ve booked into the wrong hotel. I should be downtown, not in Giza. And he grandly declaims that Egypt should not be compared with other Arab countries, when I have the temerity to talk about the Arab language. It’s ancient and unique. That told me.

I’ve been trying to acquire information about what sites are included on the Exodus Tour I’m going to join, in two days’ time. What I’ve been told is contradictory and I’m desperate to see the Khan al Khalili Bazaar, having failed to even find it on my last two visits. Akram says that my guide is a very nice guide and he will take me anywhere I want. Yes, the bazaar. Yes, the newly ( partially) opened Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM).

When I WhatsApp the guide, Nael, in the evening, it’s a very different story. Yes, to the bazaar, but then no, after consultation with the tour managers. Doesn’t he know his own itinerary? He thinks no to GEM. The group will go to Saqqara instead. There are already two museums included.

The Road to Ismailia

Before I join my tour I'm taking a side trip to Suez. The city traffic no longer crawling, like it used to ( for the most part), but still chaotic and the driving utterly crazy. There are overpasses and underpasses and four-lane highways. In places there are parallel four-lane highways. Eight in each direction. Large vehicles are supposed to use the outer roads. The emphasis is on the supposed to. Small pick ups chunter laconically, but no sign of any donkeys now. The cars speed along, weaving in and out of each other, with no consideration for the lane markings, where they're marked at all. It's a matter of pride to avoid them, I'm told.

My driver Khaled is clearly not afraid to join the fray. He’s accelerating right up the bumper in front before swerving to one side. I can’t always guess correctly which way we will go. He’s one handed on the wheel, the majority of the time, Mostly, because he’s checking his phone with the other. I’ve given up asking him questions. His English isn’t amazing and he’s checking his answers on Google Translate. 'Safe, safe', he cries.

Well, I think I'm going to Suez, but I'm not, I'm going to Ismailia, which is a new city at the centre of the canal construction. It’s new highway the whole distance. Running parallel with green crops, the irrigation channelled all the way from the Nile. More new cities. An industrial area. Theme parks. Khaled buys me mulberries from a roadside stall. They’re mostly green, unripe and odd tasting. The few red fruits excessively sweet. Khaled urges me to eat them and I select a few, worrying about food poisoning. It's an ever present threat in Egypt, and I suffered badly last time.

Ismailia

By the time we arrive at Ismailia, nearly two hours later, my neck is solid from tension and my braking foot aches. But we've only had one near miss and that wasn't driver Khaled’s fault. It's a peaceful city. Modern, but quiet, despite the fact it’s a national holiday, to celebrate winning Sinai back from Israel. Little work is available now the canals are completed. There a few families out picnicking, on the grass of the central carriageways

Ferdinand de Lesseps, the Frenchman responsible for canal construction, built his house here, next to the beautiful sepia and brown building which was once the control centre for the construction and is now the Suez Canal Museum. I have a very good guide, one of the managers. She even refuses baksheesh. And it's a fascinating story, entwined with the more recent history of Egypt. The manpower involved was astonishing. I didn’t know that the Ptolemies had already built their own version of the canal, linking the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, via lakes and a distributary of the Nile, at the delta. But it has long since silted and dried up.

Aldunfah Beach Club, run by the Suez Canal Authority, is the place to watch all the boats traverse the basin here, from the north. This used to be a holding area, as ships waited their turn. The canal would only allow ships to travel in one direction at a time. The journey takes just 11 hours in all, now a second canal has been dug out for much of the route - a project initiated by the current president after the Ever Given ran aground, in 2021, causing massive delays. He was told it would take three years. He demanded one year. It took one year and 11 days. It’s very pleasant, sitting by the small beach and tracking the container vessels, chugging down the waterway, alongside the carved-out desert.

Seafood is obligatory here, close to the Red Sea and we feast on fried shrimp and rice in a restaurant, which I’m pleased to see is mainly patronised by locals.

Giza, the Second City of Egypt

Giza is very close to Cairo, but it's a city in its own right. In fact, it's the third largest city in Egypt, close to the site of the ancient pharaonic capital, Memphis, and home to the must see necropolis on the Giza Plateau: the Great Pyramid of Giza, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaure, along with their associated pyramid complexes and the Great Sphinx of Giza, several cemeteries and the remains of a workers' village.

I’ve chosen The Steigenberger Hotel, advertised as having splendid pyramid views. The only other splendid view option is the Mena, which is directly opposite the pyramids and supposed to be fabulous. But it’s over 400 USD per night, so it’s not an option. As is so often the case reality isn’t quite what I had fondly imagined. The Giza necropolis is indeed just across the road. But it’s a major road, with plenty of speeding traffic. And there’s a big neon screen and a crane in the way too. It’s a good job the pyramids are huge – I can still see them well. It’s just not very romantic.

To add insult to injury I’ve been given a room which has a solid balcony. Direct pyramid view yes. But only if you stand up. No sipping ( very expensive) cocktails and admiring the panorama at the same time then. I’d also thought I would get a free sound and light show (Son et Lumiere). But it hadn’t occurred to me that the lights might be on the far side of the pyramids. And they are. I can just make out some lasers trickling up and down the side of Khufu, the Great Pyramid. According to the reviews, the lights barely make it up to the tip of the pyramids, even from the show side. And the whole thing is deemed corny. Oh well. At least the Mena is on the wrong side too.

The bell captain makes the usual song and dance about showing me how the air con works, so he can justify a tip. I’m perplexed about the exchange rate after Akram’s intervention and worried I might over tip wildly. 'I don’t have any small money', I extrapolate wildly. 'That’s fine', he beams. 'I have change'. And he fans out a wad of notes.

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM)

The new Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) is in its soft opening phase. Which means that Tutankhamun (or rather his tomb artefacts) isn’t there yet. He is still in the down town Egyptian Museum, where he was last time I came. Except only some of him was. His death mask was in Germany on tour. I’ve been terrified that he will be in transit for this visit and I will miss him again. But it seems not. Akram assures me he’s in GEM already, so I’m confident he’s still where I understood him to be, in the Egyptian Museum.

GEM is promoted as the biggest museum in the world and it is directly over the road from my hotel. That’s not such a positive factor as you might think either. As I’ve said it’s a busy four-lane road. And there’s a high wall in the centre, that I certainly can't climb over. But I’ve decided I can’t risk not seeing it and I’m going on my own. The wonderful tour company. (I’m already sadly cynical), have quoted 135 USD to take me. And it’s just 17 GBP equivalent to go in. I leave early on Friday, when the traffic is quieter and saunter along the pavement, till the central wall disappears, near a roundabout. Then, I run for it.

The museum is, IMHO, unmissable. The artefacts are arranged in stunning fashion, in lofty pyramid themed halls, with statues arranged artistically, up sweeping staircases. I take my place amongst rows of pharaohs.

Travellators sweep you up the many flights to the top, so you can admire the statuary from a distance. Then, there’s the main gallery, now mostly open. It's not hugely easy to follow the zig-zag chronological order of the 12 galleries, from the Old Kingdom to the New, and the Graeco-Roman period. And there is nothing hugely archeologically significant. But the exhibition is beautifully arranged and wonderfully photogenic. It would be a crime to leave it out. Let's see how the other two measure up.

The Pyramid Parks Resort, a Party, and a New Record

I have to move just up the road to the Pyramid Parks Resort, for the tour. I decide to spend the afternoon by the Steigenberger pool, before transferring by cab. It’s a quiet hotel and both pool and restaurant are peaceful, which is a definite plus. They charge 20 USD for a two minute drive. But I can’t wheel my case along the highway and they know it.

And I’ve clearly made a bad decision in arriving at what I thought was the end of the afternoon. This hotel is very different from the genteel but faded Steigenberger. The foyer is decorated with fake gilt Egyptian God statues and swarming with people. There’s a party in full swing, across the enormous pool. The noise is appalling and there are swaying bodies everywhere.

My room is of the villa outbuilding type. Renovated with cheap laminated furniture, it still has the old air con controls, which have to be set at 10 degrees before anything happens. The bell captains show me this of course. They have it down to a fine art here. One shows me the room and the other brings the case over later. Double tips. The walls are vibrating. The hoardings say the party finishes at six p.m. but no one is taking any notice of that. The clocks went forward last night. I can only hope that they’re working on the old times. The porter tells me cheerfully that there’s a huge party at the pyramids tonight. I won’t be going. Dominican Republic all is forgiven.

My stomach is already playing up, to add to my misery. That must be a record. I’ve only been here two days. I should have just pretended to eat those mulberries. I’ve had to see the doctor and been injected and prescribed sundry medicines - a multitude of pills.

The Great Pyramids of Giza

Time to join my tour. we are six. Two couples who are Brits of Indian ethnicity (via Kenya), Gavin from Scotland and tour guide Nael. And we're off to see the sights.

The Great Pyramids were all built during the Fourth Dynasty of the Old Kingdom of Ancient Egypt, between 2600 and 2500 BC. The Great Pyramid was one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World, listed by the ancient Greek poet Antipater of Sidon. (Despite being by far the oldest of the Ancient Wonders, it's the only one still in existence). The pyramids are three huge edifices (though not as big as the ones in Mexico it has to be noted), magnificent when viewed from expensive hotel rooms. However, it has to be said that I discovered, on my last visit, that they are all slightly disappointing inside, empty and smelly. I’ve read that they are still discovering internal hidden passages in them. And there's currently an exciting story about huge new chambers underneath, circulating on the web. But everyone here assures me it's fake news.

A camel ride in Giza is almost compulsory, but on my last visit, the camel owner lead me round the back of the pyramids. ‘Nice long ride’, I thought naively. But he refused to bring me back until exorbitant amounts of baksheesh had been paid. Guide, Nael promises a safer experience this time. But my fellow tourists veto the proposition.

Today, the necropolis area has been completely revamped, with official entrances, shops and a viewing platform (with camel ride options). The pyramids are not awe inspiring, in the hazy distance, more compelling close up. Unexpected huge staircase slabs of granite. Limestone covering stolen away over the centuries, along with an assortment of the huge cubes. A tumble of bricks by the side of the largest, the 136 metre Great Pyramid built by Khufu. Or rather, he ordered its construction and a hundred thousand men laboured every year, for 28 years, between July and October, when the inundation prevented them working the fields. Just behind, is the limestone topped Khafre pyramid. He was Khufu's son and his face is preserved for posterity on the Sphinx, in front of his pyramid, next to his mortuary temple.

The Sphinx is enigmatic, as promised, if a little battered. This iconic statue is 73 metres long, with the body of a lion. Sadly, it seems that the story that Napoleon shot his nose off with shells is not true. He didn't have the explosives necessary at that time in history and, apparently, it's been missing for over a thousand years. The Sphinx is the most enticing of the monuments here. Mournful and poised. He stares over his giant folded paws. Nose long gone. I wonder what he makes of the sound and light shows, chairs set at the ready opposite.

The littlest of the Great Pyramids belongs to grandson Menkaure. Perhaps it's like the Kim dynasty in North Korea and the descendants pretend they are less important. But it's more likely that the construction of the two giant pyramids almost bankrupted the nation.

Cairo, the Capital of Egypt

The doctor has been checking up on me. He says he feels he wants to look after me as I remind him of his mother. The comment doesn’t exactly make me feel warm and fuzzy, but he’s being very kind. Another injection, more pills. I haven’t had a very good night.

The name of Cairo, is derived from the word for Conqueror, but Egyptians generally refer to Cairo as Misr (as in the name of the country), as their capital is so important to them. It sits right at the junction of the Nile Delta. The history of Cairo, of course, goes back a long way. Ancient cities nestle around it. Heliopolis was associated with the sun god Atum, who came to be identified with Ra, and then Horus. It was home to several obelisks. One, the oldest in the world, remains, the others were stolen.

And it is very much still huge and sprawling - it is both the biggest city in Africa, and in the Arab world, with an urban population of over 26 million. But it is now a very different city. Not white or cream, but assorted shades of biscuity beige. Grey apartment buildings soar into the sky, each side of the heart-stopping overpasses, only relieved by the splashes of colour, which is the washing flapping on the balconies. Between Cairo and Giza it’s more adventurous, with sepia stripes and rectangles on the buildings. There’s even the odd touch of sage green. But otherwise it’s a monochrome Mondrian.

There's a new capital being built, in the suburbs and, thanks to all the new roads, the traffic is, for the most part, continuously moving, but there is still (it seems) no Highway Code. (There are a lot of cemeteries alongside the roads.)

Islamic Cairo

On my last trip Down Town, we visited the Ottoman Muhammad Ali Mosque, the Sultan Hassan Mosque and al-Rifa'i Mosque and the Egyptian Museum. And I couldn't find the entrance to the celebrated bazaar, the Khan el-Khalili, on either of my previous visits. There was however, a very famous authentic café, El Fisahwi, which was at least is a good place to relax after all the stress…

Today, we start with the Al Azar Mosque, in the historic Islamic core of the city. One thousand years old and beautiful, it has five majestic minarets, three of which were built in 1340, 1469, and 1510, a large prayer area, madrassas, and a breathtakingly beautiful marble central court. This was the first mosque commissioned in the new capital of the Fatimid Caliphate, in 970. Cairo eventually earned the nickname 'The City of a Thousand Minarets'.

I'm now been told firmly that the elusive Khan al Khalili Bazaar is not on the itinerary. But I've discovered it's very close to the Al Azar Mosque, so I sneak off. The bazaar is reached by an underpass, from the mosque. Third time lucky. It's not the prettiest of souks, but authentic, dirty grey streets overshadowed by minarets. The streets narrow, as I wander in. The stalls just opening up, lines of mannequins, being hoisted into the air above me. Early means relatively quiet. There isn’t too much hassle, except for one persistent old man, who follows me for five minutes before giving up. 'No', generally seems to be understood. Even by the men behind the benches, which signal tea houses, beckoning under the jacaranda trees.

The Egyptian Museum

The renowned Egyptian Museum, a ‘trove of antiquities', is an antique itself, completed in 1901, rambling and pink and hardly changed since then, with the artefacts displayed in wooden glass fronted cases. On my first visit, the treasures were guarded by men with AK 47s (but they've gone) and the most famous exhibit, the Tutankhamun Mask, was touring, in Germany.

It's swarming. The discovery of Tutankhamun's almost untouched tomb, in 1922, (it had been robbed like all the tombs but early on and not ransacked and was then was hidden by other tombs), hardly needs telling. The curse of the tomb and the death of sponsor, Lord Carnarvon, are well documented. But Howard Carter, the archaeologist, survived to live off his fame for many a year.

Some of Tutankhamun’s 4000 odd tomb artefacts (a boy king needs a lot to play with in the afterlife) have already been removed, ready to place in GEM. So, Akram was partly right. But, fortunately, the removed pieces are the ones I saw last time I was here. The outer sarcophagi, the shrines (like a huge four poster bed) and the chariots. The death mask is there, in the midst of the throng, along with the main gold sarcophagus and the gorgeous throne. No photos allowed (!)

Tutankhamun's accoutrements have been replaced by artefacts from another Valley of the King's Tomb, that of the ancient Egyptian noble Yuya and his wife Thuya. They were the parents of Queen Tiye, the chief wife of Pharaoh Amenhotep III, Tutankhamun's grandfather. Their tomb was discovered, in February 1905. It had also been robbed in antiquity, but many of its original contents, including chests, beds, chairs, a chariot, and numerous storage jars were preserved. Until the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun, took all the glory, this was lauded as one of the greatest discoveries in Egyptology.

Also amongst the haphazardly arranged collection are the burial artefacts of Psusennes I and the treasures of Tanis. Downstairs, statues of the kings of the Old Kingdom, who built the pyramids. Ironically, the only statue of Khufu, responsible for the Great Pyramid, is tiny, caved of ivory.

The National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation

Then, The National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation. This is relatively new and only partially opened. I’m struggling to understand the logic of the organisation of the three museums. It’s definitely not chronology. They all seem to cover the same periods, although this one also extends to the nineteenth century. This last museum has an assortment similar to GEM, but is much smaller and less grand. Its main rationale seems to be the large mummy exhibition, in the downstairs chamber. Nearly all the major pharaohs' mummies are displayed, including Rameses II, warrior king (who lived to be 99) and Hatshepsut (only female pharaoh). Constant shushing by the staff and reminders to be quiet doesn’t make the experience any less ghoulish. A lot of very old, dead people. No photos allowed.

Memphis

Memphis was the ancient capital of the pharaohs, on and off through ancient times. Today, it's an enclosed area with a haphazard mass of fragments from Egypt’s history. We're visiting on an optional afternoon trip. The biggest draw is a Rameses II statue, lying prone, as he's been kneecapped. Literally. The legs aren’t there. There’s also a sphinx which is probably Hatshepsut. No-one can tell, as there’s no cartouche (these are enclosed hieroglyphics bearing names). Rameses II, on the other hand has multiple cartouches on his statues, and on numerous statues which aren’t really him at all.

Lunch at a nearby restaurant packed with tourists on the same trail, but thankfully a deliciously authentic grilled meal.

Saqqara

Sakkara was one of the ten ancient necropolises of Memphis. The step pyramid here is not only the oldest pyramid in the world, it's also the oldest stone building complex. It was built in the 27th century BC by the chancellor (and high priest of Ra) Imhotep. it's a mere 65 metres, for Pharaoh Djoser, next to his mortuary temple. The latter was designed to mimic the Royal Palace. Imhotep of course featured irreverently in The Return of the Mummy. Scarabs and architects running riot. Imhotep, was, however, deified by the ancient Egyptians.

Sakkara also claims the very first attempts at building smooth sided pyramids. One turned out to be bent. But the ancients learned their lesson and there’s a scattering of other, smaller but successful ones. There are also plenty of dug out tombs to explore, one (with fine tomb drawings) belonging to a princess, Idut.

On the way back, we have to stop at carpet warehouse, to see a weaving demonstration which lasts all of two minutes. After all, we're really here to be tempted into buying carpets.

Wadi Natron

Wadi Natron means salt valley and that’s where we are headed today. The ancient Egyptians mined salt here, to use for mummification. The highway is quiet. It’s a good time to doze.

Christians came to the area, as an early refuge from the Roman emperors, who persecuted them, (especially Diocletian) and they founded the very first monasteries . St. Anthony of Egypt was a religious hermit and one of the earliest Desert Fathers, considered the founder and father of organized Christian monasticism. (According to guide Nael the first of everything happened in Egypt.) Anthony died in 356, having established Dayr Mārī Antonios hermitage, near the Red Sea.

The monastery of St Bishoy, which we're visiting, dates back to an almost as impressive 400 AD and actually has four Syrian monasteries inside. It was founded in honour of Egyptian monk, St Bishoy, who had holy visions. During one of these he carried Christ on his back, whilst Jesus was manifesting as an old man. These and his kindly thoughtful nature, eventually resulting in miracles of healing, led to his sainthood. We are guided by a delightful monk, aptly named Cherubim, who demonstrates the same cheerful qualities He is dressed in a hooded gown decorated with crosses, which replicates the ones in the pictures of St Bishoy. And indeed, everyone inside queues up to kiss his hand, as we pass by.

There’s a communion service ongoing in the church. Cherubim leads us into the middle of it (most of the worshippers are standing chanting) and requests one of the devotees to take our group photo. It's posed in front of the wrapped in plastic miraculously preserved body of St Bishoy. He's kissed in the same place on the plastic by everyone who comes in. (There are also some of the bones of St Paul. As there are in many places).

There’s a modern residential block behind, but some of the 200 residents live in the original 400 AD cells, with two tiny rooms. One a bedroom, with a stone bed. Positive luxury. But it's tranquil and spiritual.

To one side, there's an alley, incongruously full of souvenir shops, a supermarket and a restaurant. Pizza boxes lined up on the counter. We slink off to buy cold drinks. They’re very cheap here. Cherubim gets into a car and zooms off.

Now we’re off into the desert proper. Sahara means desert in Arabic, so we actually call it 'The Desert Desert'. The Arabs know this area as the Western Desert. It's flat and unexciting, in these parts. To the north, fruit trees, olives and vines, on newly irrigated lands, utilising subterranean springs. The new four-lane highways remain astonishingly empty, except for the queues at the toll booths. Cash only here.

El Alamein

I've pinched my lunch from breakfast buffets before, but I've never been instructed to do it by the tour guide. He says there is nowhere to buy lunch around El Alamein. Though I see plenty of cafes when we reach El Alamein marina. A string of resorts by the most turquoise of seas. The sea bed is white here and this is very much being developed as a tourist area. But they are still clearing World War II mines and have to be careful. This is alongside development in the whole of Egypt. There are 22 new cities and the new capital, New Cairo, still being built. Parliament has already been moved.

The Battles of El Alamein (known as Al Alamein in Arabic), were of course, the turning point of the Second World War and we are visiting the newly built Military Museum and the battlefield cemetery.

The museum is astonishingly badly organised, with cases on each country and, again, no sense of the order of events. The information provided is full of spelling mistakes and bad grammar. However, I have read, on one signboard, that the magnificent drive to the coast, by the Australians, in the second battle of October 1942, won the battle, according to Churchill.

Wikipedia tells me that the Allied victory effectively ended the worrisome Axis threat to Egypt, the Suez Canal, and Middle Eastern oil fields. It was a significant boost to Allied morale, as it was one of the first major victories against the Axis forces since Operation Crusader in late 1941. The allies were famously led by General Bernard Montgomery, the Axis forces by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. The battle resulted in heavy casualties for both sides, with estimates of around 13,600 British and about 30,000 German, including 7,200 prisoners.

Outside there are biscuity beige guns, planes and tanks aplenty.

The cemetery, up the road, is almost unbearably sad. Like those in Northern France, rows of the bodies of very young men, with the most moving of comments on the headstones.

Alexandria, Egypt's Greek Capital

Alexander the Great didn’t stay long in Egypt, or last long anywhere, for that matter, but the Ptolemaic dynasty which followed lasted for 300 years. They didn't pay tribute to Athens, the Greeks just merged with the Egyptians. Unlike the Romans, who famously followed, with the story of Anthony and Cleopatra. However, Alexander did found Alexandria, in 331B.C., on the edge of the Nile Delta, in the vicinity of an Egyptian settlement called Rhacotis (integrated as the Egyptian quarter of the city). Alexandria grew rapidly, becoming a major centre of Hellenic civilisation and replacing Memphis as Egypt's capital, during the reign of the Ptolemaic pharaohs, who succeeded Alexander.

It remained the capital for almost a thousand years, (at one time the largest city in the ancient world before being eventually overtaken by Rome). through the period of Roman and Eastern Roman rule, until the Muslim conquest of Egypt in 641 AD. Then, a new capital was founded at Fustat (later absorbed into Cairo). Today, Alexandria is the second largest city in Egypt and the largest city on the Mediterranean coast. Soubriquets include 'The Bride of the Mediterranean' and 'Pearl of the Mediterranean Coast'. Balmy and sunny, with sandy beaches, Alexandria is a popular tourist destination. But it's also been a major port, for the cotton industry and an important industrial centre, due to its natural gas and oil pipelines, from Suez.

Late lunch, or very early dinner, at a fish restaurant in Alexandria port. The fort and harbour before us. It’s all perfect. Boats bob in the water, picturesquely, as they always say. The pastel pink Paradise Inn Hotel is French heritage, built in 1902. It's hardly been touched – faded grandeur, plenty of gilt and mirrors and the fanciest of lifts. This is built next to the exact spot where the obelisk, which is now in New York, originally stood. There’s a commemorative sculpture. I just hope this old lift doesn’t break down.

My room is packed with fake ormolu and there’s a Juliet Plus balcony, covered in bird droppings. I can just get my nose outside to see the view across the square and the Mediterranean. The restaurant and bar are on the roof, overflowing with white jacketed waiters. Even better views across the port to the sea. It’s as good a place as any to pay homage to the film Ice Cold in Alex.

The Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa

Ancient Alexandria was the intellectual and cultural centre of the ancient Mediterranean, known for the Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World; its Great Library, the largest in the ancient world; and the Catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa, one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages. But of these, only the catacombs have survived.

The Alexandrian Catacombs were discovered when a donkey fell down a shaft. No-one knows who owned them and why they were abandoned. It's thought they are Roman, second century AD. Whatever, a winding staircase into the depths leads to hundreds of burial slots, surrounding some intricately carved and decorated central chambers with scattered statues. These mix and match Roman, Greek and Egyptian features: Egyptian style statues with Roman clothes and hair styles. Nael says that they were never used, but I've read that three sarcophagi were found. The Hall of Caracalla, contains the bones of horses used by the Emperor Caracalla. Those are heaped willy-nilly in a glass display case. The interesting section is minuscule and crowded with French guides declaiming at length, and it's not even a cruise ship day.

The traffic is crazy and the streets narrow. Trams of all sizes and shapes weave their way alongside us. The new disc shaped Bibliotheca Alexandrina, replacing Alexander's old library, is next on the itinerary. We're headed for a tour there at 12, but progress is slow and Nael announces that we're not going to make it. We will go instead to the citadel. I ask if we have to take a tour of the library, but he says it will not be as good without it. End of discussion. So, we about turn on the corniche.

The Citadel of Qaitbay

The fortress at the harbour mouth, the Citadel of Qaitbay, is built on the site of Alexandria’s lighthouse. A Mameluke sultan first constructed it, in AD 1480. It was destroyed by the Ottomans and then again by the British, in 1887. Sadly, the top deck is closed as it's still being renovated, but you can walk round the walls.

The Bibliotheca Alexandrina

After the citadel, we head off for the library again. For the 13.15 tour. The promenade traffic is still grim, lined with illegally parked cars. I look at my watch. It's already tour time and I point this out to Nael. 'Oh well', he says, 'We will miss it. I'll do the tour myself.' No comment.

The original Library of Alexandria, a venerated seat of learning for the ancient world, was part of a larger research institution called the Mouseion, dedicated to the Muses, the nine goddesses of the arts. It was built by Ptolemy II Philadelphus. At its height it contained 700000 papyrus scrolls, but it was unfortunate enough to catch the brunt of one of the many coastal battles here and it caught on fire. Only one scroll was saved. (The original is now in Vienna.)

The new glass edifice was designed by a Norwegian based firm of architects, after they won a competition. It was completed in 2002 and paid for by donation. From the outside, it's notable for its modernity, alongside the corniche's twentieth century architecture. Inside, it’s a tiered and pillared masterpiece, with computer study areas, plenty of book and map storage and a tranquil Come Let’s Learn atmosphere.

In the basement, an antiquity museum (well it is Egypt) a manuscript museum (nothing older than fifteenth century), art galleries and historical artefacts. The most interesting is Sadat’s office. I’m not sure if it’s the original.

St Mark’s Cathedral

That’s where our official tour day ends. So I’m off with Gavin (to mastermind crossing the roads, where traffic never stops and there are no pedestrian crossings) to find St Mark’s Coptic Orthodox Cathedral. The city was a major centre of early Christianity and the cathedral is the historical seat of the Pope of Alexandria, the head of the Coptic Orthodox Church. More importantly, it's believed to stand on the site of the church, founded in AD 42, by Mark the Evangelist. There are records, dating to AD 311, of a chapel here, containing bodies said to be of Mark and his successors. In 828, most of the body of Saint Mark was reported as stolen and removed to Venice, but his head was left in Alexandria.

The church was destroyed and rebuilt again several times, due to Islamic invasions, the crusades, and a simple need for enlargement. So, the current church only dates to 1952 and that was doubled in size in 1990. But one of the oldest churches in the world is said to be underneath. A little man unlocks the door so we can get downstairs to see it, behind a glass panel.

Aswan, Egypt

We fly safely to Aswan, from Cairo, with just a few bumps en route, despite the fact that there is a kamsin - giant spring windstorm - forecast and the news says all the schools will close for the day.

Aswan is as gently pretty as ever. The azure Nile is mesmerizingly beautiful, flowing serenely through the centre; palm trees sway. The local felucca boats dot the skyline, sails billowing. Last time, I was intrigued to lodge at the renowned Cataract Hotel, built in 1899 by Thomas Cook. All manner of celebrity guests have stayed in this colonial edifice: Tsar Nicholas II, Winston Churchill, Howard Carter, Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, François Mitterrand, Princess Diana and Queen Noor.

I'm more interested in the Agatha Christie connections. She set part of Death on the Nile here and it was used as a set for the film too. Sadly, I was in the newer budget wing (built in 1961). This was known as the New Cataract Hotel, until Sofitel bought up the whole site and renovated it. I pop down the road to have another look. Not to miss a trick, they now charge 1000 Egyptian pounds to enter.

Today's Basma, on the other hand, has definitely seen better days. On a hilltop, above the Old Cataract, with glorious views up the Nile and across the desert, but faded. One of those places where you don't want to look too closely at the edges of the shower. Bathrooms in Egypt generally don't seem to warrant much attention. Even the lovely museums have toilets with battered wooden doors and ancient grouting. The restrooms by the pool at the Basma are disgusting. Bins overflowing and thick dust on the floor. On the plus side, they do water the artificial grass.

The Basma’s breakfast isn't going to raise pulses either. Some very dubious juices, which taste oddly manufactured and some highly coloured yogurts. One radioactive looking bowl is labelled blue croissant. I'm not trying it. The juice was disturbing enough.

Nubia

Despite yesterday's dead day, consumed by driving to Cairo, and then to Aswan, we don't start till 11a.m, so everything is done in the heat of the day. And it's hot, in the middle of the desert. According to one carriage driver touting for business Aswan, like Jordan, is suffering from lack of tourists, due to the Middle East War. The hotel is empty and the town quiet. Consequently, there’s far more hassle from vendors and calèche drivers, desperate for some tourist dollars.

Today's focus is Nubia. Strictly, Nubia is a region along the Nile river encompassing the area between the confluence of the Blue and White Niles (in Khartoum in central Sudan), and the first cataract of the Nile (south of Aswan). But this area has important links with Nubia. The kingdoms overlapped in later years, with the Nubians even dominating Egypt at one point. and many Nubian peoples live in this area of Egypt.

We begin with the Nubian Museum, which has appeared between the two hotels, since my last visit. Similar to the other museums, it's modern and attractively laid out, with the odd large eye catching statue. But only vaguely arranged in historical order, culminating in Nubian village scenes. So, I'm still getting a headache trying to sort out the chronology of ancient Egypt, as again there are boards, where even the information on individual boards is not sequential. And there are no chairs at all, in the spacious foyer. The floor is very hard. I thought we were finishing 15 minutes ago, so I go outside looking for the group. They won't let me back in again, on the same ticket.

The stone quarries of ancient Egypt are located on the hillside opposite here. They used a granitic rock called syenite. to build the colossal statues, obelisks, and monoliths which are found throughout Egypt. You can visit and walk on The Unfinished Obelisk, commissioned by Hatshepsut. This is the largest obelisk ever attempted. It began to crack, as it was hewn, and so was abandoned in situ. I saw it last time. But Nael is actively discouraging this as an additional option. He tells me to take a picture with my zoom lens instead.

Downriver, a felucca ride away, Elephantine Island holds the Temple of Khnum, from the Third Dynasty. The desert is atmospheric, and Aswan suitably relaxed, if still baking hot. The Aga Khan's mausoleum is resplendent on a desert hill top. The irrigation is fascinating; there are still numerous Archimedes screws, just visible as we drift along the banks. I’m trying to photograph them successfully. Eureka, I have it! We tack slowly past Kitchener Island, breezy and somnolent. Then, we feast on Nubian chicken, potatoes and okra, with sweet delicious guava juice. And then we zig-zag slowly back again...

The breeze wafts through the boat. It's impossible to stay awake. The next thing I know I'm almost catapulted off a camel, as it lurches up and then I'm swaying up a sandy hillside, towards St Simeon’s Monastery. Lulu is a relatively well behaved camel, although she's not keen, as we approach the steepest section and makes those distressed camel noises. I can't think of a word to describe them. And I feel guilty that I'm on her back.

I'm distressed too. Travel company, Exodus have deemed the last part of the route too steep to be attempted on camel back, so we have to walk in the searing heat. I'm not sure it's worth it. It's a very ruined monastery. But there are pleasant views across the Nile. I'm declining a return camel journey and arrive back by the river, giddy and overheated. I'm hallucinating cold Coca Cola and then magically, a guy appears with some on a tray. It's not a mirage.

A motor boat this time, around the reedy islands and Nubian settlements, on the West Bank. The houses are gaily decorated and crammed with utensils made of palm. Next stop, a museum house with a talk about these and life here, in the mud brick houses.

Off again, to a rapturous welcome at a Nubian guest house, with my favourite. Participation dancing. More Nubian food and drinks, on the terrace by the Nile.

Abu Simbel

There's an optional visit to Abu Simbel, 200 miles south, today. But the planes are all full (apparently they were full quite a while ago) and it's a long journey by road. involving a 4 a.m. start. Expensive too, as the Indian foursome have vetoed this one also. Gavin's managed to secure a waitlist business class seat.

But I went on my last visit, when it was the highlight of the trip. The story of the reconstruction of the gigantic two temples, to save them from the inundation forming Lake Nasser, when the Aswan Dam was built, was enthralling. (The temples are 30 metres high, just look at the tiny people.)

The twin temples were originally carved out of the mountainside, in the 13th century BC, during the nineteenth dynasty reign of the Pharaoh Rameses II, to commemorate his victory at the Battle of Kadesh. They were placed right at the southern frontier of pharaonic Egypt, facing Nubia. There are four colossal statues of Ramses (20 metres) in front of the main temple. One is headless, thanks to an earthquake. His mother, wife Nefertari and children are included, as smaller figures by his feet, (because they are less important), but Nefertari is permitted a temple of her own, as well.

The temple is dedicated to the sun gods Amon-Re and Re-Horakhte, and consists of three consecutive halls, extending 56 metres into the cliff. On two days of the year (about February 22 and October 22), the first rays of the morning sun penetrate the whole length of the temple, illuminating the shrine, in its innermost sanctuary.

The flight there and back wasn’t much fun. Nearly everyone on board had travellers’ diarrhoea (as foretold by Ian), but the plane toilets were forbidden - too much desert turbulence.

Cruising on the Nile

We've been upgraded to the Movenpick boat, for our Nile cruise. I’m very excited, as it's the boat used on the premium tours. But I've let my imagination run away with me 9again). I've watched too many reruns of Death on the Nile and I expected colonial grandeur. And indeed, we traverse a highly ornate boat which matches that description, on our way through, to embark. But the Royal Lily, the flagship of the fleet is modern minimalism. Smart rather than atmospheric. My room is beautiful, with a picture window. And I've never had a cabin bathroom with a bath in it before. The sundeck has a plunge pool, with an odd large shaped paddling pool type affair. The staff are super attentive. The dining room overflows with men in tall white hats.

The Aswan Dam

But we’re not actually setting off till tomorrow. And then, next day, it’s more local excursions first. We’re off to the Aswan Dam. The High Dam is three kilometres long, designed to control the flow of water into the Nile, so preventing the annual flooding and helping to control drier periods. (The Aswan Low Dam, which had been completed in 1902, was at maximum capacity.) The flooding, (in 1970) created Lake Nasser (500 kilometres long), displaced half a million Nubians and covered numerous villages and monuments. Eighteen of the most important were relocated.

The dam was partly funded by Egypt and partly by Russia. The UK and the USA had originally agreed to back the construction, but simultaneously refused to supply arms to Egypt, if they were to be used against Israel. The Suez Crisis followed, as Nasser looked to raise funds and struck an alliance with the USSR, in the aftermath.

The Friendship Monument, above the earth dam, commemorates Egyptian Union with Russia, a lotus shaped V sign to the USA. For an extra ticket, you can take a lift to the top.

Philae Temple

Fourth century B.C. columned Philae Temple is prettily set on an island, where it was moved when the High Dam was built. We are ferried out in boats, past boulder strewn islands. The main Isis Temple, has huge pylons (monumental gates). There were once twin obelisks here, in front of the pylons. One of them was The Cleopatra’s Needle, now on the Embankment, in London. A glass roofed section was once used as a church; here are crosses carved on the pillars.

In those days, ordinary folk were not allowed inside, but today it's crammed. The Chinese have come dressed in their fanciest gear. Lacy dresses and parasols; they spend all their time posing for pictures, pouting by the pillars. Nael says it's much worse in the cooler months. This is the end of the season, before the very hot weather. Fortunately, it's breezily comfortable today.

There's a separate small, delicately gorgeous pillared temple, dedicated to Hathor. Last time I was here I was lucky to have the architect who supervised the relocation, there to tell us all about it. The careful cutting up of the stone into numbered blocks, the transportation, by boat, and the painstaking reconstruction. Astonishing.

Kom Ombo

Our boat finally sets sail, through date palmed lined desert. Children splashing and shrieking. Time to doze in the balmy breeze. Kom Ombo was the training centre for the Ptolemaic army and the capital of the area, for a while. The temple is dedicated to the crocodiles who gathered at the increasingly wide bend in the river. Sobek was the crocodile god, though I have to be careful to check I'm not mixing him up with Anubis, the jackal god of mummification. I have to look for a longer snout, with teeth.

But the temple is also dedicated to Horus, who was God of Edfu, the later capital further north. The building is literally spilt down the centre, long-ways, with a listening ear in the middle of the far end wall. As with all these temples, it's enormous, with towering pillars; the remaining specks of colour suggest how incredible it must once have been. But it’s been ravaged. One of the sons of Mohammed Ali (de facto ruler from 1805) used the stone from the pylons to build a sugar factory here and most of the two pylons have disappeared.

There’s a pit, where crocodiles were raised. Only one special crocodile at a time was sacred. The Romans used the crocodiles as an oracle, the priests feeding them special treats beforehand, so that the omens would be good and no one would get hurt. There’s also a very deep, well-like Nilometer here, measuring the depth of the river and to warn of flooding.

The mummified crocodiles once kept in the temple have been moved to a next door museum. They don’t look hugely different from the living creatures, but at least they’re safely under glass.

Then, we join the flotilla of cruisers plying the Nile waters, heading north again.

Edfu Temple

Edfu is the site of the Ptolemaic Temple of Horus, the ruler of Egypt. But horror of horrors. We have been told to get up for a 5.30 departure to visit it. There's a bus to transport us, for ten minutes, through dark streets, to the temple. Others are going by calèche, but apparently that's banned by Exodus. I'm not sure if it's on cruelty to animal grounds or just hyper attention to health and safety. I suspect the latter, as they've already banned camels on steep hills and hot air ballooning.

Anyway, we arrive in the gloom, at the temple, to find the usual row of over eager vendors and a very long and static queue. Then, it's standing for 20 minutes, before the temple actually opens. A few guides sneak their groups through the ranks to the front, as the skies lighten above us. There has to be a better way to do this.

Edfu Temple was constructed between 237 and 57 BC. It was then only used for 20 years. Houses were built right up to it and then were removed, during the renovation. As a result, it’s one of the best preserved monuments, covered over by buildings and sand. The temple was dedicated to Horus and the reliefs tell the story of the ongoing battle between Horus and Set, as Horus revenges his father Osiris’s death. The cartouches however, are empty, as two Ptolemies were fighting for the throne at that time, and no one knew who was actually the king. There are also inscriptions depicting the pharaonic death rituals.

The crowds are appalling, inside the main temple. Perhaps the calèche man in Aswan was just making up sob stories when he said there were no tourists here. There are multiple lines weaving around each other, in vain pursuit of men waving flags representing the various mainly European countries. Lots of Chinese and some Brazilians.

Back on the boat. It's still early. After battling more crowds, round the breakfast buffet, I head for the sundeck. There's about 20 crew up there frenzily cleaning. They vacuum the artificial grass, on the Movenpick.

This really is a flotilla. Cruise boats fanning out across the width of the river. None of them is exactly speedy, but Royal Lily gradually overhauls them, until we're leading the fleet. It's a whole day of sailing. More palm trees, shrieking children in the water, little reedy islets, agriculture: bananas, dates, and the rocky desert behind that. One hundred and ten million people live along the banks of this river.

In the evenings there's entertainment, in the bar, Belly dancing and a galabia party.

Esna and Entertainment at the Lock

We queue up with the zillion other boats to wait our turn to pass through the lock at Esna. The locals here row small boats out and attach themselves to the ships, with lines. They're offering souvenirs, mainly table cloths, which they brandish below us, like sails. Then they roll them up and throw them up onto the sundeck, in plastic bags, and you attempt to throw the money back in the bag.

I'm not sure how much gets lost in the river, but the men seem so adept at this, as they manoeuvre the little boats adroitly to collect the missiles. One guy is hoarse from shouting so much. They’re doing a roaring trade and it's great entertainment.

It takes forever to transit the locks. One lock gate and a large basin and mini reservoir, between two dams, used to control the release of water downstream. The persistent vendors even follow us in here, with their row boats. Then, the second lock, where the two gates are shut and the levels adjusted. It takes two ships at a time.

Luxor - East Bank

Valley of the Kings

So, now it's time to explore Thebes, the ancient capital for much of the Middle and New Kingdoms and highly significant spiritually. Its east bank buildings are buried in modern day Luxor. Its necropolis was built on the west bank of the river and we are off to the astonishing Valley of the Kings, in that necropolis. In an attempt to thwart grave robbers, the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (16-11th century BC) began to construct hidden burial tombs, cut into the rock.

They weren't entirely successful. Many of the tombs were robbed, not very long after they were built and sealed (despite builders and servants buried inside, to keep the secrets, as we are incorrectly told). Famously, the only tomb to survive more or less intact was that of Pharaoh Tutankhamun. There's also a Valley of the Queens and Valley of the Nobles, but there's rarely time to fit them in. As well as the ever present possibility of getting 'tombed out'.

And now we're definitely in the business of trying to escape the crowds and stay together. Nael doesn't deign to wave a flag. The car park at the Valley of the Kings is heaving. There are lines and lines of coaches. I want to buy the extra tickets required for the tombs of Tutankhamun and Seti I, but the ticket machines aren't working. So, another long queue to buy those. Then, into the throngs passing through the security machines. As usual, no one is watching the screens, or does anything if the alarm pings. And most places have two sets of security and scanning machines to navigate, before you can even enter. Then you have to run the gauntlet of the vendors thrusting their wares in your face, whilst telling you are beautiful and will receive a free gift. Surprise, surprise, nothing turns out to be free.

Three Tombs on the Ticket

Since I was last here the Valley of the Kings has been Petr(a)ified. Golf carts to take us the short distance to the tombs. At a price. That's another ticket. The tombs now all have concrete entrances and wooden ramps inside. The lower frescoes are covered in glass. The main ticket allows entry to three of the nine generally open tombs. They rotate to limit damage.

On the advice of Nael, I visit the tombs of Rameses IX, Rameses III and Merenptah. Rameses III has beautiful illustrations: boats, gods and goddesses, The Book of the Dead. But it's accessed by fairly steep ramps, full of queuing tourists.. Rameses IX is smaller, flatter and otherwise very similar. Nael says that the third, Merenptah, is large but fairly easy to get into it. 'Is it flat?' I ask. 'Yes', he assures me. So off I go. It has s several very steep and slippy ramps. And it's not hugely impressive at the end. Almost bare, with a stone carved figure .

Tomb of Tutankhamun

Tutankhamun's tomb has to be revisited. Small and beautiful, with the mummy in situ, to compensate for the fact that everything else is in the museums. It's not a huge cost and it's fascinating to imagine the discovery and opening, in 1922. Though I can't for the life of me work out how all those 4,000 artefacts, chariots and all, fitted in here.

Tomb of Seti I

The tomb of Seti I, (or KV17 as it's labelled) ), is the tomb of a pharaoh of the Nineteenth Dynasty. Seti I's tomb is the best. It too has long exhausting ramps.( One of the longest and deepest in the valley), but is large, with 17 antechambers, all beautifully decorated. A curved chamber and blue ceilings. It was uncovered by Italian archaeologist and explorer Giovanni Belzoni, in 1817, so is also known as 'Belzoni's Tomb, The ticket is by far the most expensive, but this results in very few visitors, so it’s possible to look at the amazingly illuminated reliefs in peace. Though it's stiflingly hot, as are all the tombs.

Mortuary Temples

It’s very hard work, clambering up and down all those steps, in these temperatures. But we’re not done yet. Most of the mortuary temples of the New Dynasty are the other side of this valley. The stand out here, built into the cliffs of the rocky desert at Deir el Bahri, is that of Hatshepsut, the only female pharaoh. This temple is built over three levels, capped by a small pyramid, which covers the tomb. It's directly aligned with the Eighth Pylon, which Hatshepsut had added to the Temple of Karnak.. It’s best seen from a distance. It’s been heavily reconstructed by Polish archaeologists and has lost much of its character.

Hatshepsut means 'Foremost of Noble Ladies'. (She looks very kind in her statues.) Hatshepsut ruled during the first dynasty of the New Kingdom (or the 18th Dynasty counting from the beginning). That's 1550/1549 to 1292 BC. She had to bribe the priests heavily, to be allowed to reign, after the death of her husband/ brother Thutmoses II.

The Colossi of Memnon

Egypt is definitely one of those places where you run out of superlatives. It's like seeing a favourite story book come to life. Perhaps my favourite sight, also on the opposite bank of the Nile to the city, are the the Colossi of Memnon, two massive stone statues (18 metres) representing Amenhotep III, the pharaoh 3,400 years ago. They have been renamed by the Greeks, after King Agamemnon. Shelley's great poem Ozymandias, sums the scene up beautifully and has to be one of the most evocative pieces ever written. How can you not want to come and see that?

Gavin and the Indian foursome are all smarting tonight. They’re all scammed separately, by an Egyptian man claiming to work as a chef, on our boat, inviting them to go buy spices with him. He then summons a caleche and plunges them into a deserted souq, demanding fees for his services and the horse and cart. Gavin escapes quickly and unscathed, but the two couples are parted with a few dollars. No-one has thought to ask, till too late, which boat the clearly imposter chef actually works on.

Luxor West Bank

Karnak Temple

Today, the spiritual centre of Thebes, for those who were living. Last time, I came to Luxor by overnight train. It was a Hungarian relic, the toilet a steel cuboid free-for-all. To be avoided, as far as possible. But Luxor is amazing, built over Thebes, the ancient capital of the Pharaonic, Middle and New Kingdoms. The colossal temples (hieroglyph-covered Karnak and Luxor) are incredible,

You can't miss Karnak Temple; it is huge. Though it’s not the largest temple complex in the world, as Nael claims. That honour goes to Angkor Wat. Karnak dates back almost 4,000 years (begun in 1970 BC, by Senusret I). It is staggeringly enormous and would swallow dozens of notable European cathedrals without blinking. And, it does boast the largest room of any religious building. The Hypostyle Hall is 134 columns, spread over about 16,500 square metres. You'll recognise this from James Bond, (The Spy Who Loved Me - Remember Jaws with his bowler hat?), Agatha Christie (Death on the Nile) and numerous other film sets.

It's dedicated to a triumvirate of gods, Amun, Mut, and Khonsu and has been added to and altered over the centuries of pharaonic rule. Hatshepsut, for example, provided four obelisks. One is truncated, where it threatened to topple and they made the best of the situation. They’re floated up-river, from the granite quarries at Aswan. Modifications continued to the Ptolemaic period, but most of the work here, chapels, pylons and chapels, dates from the New Kingdom. It was never actually finished; there are still brick ramps in place, by the first pylon. Although much of it is now decayed and damaged, as with most of the temples, there's still enough to leave you thoroughly open mouthed.

The outside walls depict intriguing battle scenes telling the story of Seti I’s war against the Hittites (from North Turkey). There are handcuffed prisoners, denoted by long hair and beards.

But there’s a never-ending stream of bodies marching through the centre. It’s like Egypt is being invaded all over again and I’m in the thick of it. And of course, it’s impossible to get a clean shot with the camera. Though people do give a reference point for the scale of these giant pillars and statues.

At the far end, is a scarab on a pedestal. You have to walk round four times anti-clockwise for good luck. Beyond that is the Sacred Lake, which is 3500 years old. More importantly there's a shady area with umbrellas and flowers beside it, outside a café to rest, and escape the scorching heat.

Luxor Temple

The Luxor Temple Complex dates to 1400BC and was built, in part, by Rameses II, the great warrior king. This one doesn’t belong to any particular deity but is dedicated to the rejuvenation of kingship. Guess who? It’s thought it’s where the pharaohs were crowned and even Alexander the Great claimed to have been enthroned here. Though the evidence suggests that he didn’t travel further south than Memphis.

It’s much smaller than Karnak, so it might be considered an anti-climax. But it has many statues and the remains of Nubian houses, a church and a mosque, where the locals made use of the available masonry, before ancient Egyptology became a thing. Hatshepsut added an obelisk here too. The temple is one of the best preserved, despite the use of the space by others. The Romans even utilised it as a fortress.

Not using a calèche has its advantages. Last time, we were harangued, through the railings, by the driver of the horse carriage, who has taken us there. 'Baksheesh, baksheesh', he wailed. The visit was arranged and paid for by the tour company, but he felt he was not sufficiently (additionally) rewarded for his efforts.

The Path of God

The two temples were linked by the three-kilometre row of statues called the Path of God, or more colloquially, The Avenue of the Sphinxes. An annual procession took place along this avenue during Opet, the 27 day festival of regeneration. It was developed to bring fresh energy to the rulers and their kingdom. The sacred barque, used to carry bodies to the afterlife (and often misspelled bark on the signs) was paraded, stopping at six marked stations.

I’ve looked up most of this chronological information. Guide Nael's delivery matches the displays in the museums. Snatches of stories, but no attempt to place events in any order, or carve out relationships.

Farewell to Luxor

A cocktail in the Winter Palace Hotel. This other historic colonial hotel (1907) was where Lord Carnarvon stayed, while his team searched for Tutankhamun's tomb. It has also been taken over by Sofitel and they again charge 1,000 Egyptian pounds to enter. But we discover that you can use this as credit against food and drink. And that's exactly the price of a margarita. Then, a farewell dinner in a small and comfortable restaurant, The Lantern Room. They do a decent gin and tonic, tasty beef tagine and very sweet Om Ali, alongside a host of very British puddings.

Now, I'm off to Hurghada.

And read more about Egypt, the country today and its history and mythology here.

• Egypt is one of the cradles of civilisation, with recorded habitation along its iconic Nile (the longest river in the world), dating back to the sixth–fourth millennia BC.
• The Nile has brought Egypt its wealth, with its regular inundations (floods, bringing fertile mud down river and into the enormous delta). This is why Egypt is known as 'The Gift of the Nile'.

Ancient Egypt

• The long and illustrious history of Egypt stretches back to the first farmers of 5,000 BC.
• Ancient Egyptian civilization proper dates back to around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt, under the first king of the First Dynasty, Narmer.
• Ancient Egyptian history is divided into:
  • the Old Kingdom (pyramid building and the invention of writing),
  • the Middle Kingdom (more pyramids and the Israeli exodus)
  • and the New Kingdom (huge temples and the tombs in the Valley of the Kings).
• The kingdoms were divided by more chaotic interim periods, when invaders arrived. At times, the empire stretched to include substantial proportions of Nubia, in current day Sudan.
• Whilst the Great Pyramids of Giza are the most well known, the ancient Egyptians built over 100 pyramids in total (and even more in present day Sudan).
• The ancient Egyptians were known for their love of board games, with Senet being one of the oldest known games, played for over 2,000 years.
• Both men and women wore makeup, believing it had healing properties. Green eye paint was used to ward off evil spirits.
• Cats were considered sacred animals, and some were even mummified.
• Ancient Egyptians believed strongly in the afterlife and felt that that preserving the body through mummification was essential for the soul to continue living.
• The priests and scribes created hieroglyphs, a system of writing using pictures and symbols, about 3,000 BC (there were over 700 hieroglyphs). This was arguably the earliest form of written communication, although cuneiform in Sumer, Mesopotamia also has a claim.

• The ancient Egyptians invented papyrus paper (paper as we know it is claimed by the Chinese), pens, locks, keys, and even toothpaste.
• The pyramids were not technically built by slaves. Evidence suggests that the workforce was conscripted farmers, who laboured on the pyramids during the flooding season, in the summer, when they couldn't work their own lands.
• Over the years much of Egypt's fascinating ancient history was a mystery, temples hidden under sand ,or built over, and no-one could decipher the ubiquitous hieroglyphs, Until the discovery of the Rosetta Stone at the port city of Rosetta, east of Alexandria, during a Napoleonic expedition The stele was inscribed with a decree, from Ptolemy V, issued in Memphis, in three languages: Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, Ancient Egyptian Demotic script and Ancient Greek, all saying virtually the same thing. (It's in the British Museum now, after Napoleon's soldiers were made to hand it over.) It took until 1803 to decipher the Hellenistic Greek and then there was a race to match it to the other two languages, both of which were symbolic/pictorial. It helped that both used phonetic language for foreign words. The code was finally cracked by Frenchman Champollion, in 1822. The stores of the pharaohs were cracked and the fascination with Egyptology began.

Ancient Egyptian Mythology

Ancient Egyptian mythology is fascinating, setting the scene for much mythology which followed. Here is the cast of characters, some of the more important Gods, who figure in their ancient beliefs, sometimes confusingly:

• Amun or Amun Ra – A creator god, tutelary deity of the city of Thebes, head of the trinity and the king of the Gods in ancient Egypt during the New Kingdom, morphing into Zeus (Greece) and Jupiter (Rome). Sometimes shown as a goose.
• Anubis – The god of funerals, embalming and protector of the dead, usually with a jackal (or canine) head.
• Aten – A sun disk deity who became the focus of the breakaway monotheistic Atenist belief system during the reign of Akhenaten, was also the literal Sun disk. He was demoted again by Akhenaten's son, Tutankhamun.
• Bastet – A goddess represented as a cat or lioness, tutelary deity of the city of Bubastis, linked with protection from evil
• Hapi – The hermaphroditic personification of the Nile flood
• Hathor – One of the most important goddesses, linked with the sky, the Sun, sexuality and motherhood, music and dance, foreign lands and goods, and the afterlife. One of many forms of the Eye of Ra, she is often depicted as a cow
• Horus – A kingship god, usually shown as a falcon/hawk (often with a double crown) or as a human child, linked with the sky, the sun, kingship, protection, and healing; often said to be the son of Osiris and Isis, who fought to revenge his father's death and become the ruler of Egypt. Very confusingly, there's also sometimes thought to be a Horus the elder manifestation called Heru-ur. He is not the sone of Osiris and Isis.
• Imhotep – Architect and vizier to pharaoh Djoser, eventually deified as a healer god
• Isis – Wife of brother Osiris, helping to resurrect him and mother of Horus, linked with funerary rites, motherhood, protection, and magic. She also became a deity in Greek and Roman religion
• Khnum – A ram god, the tutelary deity of Elephantine Island, who was said to control the Nile flood and give life to gods and humans

• Montu – Another falcon god (confusingly again, but he also has two plumes) god of war and the sun, worshipped at Thebes
• Mut – Consort of Amun, worshipped at Thebes. She wears the feather of truth.
• Nut – A sky goddess, (a woman bending to earth) a member of the Ennead (a group of nine deities in Egyptian mythology worshipped at Heliopolis: the sun god Atum (primordial creator); his children Shu and Tefnut; their children Geb and Nut; and their children Osiris, Isis, Set, and Nephthys).
• Osiris – A god of death and resurrection who rules Duat and enlivens vegetation, the sun god, and deceased souls. Married to sister Isis and the focus of the key resurrection myth after he was killed by brother Set
• Ptah – A creator deity and god of craftsmen, the tutelary deity of capital Memphis
• Ra – The foremost Egyptian sun god, involved in creation and the afterlife Mythological ruler of the gods, father of every Egyptian Pharaoh, and the tutelary deity of Heliopolis. Confusingly (yet again) Ra was also portrayed as a falcon (but usually with a sun disc on his head) and shared characteristics with the sky-god Horus. At times, the two deities were merged as Ra-Horakhty, When the god Amun rose to prominence during Egypt's New Kingdom, he was then fused with Ra, as Amun-Ra.
• Set – An ambivalent god, characterized by violence, chaos, and strength, connected with the desert. Mythological murderer of brother Osiris and enemy of Horus, but also a supporter of the Pharaoh. as is fitting his depiction is also ambivalent, an unidentified animal or man.
• Sobek – A crocodile god, worshipped in the Faiyum and at Kom Ombo
• Taweret – a prominent goddess primarily revered as the protector of women and children, particularly during childbirth and pregnancy. She is often depicted as a cute hippo-like figure, blending the attributes of a hippopotamus, a crocodile, and a lion.
• Thoth – A knowledge god, and a god of writing and scribes, and tutelary deity of Hermopolis

A Brief History of Egypt from the Time of the Achaemenid Empire

• Predominantly native Egyptian rule lasted until the conquest by the Achaemenid Empire, in the sixth century BCIn 332 BC, Alexander the Great of Macedonia conquered the Achaemenids in turn, introducing the Hellenistic Ptolemaic Kingdom. So, Cleopatra, the most famous of pharaohs, was not actually Egyptian. She was part of a long line of Greek Macedonians. The death of Cleopatra, as the last Ptolemy, ended the nominal independence of Egypt, and the country was subsumed into the Roman Empire.
• Roman rule in Egypt (including the Byzantine era ) lasted from 30 BC to 641 AD
• After the Muslim conquest of Egypt, Egypt was divided into the provinces of successive Caliphates and other Muslim dynasties, including the Umayyad Caliphate (661–750), the Abbasid Caliphate (750–935) and the Mamluk Sultanate (1250–1517).
• In 1517, Ottoman sultan Selim I captured Cairo, absorbing Egypt into the Ottoman Empire. Egypt remained entirely Ottoman until 1805, (excepting a brief French occupation, under Napoleon).
• In 1867, Egypt became a nominally autonomous tributary state called the Khedivate of Egypt, but this was swallowed up by the British, in 1882.

• British occupation lasted until the modern Republic of Egypt was founded, in 1953.
• In 1956, Egypt's nationalization of the Suez Canal Company, which had been owned and operated by British and French interests, led to The Suez Crisis, a major international incident. The Crisis sparked an invasion of Egypt, by British, French, and Israeli forces, but ultimately led to a humiliating withdrawal for the invading nations.
• For a brief period, between 1958 and 1961, Egypt merged with Syria, to form the United Arab Republic.
• Egypt fought several armed conflicts with Israel in 1948, 1956, 1967 and 1973, and occupied the Gaza Strip intermittently until 1967. In 1978, Egypt signed the Camp David Accords, which recognised Israel in exchange for its withdrawal from the occupied Sinai. Sinai Liberation day is celebrated as a national holiday each April 25th.
• After the Arab Spring, which led to the 2011 Egyptian revolution and overthrow of President Hosni Mubarak, the country faced a protracted period of political unrest; its first democratic election in 2012 resulted in the short-lived, Muslim Brotherhood-aligned government of Mohamed Morsi, which was overthrown by the military after mass protests in 2013.
• The current government is a semi-presidential republic, led by Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, who was elected in 2014, but is widely regarded as 'authoritarian'.

Egypt, Facts and Factoids

• 'Egypt' is the English name for the country of course. The Egyptians call it Miṣr. The English name 'Egypt' is derived from the Ancient Greek 'Aígyptos', as used by Homer.
• Egypt straddles both Asia (the Sinai peninsula) and Africa. The great majority of the Egyptian peoples live near the banks of the Nile. They have to - much of the remainder of the land, in the Libyan and Sahara Deserts, is arid and unhospitable. They get one inch of rain a year on average.
• This is the most populated country in the Arab world (roughly 110 million), the third most populated in Africa and the fifteenth most populated in the world, a melange of Islamic (since the seventh century BC) Mediterranean and African culture.
• Egypt is a developing country with the second-largest economy in Africa, a regional power in the Middle East, North Africa and the Muslim world.
• Islam is the official religion and Arabic is the official language, the currency, the Egyptian pound.

Is Egypt Safe?

• The main tourist areas in Egypt are deemed safe to visit by the FCO. There are large areas in the Western Desert and North Sinai which are designated as off limits, in their opinion. Because of ongoing Middle East conflicts and militant groups there is always a risk of terrorist attack in Egypt. You ahve to weight it up. It's not a great risk, but there is one. There's also a risk in the UK. Actual crime rates are relatively low.
• But be prepared for hassle, especially around the tourist sites at Luxor and Aswan. There is still a great deal of poverty in Egypt and vendor tactics can be overly persistent and even aggressive. Keep walking and don't make eye contact. Don't accept any 'free gifts' and don't agree to look 'maybe later' unless you really intend to. They won't forget your face.
• Extra 'baksheesh' is often demanded, when the service is ended. Best to travel with prearranged tours or taxis.
• Watch out for scams. Sadly, they are common. Don't believe people who offer to take you on free expeditions 'to buy spices' or whatever. They are not really chefs or staff from your boat or hotel. Very few folk just want to be your friend or practise their English and no-one really offers guiding services (or anything) for free. Don't change money for anyone, especially not coins for notes. They'll slip some of the cash you think you're getting away, at the final handover. Always count your change.

What to Do and See in Egypt?

• You can't go to Egypt and not see the ancient monuments. Read about my travels all round Egypt here:
• Then take yourself off to the Red Sea Resorts for some sun and water sports.

Sharm El Sheikh, Red Sea Resort

Sharm el Sheikh, sandwiched between the desert of the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea is my second visit to Egypt (flying in via Cairo). But now I'm in Asian Egypt.

Sharm (as it's known) was historically a fishing town and naval base, but was developed into a commercial and tourist-centric city, in 1968, by the Israelis, who had first captured Sinai during the Suez Crisis of 1956. It was returned to Egypt in 1957, but policed by a United Nations peacekeeping force, until 1967, when it was ordered to leave by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser, That precipitated the Six-Day War, during which it was reoccupied by Israel. Sharm El Sheikh remained under Israeli control from 1967, until the Sinai Peninsula was returned to Egypt in 1982, after the signing of the Camp David Accords. Egypt continued and expanded the development, promoting Sharm El Sheikh as a major international resort city.

Naama Bay, is beyond touristy, with its all inclusive hotels, palm tree-lined promenade, shisha bars and kebab restaurants. Camel rides, quad bikes and desert adventures galore. But I've come for the snorkelling. Ras Muhammad National Park delivers here - these are amongst the most famous reefs in the world. We take out a boat, (and see dolphins) but there is really excellent snorkelling, just off the beach. There's a huge drop off at El Fanar (Lighthouse) Beach, though, sadly you have to walk over the coral to get to it. The water is surprisingly chilly, though it is February.

And a day trip revisiting Luxor too.

Journey to Hurghada - and a Scam

On my third visit to Egypt I'm back to the Red Sea again. Today, I have a minibus, driver and guide, all to myself, as we navigate the agricultural road, from Luxor, north alongside the Nile and then turn off across the Eastern Desert to Hurghada. More flat and rubbly terrain followed by ochre hills and then stark and pointy mountains, to the Red Sea.

It’s my turn to be scammed. We stop at a roadside café which already feels quite hassly. Pushy clothes vendors and 150 Egyptian pounds for a coca cola (same as the Valley of the Kings), when you can buy one for 15 pounds from the small shops in town. Then a guy asks me to give him a ten pound note in exchange for ten pound coins. He gives me some garbled story about acquiring them from a family, which doesn’t make sense at all. But the currency looks genuine and I agree to help. He lines up 10 coins on the counter top and I hand over my note. He now demands that I change 30, but I decline and he pouts and sulks. Something doesn’t feel right to me, but I’m unsure what.

Another man approaches, offering me ten single USD bills, making the same request. This seems odder and is refused more firmly. The bank will take single notes. Only then do I check my purse. There are only 8 pound coins in it. The wily so and so has slipped two off the back, as he slid them into my purse. He must be doing pretty well if he carries out that trick several times a day. Fortunately, the guide goes and demands my two pounds back and all is well.

Hurghada, Red Sea Resort

Hurghada reminds me of Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. It evolved from a fishing village, and  has no real centre. Forty  odd kilometres  of resorts lining the coast, all divided from each other, and with private beaches. The Marriott beach is compact, to say the least. The swimming pool is large, the sea is sapphire, prettily broken up with sandbanks and there are maybe 50 motor yachts moored up, just off shore. These are mainly live-aboards for diving trips. I’m told there are about 200 of those operating out of Hurghada. The other ships are for day trips, or smaller vessels towing shrieking thrill-seeking tourists, precariously balanced on banana boats and tyres.

But there’s no reef just off the beach here, as at Sharm. I charter a boat with a captain and snorkel guide. for a couple of hours. They’re superbly attentive (notwithstanding the prominently placed tips box). The captain even folds the heels of my fins down, so that they will slip on easily. Some unexciting glass bottom viewing and a wade on the sand banks. But the reef, as you would expect, is worth seeing.

After catapulting in (the early May water still chilly, until I start moving), we kick slowly  all down the shallow side, admiring plenty of living and brightly lush coral. Shoals of fluorescent  small fish contrast nicely with the coral branches, hiding under the fans and shooting off in all directions, as we approach. The odd diminutive but vibrant clam. Nothing large but plenty to admire. It’s so nice I book the boat again for tomorrow. A different reef, with a 20 metre drop off, the coral a little more damaged, but more varieties of luminescent fish tootling about. Grouper, parrot fish, tans, puffer fish and three wriggling baby rays.

My room has a lovely sea view and it’s all very pleasant, except for the bills which feature service charge and a space for a tip too. One of the waiters at the poolside bar refuses to serve me anything to eat. He says he hasn’t got any help and he’s hidden the food menu. I apply pressure and it appears. But this is not the way to earn those additional tips. No-one comes out of this situation feeling happy. Unless maybe you’re American.

I’m eschewing the beach, despite the nice views. Far too many sunbeds crammed onto the sand. So, it’s mostly by the swimming pool. There’s only one yelling baby. On Day Two I venture out, over the bridge, from the main beach to another small sandy area and café with patio. It’s a mistake. This is entertainment team HQ and they’re soon encouraging sweaty sunbathers to participate in a dance class. Back to the pool.

Hurghada Airport

Time to depart my third visit to Egypt. It's not one of Egypt's finest times. This only five years old airport seems designed for maximum frustration. Queue to enter airport and show ticket. Queue to have baggage screened and body searched. Queue to drop bags. Queue at passport control. Queue to have carry-on scanned (again) and be body searched (again). Get to front of queue to be told that this line is for men only and have to go right back to end of adjacent female queue, as none of the women will let me in front of them. Queue for refreshment and am served ridiculously sweet mousse. Have to wait on EasyJet plane, whilst ill passenger is disembarked and his luggage found. At least it makes me happier to be going home.

And read more about Egypt, the country today and its history and mythology here.

The Other Five Emirates

Everyone has heard of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. But challenge a friend to name the other five emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and they'll be lucky to come up with one name. Indeed, I struggled to do it myself. So I thought I'd better go and find out more. They're Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah. They're relatively small and accessible from Dubai, as they all lie to the north of this area of the Persian Gulf.

That doesn't mean to say it's easy. It's a complicated map. The different emirates are not content  with strips of coast. They also (especially Sharjah) have enclaves and exclaves dotted around the other emirates. At times, I'm guessing which one I'm in. Driver-cum-guide Bilal tells me you can work it out from the street lamps. 

The Emirate of Sharjah

First up, just north of Dubai, is Sharjah. It covers 1,000 square miles and has a population of over two million. It has been ruled by Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi since 1972, (except for a six-day period during an attempted coup d'état by his brother).

All the emirates are named after, and revolve around their capital cities. Sharjah comprises the city of Sharjah and other minor towns and exclaves distributed throughout the UAE. (Like I said above.) In 2022, Sharjah made history when its public sector adopted a four-day working week and a three-day weekend.

Sharjah City

Sharjah city is the third-most populous city in the United Arab Emirates, and forms part of the ongoing urban strip. Similar to Abu Dhabi, in the sense that it is a mix of modern and older buildings. Quieter and less brash and futuristic than Dubai, it has a historic harbour/canal, lined with old dhows and services developing industries.

But it seems that Sharjah is also a tourist hub and the cultural capital of the UAE. The sale of alcohol is totally banned in Sharjah, making it an attractive proposition for Islamic tourists. This probably also explains why it's more peaceful here. There are plenty of hotels, attractive parks for strolling and fun, Kahlid Lagoon (home to a giant fountain and Al Noor Island) and a very pleasant corniche - Al Buheirah.

There are a plethora of museums: history/archaeology, natural history, science, arts, heritage, Islamic art and culture. At least two forts and numerous (over 600) elegant mosques.

I'm sure I've left something out. I haven't time to visit more - I wasn't, I confess, expecting such largesse. But I have to mention the shopping. There are several relatively modern covered souks, designed in Islamic style. There's the bustling fish and vegetable market and the more subdued (at least when I went, perhaps it was too early) gold souk. The gold souk sells other things too - there are a lot of clothes - and it's commonly known as The Blue Souk. There are also numerous malls - including the Mega Mall. It speaks for itself.

The Emirate of Ajman

The Emirate of Ajman, a chunk adjoining the coast, but completely otherwise, surrounded by Sharjah, is the smallest of the emirates in terms of area. It's relatively densely populated though; the fourth most populous emirate in the UAE. It mainly consists of the city of Ajman, but it also also controls two small inland agricultural exclaves: Manama and Masfout. (I said the map of the UAE was complicated.) Ajman is ruled by Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi III of the Na'im tribe

Ajman City

The city of Ajman is the northern most section of the Dubai-Sharjah metropolitan area. So, it's mainly urban, industrial and residential, with a port based along a natural creek. But tourism is developing. There's a burgeoning corniche with a strip of decent beach alongside and several large expensive hotels, from well known chains. There are a couple of museums, one inside a fort and City Centre Ajman, the Emirate’s biggest mall. I also spot the Al Murabbaa Watchtower. It looks old, but nothing here is very ancient and it dates from the 1040s. It's the remains of the coastal defences and today it's forlorn in the middle of a roundabout. Further on, the Diwan, the Sheikh's Palace, with its gold domed roof.

There are also a range of restaurants and fast food outlets. So it seems like a good moment to sample Arabic KFC. The spicy option isn't bad at all. I'm happy to agree it's finger lickin' good.

Emirate of Umm Al Quwain

The Emirate of Umm Al Quwain is mainly the city of Umm Al Quwain. It's built on the site of a fort built in 1768, by the founder of the modern Al Mualla dynasty, Sheikh Rashid bin Majid, of the Al Ali tribe. It's on a finger of land, pointing into the Persian Gulf and has 15 miles of coast, It was a key stop on the trade route between the Middle East and India. The other part of this, the least populated emirate, is the inland oasis town of Falaj Al Mualla, some 19 miles from the sea.

Sadly, there's no gas or oil in Umm Al Quwain and it depends on revenue from hotels, parks and tourism, fishing and general trading. (There's a Free Zone in the port.) And this is where, travelling further north, we suddenly hit desert proper, and camels. Even though we are shortly catapulted into the neighbouring emirate.

Umm al-Quwain City

Night is falling, when we get to Umm al-Quwain City. The fort, on which it was founded was the site of a coup in 1929. when the incumbent Sheikh. Hamad Bin Ibrahim Al Mualla was assassinated by one of his blind uncle’s servants. The townsfolk, unhappy at the imposition, rose and set fire to the fort, killing the usurpers and putting the Al Mualla family back in power. The fort has since been restored and now houses the Umm Al Quwain National Museum. Or so I'm told. Bilal can't find it in the dark. We have to settle for some other government buildings.

Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah

Ras Al Khaimah is the most northerly of the emirates, but it doesn’t reach right to the tip of the Persian Gulf peninsula. That’s occupied by Musandam, an exclave of Oman, so it can control the Straits of Hormuz.

Ras Al Khaimah was a latecomer to the UAE (1972), after a spat with Iran (they seized Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs). Its name means ‘headland of the tent’. And the scenery is changing. There are mountains (the Hajar), villages and stretches of rocky desert here, and a large southerly inland exclave (near the Dubai exclave of Hatta), and a few small islands in the Persian Gulf. Ras Al Khaimah has the most fertile soil in the country, due to a larger share of rainfall and underground water streams from these mountains. It also has attractive beaches and good diving.  

But, as with the other emirates, the majority of the population lives in the city, after which the emirate is named. The city of Ras Al Khaimah has two main areas - the Old Town and Nakheel - on either side of a creek. It has engulfed the medieval Islamic port of Julfar.

Today, Ras Al Khaimah is ruled by Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi. (The same dynasty that runs Sharjah). Their tribe were a frequent thorn in the flesh for British shipping in the early eighteenth century (both here and in Sharjah). There's some debate about the level of so called piracy on this coast, but the Qawasim, were eventually 'subdued'.

Queen of Sheba's Palace

Ras Al Khaimah has been the site of continuous human habitation for 7,000 years. The village of Shimal (and around) is an important archaeological site, containing numerous graves (at least 250)  and barrow tombs with fine bronze arrowheads, beads and pottery. dating back to the Umm Al Nar culture (2,500–2,000 BC).

​Then came a medieval palace, on the ridge above the village. It is the only ancient Islamic palace known in the UAE and dates back to the Julfar period (13th-16th century AD). It was most probably the residence of the ruler of Julfar, once the most famous and prosperous trading town in the whole lower Gulf, built for cooling breezes at altitude and its strategic defensive position.

After the sixteenth century, the palace became a fort or 'sur', a retreat for all the villagers operating the palmeries below. The town wall ran some seven kilometres from the port lagoon to the south of present-day Ras Al Khaimah and to  the mountains here. It was four to five metres wide, with watchtowers placed every 150 metres. There’s a restored watchtower behind a wire fence at the bottom.

The remains of the fort are reached via a long flight of stairs, that peter out, to deliver a steep scramble through shale. The fort (I’m told) was a long rectangular structure. It’s difficult to discern much other than a piece of pitched roof (it's surrounded by barbed wire) and some walls. The palace remains have been excavated by German archaeologists, who restored the water cistern under the pitched roof.

For some reason it’s  known locally as The Queen of Sheba's Palace, although no-one has any idea why. But there are lovely views,  overlooking the plain, to the sea, from our plateau. Even if it isn't very cool, after my climb.

The Mountains of the UAE

The Hajar Range is home to the highest mountains in the UAE. The tallest is Jebel Jais, at 1,934 metres, but there's some debate as to whether it counts. It's on the border with Musandam and the summit is located on the Omani side. A high point west of this peak is considered the highest point in the United Arab Emirates, at 1,892 metres. The highest peak in the UAE is Jabal ar Raḩraḩ (1,691 metres).

And now we're driving west, through the dramatic, starkly brown mountains, to Fujairah, the only emirate wholly on the east coast of the peninsula.

The Emirate of Fujairah

The Sharqiyin tribe, are in charge of the Emirate of Fujairah, controlling old trade routes via Wadi Ham and Wadi Abadilah. The modern roads we’re driving today follow these routes,  through the mountains.

The east coast of what is now the UAE used to be known as the Shamaliyah, and was part of Muscat until it was annexed by Al Qasimi of Sharjah, in 1850. (Apparently Oman agreed). In 1901, when the emirate consisted of some 150 houses, 3,000 date palms and some pearling businesses, Sheikh Hamad bin Abdullah Al Sharqi, chief of the Sharqiyin, declared independence from Sharjah. The declaration was recognised by most of the Trucial Sheikhs and also by Muscat, but not by the British, who found the new ruler 'antagonistic'.

The British gave in, in 1952, in order to facilitate the signing of oil treaties At the same time, Sharjah took control of the southerly city of Kalba, forming an exclave (and other areas too it transpires). But we're right in the north. Past Dibbah, another exclave belonging to Sharjah and south beside the sea, alongside the many popular beaches. Like most Arab states, Fujairah likes its roundabout decoration.

Khor Fakkan

Now we're in yet another enclave of Sharjah. I'm totally bemused and glad I'm not the cartographer - or the navigator. This one is called Khor Fakkan. It lays claim to golden beaches edged with walkways, an ugly concrete like waterfall and, a natural deep sea port, very handy to maintain Sharjah's access to the eastern seaboard. The Khorfakken Monument, on a roundabout, here depicts an incense burner (mabkhara) - as these are strongly embedded in Arab hospitality. This one even has fog machines, to produce the incense effect. Low level only - we don't want to cause accidents.

Nipping back into the Hajar Mountains, there's a fort or two and a restful park with a lake, created by a dam at Al Rafisa. It's a gorgeous spot, and no doubt the water is a necessity in such an arid country. But they sacrificed a village to create it. I'm told you can see the rooftops when the water recdes.

Al-Bidya Mosque

Back in Fujairah again (I think). The tiny Al-Bidya (or Ottoman) Mosque claims that it's the oldest known mosque in the country, perhaps dating back to 1446. It's quaintly built of mud and stone, with nipple like domes. It was thought to have had watchtowers, (there's a fort above), but no minaret.

However, I've read that, in 2018, the ruins of a 1000-year-old mosque (dating back to the Islamic Golden Age), were discovered, near the Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Mosque in Al Ain, in Abu Dhabi.

Fujairah City

South, another 25 miles, to Fujairah City. This has a huge and important port and Free Zone. It provides direct access to the Indian Ocean for the United Arab Emirates, avoiding use of the Persian Gulf, which requires access via the Strait of Hormuz. The northern part of the waterfront is lined, endlessly (it seems), with cylindrical tanks for oil storage.

The main sight here is the restored Fujairah Fort and the nearby Fujairah Museum. (It boasts its home to an ostrich egg 2,500 years old.) The main mosque is the large white Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the second largest in the UAE, with the same name, as the largest, in Abu Dhabi, This one can hold around 28,000 worshippers. It's a landmark, visible from a very long way away.

Finally, the highway back to Dubai. Through still more bits of Sharjah, with some impressively huge educational and government buildings.

Facts and Factoids

• Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain and Fujairah joined in an Act of Union to form the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on 2 December 1971. A seventh emirate, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), joined the UAE on 10 February 1972, following Iran's annexation of the RAK-claimed Tunbs Islands.
• Dubai and Abu Dhabi are the only two of the seven emirates to have veto power. Abu Dhabi City is the nation's capital, while Dubai (which is mostly, but not all city), is the most populated city, an international hub.
• The United Arab Emirates is an elective monarchy, but each emirate is an absolute monarchy governed by a ruler. The rulers are sheikhs rather than emirs to indicate consultative leadership. Together, the rulers form the Federal Supreme Council. In theory, the members of this council elect a president, from among their members. In practice, the ruler of Abu Dhabi serves as president, while the ruler of Dubai is vice president and also prime minister.

• The UAE is sometimes referred to as 'The Miracle of the Gulf', to reflect the rapid transformation of the country from a small desert nation to a modern and prosperous nation in just a few decades. It's also sometimes known, admiringly or disparagingly, as 'Little Sparta' - a power that punches above its weight.
• The map of the UAE isn't a straightforward one. Most of the emirates control several enclaves, dotted around the country.
• Roughly 80% of the 10 million population of the UAE are expatriates
• Islam is the official religion and Arabic is the official language.
• The United Arab Emirates' oil and natural gas reserves are the world's sixth and seventh-largest, respectively.
• In the 21st century, the country has become less reliant on oil and gas and is economically focusing on tourism and business
• Oil revenues have been invested into healthcare and education, and infrastructure. but only for the Arab and Emirati peoples. Expatriates fare far less well. There are also concerns about human rights and individual rights, such as freedoms of assembly and free speech.

A Brief History of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

• In ancient times, the area today known as the UAE, on the Persian Gulf, is situated, was relatively isolated, surrounded by mountains and vast deserts. Nevertheless, stone tools recovered reveal a settlement of people from Africa some 127,000 years ago. And the Achaemenids still managed some settlement.
• The Sassanids followed but were ousted by the rise of Islam. The UAE was subsumed into the Arabian Peninsula and the Rashidun Caliphate, in the seventh century.
• But the desert environment was harsh and the area was mainly occupied y nomadic tribesmen who formed their own loyalty groupings. These eventually became the ruling families of today.
• In the 1500s, the Portuguese arrived , conquering coastal communities, battling the Ottomans and building forts. naval forces.

• The Dutch and the British followed. The help of the British Navy was enlisted by the Persian emperor of 1622. The Persian Gulf supplied trade routes to North Africa, India, and China, and was a valuable port for long voyages from Europe. The main trade of the gulf countries then was pearls. Reports suggest that piracy was rife along the coast, but this idea has more lately been refuted.
• The East India Trading Company and Kuwait formed alliances to help the British capitalise on this trade route and In 1853 came the creation of the Trucial States, a group of Sheikdoms formed under the protectorate of the British, in return for piratical immunity. Trucial -as in truces. It was an expensive deal for the British. In the early 1900s, artificial pearls were invented and the main trade disappeared
• Then oil was discovered in Iraq and beyond. The UAE area quickly became popular and the Trucial States decided to become independent. The British pulled out in 1968, even though offers were made to pay them for protection. They decided that they couldn’t afford it. And three years later, the UAE was formed. (Originally intended to be part of the proposed Federation of Arab Emirates, Bahrain became independent in August, and Qatar in September 1971).

What to See in the UAE

The UAE is a an arid and mountainous country. Tourism offers desert experiences and beach activities for the most part, But Dubai in particular, with its upmarket hotels and malls, is now one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.

Read about what I did here:

• U.A.E. - Dubai - Malls, Fountains, Beaches and the Burj
• U.A.E. - Working and Sightseeing in Abu Dhabi
• U.A.E. - The Other Five Emirates

A Brief History of Turkey

• Türkiye's history goes back a long way.Türkiye, as we know it today, is one of the world's earliest permanently inhabited regions, the setting for a whole series of invasions and empires. The stones found at Göbekli Tepe in Turkey mark it as the world’s first temple and one of the most important archaeological sites ever discovered. Carbon dating shows they may be as much as 13,000 years old. The region was conquered by Alexander the Great, leading into what is known as the Hellenistic period. This overlapped in to the Byzantine Empire, later the Latin Empire, which was the successor to the Roman Empire in that region. After the Mongol invasion in 1243, the area disintegrated into small Turkish principalities.
• A tribal leader called Osman began to gain power in the fourteenth century and his followers (apparently knowledge about actual events is a little hazy) evolved into the peoples known as the Ottomans (from Osman, it's thought). The Ottomans proved to be an efficient fighting unit, united the principalities and conquered the Balkans. So, Hellenism gave way to Turkification and Islam, as the Ottoman Empire expanded. During the World War I, the Ottoman government committed genocides against its Armenian, Greek and Assyrian subjects and after its defeat in the war, the Ottoman Empire was partitioned.

• Türkiye was proclaimed a secular, unitary and parliamentary republic, on 29 October 1923 with Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the inspirational reforming leader of Türkiye as its first president. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk is the father of the modern Turkish nation. When he rose to power in 1921, he lifted the ban on alcohol, adopted the Gregorian calendar instead of the Islamic, made Sunday a day of rest instead of Friday, changed the Turkish alphabet from Arabic letters to Roman, and mandated that the call to prayer be in Turkish rather than Arabic. He even banned the iconic red Turkish fez hat. Ataturk also developed links with the west and Türkiye joined NATO as early as 1952. The economy strengthened. And the capital was moved from Istanbul, to Ankara, the second largest city, in the centre of Anatolia, the crossroads of Türkiye.

Facts and Factoids

• Türkiye is almost unique in that it straddles two continents. It is located mainly in what is known as Anatolia in Western Asia, but there’s a portion in the Balkans in Southeast Europe (Thrace). So it's an exciting fusion of east and west.
• The name of Türkiye is thought to come from Turchia, the word Italian observers used to refer to Anatolia.
• With such a huge landmass, Türkiye enjoys a variety of climates. It's been dubbed 'The Land of Four Seasons'. It's also being marketed as 'The Largest Museum in the World'.
• The first ever Christian church was located in Antioch, Türkiye.

• While nearly all of the Turkish population is Muslim, Türkiye is not officially a Muslim country. Nevertheless, Türkiye has 82,693 mosques, more than any other country per capita in the world.
• Most Turks did not have surnames, until a law was passed requiring it in 1934.
• Türkiye is the birthplace of such historical figures as Aesop; Homer; St. Paul; King Midas; Galen, noted physician, surgeon, medical researcher, and philosopher in the Roman Empire; and Herodotus, the father of history.
• Santa Claus, also known as St. Nicholas, was born in Patara, Türkiye, in the 3rd century A.D.
• Tulips were first cultivated in the Ottoman Empire - not the Netherlands.
• Turkish Delight, or lokum, is one of the oldest sweets in world history, dating back 500 years.

What To See in Türkiye?

This is a great country to visit, with a huge amount of history and incredible scenery, not to mention the beaches and sophisticated ports.

Read about my Turkish travels:

• Istanbul
• Tour of Türkiye, The Largest Museum in the World

Istanbul, Ancient Constantinople

As well as being the most famous city in Türkiye, (though not the capital), Istanbul is the world’s only city spanning two continents. Istanbul is Türkiye’s link to Asia, straddling the Bosphorus Strait, which links the Sea of Marmara with the Black Sea. With 15 million inhabitants Istanbul is the largest city in Europe and home to 19% of the population of Türkiye. Well that’s what Wikipedia says. Taxi driver Volcan tells me it’s home to 30 million, which is half the population of Türkiye. Take your pick.

Istanbul is a relatively recent name for this huge city, as far as the rest of the world is concerned. (It was previously incarnated as Byzantium and then Constantinople). Although Istanbul was usually referred to using this name by the Ottomans. It’s Greek, literally for ‘to the city.’ This ancient city was founded as Byzantion by Megarian Greek colonists in the seventh century BC. It was renamed by the Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, first as New Rome (Nova Roma) in 330 AD. Then megalomania set in and he changed the name to Constantinople (Constantinopolis). The city flourished, with its strategic location between the Mediterranean and Asia and the Silk Road.

Historical Istanbul

The city served as the imperial capital for almost sixteen centuries: Roman/Byzantine Empires followed by the Ottoman empire. In 1923, after the Turkish War of Independence, Ankara replaced the city as the capital of the newly formed Republic of Türkiye. In 1930, the city's name was officially changed to Istanbul.

Given its history and several UNESCO World Heritage Sites, it’s unsurprising that Istanbul is the world's eighth most visited city. As you would expect, this is a vibrant and multi-faceted city. I’ve also got to know it quite well, in my imagination, by reading Barbara Nadel’s fascinating Inspector Ikmen mystery series, nearly all set in Istanbul. In reality, this is my second visit to Istanbul. The first time was as part of a tour around Anatolia. Now I have a few days to wander and revisit the sights.

Sultanahmet, Istanbul

My hotel is a timber Ottoman mansion house, ideally located in the narrow cobbled streets of the old old town, on the European side. This area goes back 4,000 years. (The old town to the west is only 300 years old.) Non negotiables here line the refurbished (it’s ongoing) Sultanahmet Square area. This, as a whole, is a UNESCO site.

I'm having a late breakfast on my hotel roof terrace, overlooking the mouth of the Bosphorus, seagulls my steadfast and hopeful companions. It’s like being in Brighton. Ships wafting across the water. The magnificent Blue Mosque filling the window to my right. Sadly, it’s cloudy. Even the birds are shivering. I just had my PCR for the next part of my trip to Azerbaijan. Baku. The doctor comes to the hotel for 18 dollars. Very civilised.

The staff are ultra polite and friendly. The room is filled with dark wooden furniture and the walls decorated with 1930s style flower strewn wallpaper. The stairs reek. I thought it was drains at first, but now I’ve decided it’s Turkish tobacco.

The Blue Mosque

The official name of the iconic Blue Mosque is the Sultan Ahmed Mosque and it’s an Ottoman era (1616) still functioning mosque. Hand-painted blue tiles adorn it's interior walls, and at night the mosque is bathed in blue as lights framing the mosque’s five main domes, six minarets and eight secondary domes.

The Hagia Sofia

Next in line, the enormous Hagia Sofia. For 900 years this was the greatest church known to Christendom. It was built by the eastern Roman emperor Justinian I, as the state church of the Roman Empire in 537. It was considered the epitome of Byzantine architecture, then the world's largest interior space and amongst the first churches to employ a fully pendentive dome. Hagia Sophia became the model for Orthodox church form, and its architectural style was copied by Ottoman mosques a thousand years later.

The Ottomans rededicated Hagia Sofia as a mosque, for a time, but it was replaced by the Blue Mosque. In the time of Ataturk, it became a museum. But it’s now a mosque again. It’s huge and crowded.

The Topkapi Palace Museum

North of these two famous mosques is the opulent Topkapi Palace Museum (next to the archaeology museum). There’s some gorgeous intricate decoration and tile work in the four remaining courtyards that form the main structure. In addition, plenty of interesting and evocative explanation: the Grand Vizier’s Reception Room, the Hall of Eunuchs. The Room of Circumcision. During the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, there were 1,000 women living in 250 rooms of the harem here. It was the home of the Ottoman sultans from the early times of the empire, though later sultans preferred the lower slopes of the Bosphorus.

The Sunken Palace Cistern

There’s much more to see in this historic Sultanahmet area. Ruins of towers, columns crumbling walls and half buried mosaics lurk round very corner. And there are also the views of the boats and bridges across to Asia. South west of the Haghia Sofia is the impressive sixth century (floodlit) Sunken Palace cistern. (This is the largest of several Istanbul cisterns and was built by Justinian). It’s atmospherically lit and the water levels low, so that tourists can access it without getting soaked. But not during the time of Covid.

The Walls of Constantine

Volcan takes me to see a section of the walls of Constantine, which used to enclose the whole of the old city. They have crumbled in parts, or been removed to make way for other building works, but there are still sections with towers, gates and 12 metre high defences. They succeed in keeping Istanbul safe until the ottomans breached them, finally. It took them two months. Volcan says that this is the second longest wall in the world after The Great Wall of China. That comes in at 13,000 miles and Istanbul’s’ walls are currently three and half miles long. I think that is another piece of information open to challenge. Even Hadrian’s Wall is 73 miles long.

The Grand Bazaar, Istanbul

A favourite stop in the Fatih district (more than once) is the labyrinth that is the Grand Bazaar, with its tempting glass lamps and pyramids of bright ceramics. It's said to be the world’s largest covered market, with 64 streets, 4,000 shops, and 25,000 workers. It’s much too easy to get lost once you’ve wandered though one of the many stone gateways and GPS inside is hopeless. I have to resort to finding someone who can speak English when I want to navigate my way out.

But, even more compulsive, is the surrounding warren of open stalls and booths that spill down the slopes to the north. Textiles, clothes, (mannequins which are just heads or only bodies), carpets, jewellery, Turkish delight piled high and slabs of cheese. Stacks of roast corn on the cob and chestnuts dipped in chocolate. Boys in braided jackets stirring deep tubs of ice cream. This is where the Turks do their shopping. It's an absolutely huge area in all, utterly chaotic, frantic and fascinating

They lead, eventually to the cavernous (it seems that very little here is small) and vibrant spice bazaar, the Misir Carsisi. Visible from the bottom of the slope several more mosques – their minarets slicing proudly through the horizon. There’s the New Mosque, built in 1665! And the largest of them all, built on a third hill, the Suleymaniye Mosque, another classic Ottoman design.

Beyoglu, Istanbul

Beyond this, the Golden Horn, the grandly named estuary of the Bosphorus that separates the old city in Fatih from the northern districts on the European side – Beyoglu and then Beksitas of Football fame. Galatasaray is a little further on.. The main crossing is the ugly grey two tier Galata Bridge, which skims the water. It’s lined with seafood cafes along the bottom and crammed with men wielding fishing rods above. Though I’m not sure there’s much connection between the two.

Another slog up steep steps, (Istanbul’s built on a lot of hills,) is the Galata Tower. It was a watchtower for the old Galata quarter, which was surrounded by walls. It’s a well-known landmark, visible from Sultanahmet and a symbol of Istanbul. You can climb it, if you don’t mind still more stairs and the long queue.

North, past even more juice bars, restaurants and small shops to Istiklal Caddesi. This is Istanbul’s Oxford Street. But Istiklal is pedestrianised, the long lines of plate glass shop fronts sitting beneath restored Ottoman houses. It’s heaving and there are buskers and street dancing to distract the crowds from their shopping. It wends its way up to Taksim (Independence Square), weaving past churches, mosques and other buildings of note, as does the nostalgically old-fashioned tram, which runs through the middle. And it’s a long walk from my hotel. Thankfully, there are plenty of eating places there to choose from.

The Bosphorus Bridge

The Bosphorus is the hugely important, narrow, natural strait that connects the Black Sea (and the countries bordering it, which includes Russia) with the Sea of Marmara, and, by extension, via the Dardanelles, the Aegean and Mediterranean seas. It's an international waterway just 700 metres wide and 31 kilometres in length. And it forms part of the continental boundary between Asia and Europe, dividing Turkey by separating Anatolia from Thrace.

The idea of a bridge crossing the Bosphorus and linking Asia and Europe isn’t new. Darius the Great suggested it (according to Herodotus). Mandrocles of Samos once engineered a pontoon bridge across the Bosphorus, enabling Darius to pursue the fleeing Scythians and position his army in the Balkans to overwhelm Macedon. Leonardo da Vinci actually submitted plans to build a suspension bridge across the straits in 1503. But the first Bosphorus Bridge proper wasn’t actually constructed until 1973. There’s a Welcome to Asia sign.

I’m exploring the Anatolian side with Alex from Moscow, Tonya from Ukraine (they’re together) and taxi driver Volcan, who has put a trip together for us. We’re hugging the edge of the Bosphorus, en route, though Beyoglu, passing numerous more mosques interspersed with Ottoman mansions and palaces. The sultan’s summer palace, the Beylerbeyi Palace, is a peeling pale pink edifice just below the Bosphorus Bridge, The traffic is terrible; it’s very slow going.

Uskedar, Istanbul

The Turkish parliamentary republic was replaced with a presidential system by referendum in 2017. Since then, the new Turkish governmental system under president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his party, the AKP, has often been described as Islamist, divisive and authoritarian. People are cautious about what they say. Istanbul is not only the biggest city in Europe, it has the largest court house and the biggest jail. Nevertheless, Turkey’s economy, is now the twentieth-largest in the world by nominal GDP, and the eleventh-largest by PPP. President Erdogan has a new palace up one of the hills here. We creep past it to the summit of the highest hill in Istanbul. It’s also the bearer of the largest Turkish flag. There are commonplace, fluttering on various hilltops.

On top, there’s a grand, if cloudy, view of both the European and Asian sides of the city. The Bosphorus winds beneath us, the Black Sea just out of sight to the north. I've discovered there are 3,113 mosques in Istanbul. I'm not surprised. The largest and newest is out here at Uskedar. The Grand Çamlıca Mosque was completed and opened in March 2019. It cost ten million USD to build.

Sweet apple tea to warm up. And a lokum (Turkish delight) shop, massively overcharging unwary tourists delivered here by their guides. I didn’t price it up properly beforehand. Rookie error. Nevertheless, the pomegranate and pistachio flavour is delicious.

Boat Trip on the Bosphorus, Istanbul

Back down to the Galata Bridge and a boat trip up the Bosphorus, to the second bridge. (there are now three bridges and two tunnels). We get to see the exquisite facades of all the Ottoman mansions and mosques we’ve driven past earlier and another fort. Mostly, from inside the boat. It's decidedly nippy on deck.

Turkish Food

Breakfast food is a little surprising. I haven’t exactly got what I ordered. I was given a very long list of items to place ticks against and I ordered omelette with cheese and mushrooms and a side of fried potatoes. I’ve got plain omelette with sliced luncheon meat.

With its café culture, Istanbul is also a great place for Turkish mezze and kebabs, meatballs (kofte) tender marinated meat, sesame sprinkled pide (thin Turkish Cornish pasties or calzone) and the salty yoghurt drink called ayran. Some say that that their cooking is second only to French. The Turks boast that it's the best in the world. It is very good, but it's largely meat based. and eggplant features heavily. I don’t think I will be squaring up to aubergines again for a while after this visit.

Next up, Baku and Nagorno Karabakh.

(Read more about Turkey here.)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), has been on the bucket list for a long time. Until very recently, it was only possible to visit on a business visa. And women weren’t allowed to drive or travel unaccompanied. Tourist visas were finally issued in 2020 and the dress rules relaxed. Women given a little more freedom. And then came the Time of Covid, when all the visas were withdrawn. It’s now open again and I’m lucky enough to be one of the first official tourists to visit. Though I'm also apprehensive. This country has one of the worst human rights records in the world.

Saudi Arabia - in a Nutshell

• The area that is modern-day Saudi Arabia formerly consisted of mainly four distinct historical regions: Hejaz, Najd and parts of Eastern Arabia (Al-Ahsa) and Southern Arabia. They were united by King Abdul-Aziz of the House of Saudi, in 1932. Saudi Arabia has since been an absolute monarchy, effectively a hereditary dictatorship, governed along Islamist lines.
• Saudi Arabia spans the vast majority of the Arabian Peninsula. It is the biggest country in the Middle East, and the second-largest country in the Arab world (after Algeria). But most of its terrain consists of inhospitable arid desert, generally best avoided.
• Petroleum was discovered in Saudi Arabia in 1938 and it has since become the world's second largest oil producer (behind the US) and the world's largest oil exporter. This is the only Arab country to be part of the G 20 major economies.
• Change is being expedited by the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman (MSB) and is reported to be happening fast. Saudi Arabia has one of the world's youngest populations, with approximately 50 per cent of its population of 34.2 million under 25 years old. The plan Vision 2030 - is being implemented in order to diversify the country's economy and motivate the country's youth.
• The population of Saudi Arabia is roughly 36 million. The number of foreign residents, mostly migrant workers, is about 14 million. Three quarters of these workers are male, skewing the whole population. gender balance

Getting into Saudi Arabia

The new tourist e-visa is fairly easily acquired. It turns up almost as soon as I’ve completed the online form and paid my money. The cost now includes mandatory Covid cover insurance. It’s also compulsory to register vaccination status on the Muqeem Portal and download the Tawakkalna App which captures this status, tracks you and is a required passport to enter many buildings.

These two are a little more problematic, Google Chrome thoughtfully translates the Muqeem Arabic into English for me. Except it’s not very accurate. The page is reversed – vaccinated visitor becomes 'dungeon visitor' and Jeddah (port of entry) becomes 'grandmother'. I revert to Firefox and manage to progress as required.

I’m stared at relentlessly on my flight from Bahrain, hair uncovered. But the reception in immigration is fast and friendly and there’s no request to search my bags.

The Tawakkalna App can only be initiated properly on arrival. Which is fine, if your texts are switched on and the verification code arrives. Which mine doesn’t. It doesn't like foreign phone numbers. I borrow his number from the nice man on hotel reception.

I’ve met up with my tour group. There are seven of us. Married couple Andy and Andrea (she has a mischievous face and a very infectious giggle), art teacher Veronica, graphics designer Tony, ex chain of care homes owner Peter and veteran German traveller, Tom. Our doughty leader is Steve and our Arab guide is Emad.

Attempting to Explore Jeddah

Saudi Arabia is the only country with a coastline along both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf and Jeddah developed as a port on the Red Sea. As a result, it’s the most multicultural, least conservative city in the country. So it’s a good place to begin.
I'm expecting a walking tour of Jeddah, starting on the corniche. But the local motto is ‘Jeddah is different’ and so is our tour.

Much of the land here is reclaimed and there are huge stretches of building site littered with cranes. But the work is literally ongoing and our guide Emad can't find a way though. We drive relentlessly up and down six-lane highways, the sea tantalisingly out of reach. I have a stream of photos of sculptures, on roundabouts.

I can see pedestrian walkways and a gaily patterned bicycle lane winding alongside the corniche. No-one is using them, but then it is very hot - 35 degrees and more. There are a plethora of modern Moorish/Spanish style block hotels and malls chock full of designer shops. Sometimes it looks more like Florida than the Middle East. I think we’ve passed a branch of every American and British chain I’ve ever heard of. The Saudi economy (based on oil but now expanding into investment – Disney, Newcastle United (!) etc ) is the largest in the Middle East and eighteenth-largest in the world.

Up north, we stop at a building site. This is where they are planning to construct Al Walid, the tallest tower in the world. At a kilometre high it will outreach the Burj Khalifa in Dubai by 200 metres. At the moment, we have to use our imaginations.

The Sights of Jeddah

Back down south. We've been driving for an hour and a half now. Jeddah is sprawling, but it’s also a case of déjà vu, déjà vu, déjà vu. I've decided we must be rehearsing for the Saudi Grand Prix, which will be held for the first time, in Jeddah, in December. Finally, a stop at the white, so called Floating Mosque. It’s on reclaimed land, prettily situated on the bay, and will be passed 50 times, as the F1 drivers lap the corniche.

Then, more six lane highways, further south to the Central Fish Market, on the main harbour. For the most part, this is manned by grinning Bangladeshi workers in uniform. Blue for stallholders and red for those washing and gutting the catch.

The white slabs are covered in gleaming fish of all hues and sizes. Emad takes our orders and we troop into a restaurant to feast on our selection. Lobster, popcorn shrimp, hammour and nagine. It’s absolutely delicious. We're eating in a new category of dining room. The Men with Foreign Women room. Emad stands guard while we go to the toilet.

Al Balad - Jeddah

More engaging, is the old historic centre of Jeddah, called Al Balad. The mud brick and coral houses, with their wooden balconies and ornate decorations are unique. They're also teetering and bulging dangerously. I wonder how many have collapsed. Sadly, they are being systematically torn down and rebuilt in the style of the originals. The area is a sea of hoardings and rubble.

Some of the original houses are museums, with cases full of fifties bric a brac and portraits of the Royal family to explore. We have to wait for prayers to finish before we can go in. Strong mint tea to drink on the roof of a tea house, with a great view of the carnage. Then through the souq here, endless rows of modern glass fronted booths punctuated with mosques so old they’re ground floor is below street level.

Finally, the ethnographic Taibat Museum. Several floors of elaborately linked chambers with reconstructions of costumes and way of life from all areas of the country, even the Red Sea (lights, nets and stuffed fish). Pottery, artefacts and koranic texts. There are plenty of charming (if not exactly sophisticated) exhibits to see.

Change in Saudi Arabia

Emad points out the passing solo women in their cars. Women have only been allowed to drive for the last two years. Change is happening fast. Too fast for some of the older generation, reports Emad. Emad isn’t averse to moving with the times himself. He’s actually a heart and lung surgeon, who has worked at hospitals in both London and the States. He’s now looking at a new career as a tour guide.

The Holy Cities of Saudi Arabia

• The world's second-largest religion, Islam, emerged in the area known today as Saudi Arabia.
• In the early seventh century, the Islamic prophet Muhammad united the population of Arabia and created a single Islamic religious polity. Following his death, in 632, his followers rapidly expanded the territory under Muslim rule beyond Arabia, conquering huge and unprecedented swathes of territory (from the Iberian Peninsula in the West to modern-day Pakistan in the East), in a matter of decades.
• Saudi Arabia is sometimes referred to as "The Land of the Two Holy Mosques" in reference to Al-Masjid al-Haram (in Mecca) and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (in Medina), the two holiest places in Sunni Islam. (Jerusalem is the third.) Mecca is reputedly the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Hira cave atop the Jabal al-Nur (Mountain of Light) is just outside the city and is where Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad.
• The Masjid al-Haram, is home to the Ka'bah (House of God), believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael. Pre Islam it contained a back meteorite believed to be mystical and other pagan idols, but it was rededicated by Muhammed. This is Islam's holiest site and the direction of prayer for all Muslims (qibla), cementing Mecca's significance in Islam. Unbelievers are not allowed to visit Mecca and until recently have not been able to go to Medina either. (This hasn't always deterred travellers. Richard Francis Burton was one of the first Europeans to visit Mecca, while in disguise as a Pashtun.)

Medina

We've been told that the rules on non-Muslims visiting Medina have been relaxed and today we’re going to find out if this is true. We’re on the Haramain high speed (shinkansen style) train. The train links Medina and Mecca and the name means Double Haram -Two Cities. It was built for the pilgrims – ceremonial Hajj and less onerous Umrah involve visits to both This is an obligation for all able Muslims.

The journey to Medina is uneventful. The train is fast, on time and there is little to be seen through the heavily shielded widows. Now, for some reason, we have a 50 seater coach to accommodate our tour group of seven. I’ve got four seats to spread out my belongings. Medina is another cream city, on a muddy sand backdrop, framed by a few scattered mountains. More renovation works. More diversions. We’ve now done so many U turns I’ve named our coach The Boris Bus.

The Al-Masjid an-Nabawi

We’re circling the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi several times, until we’re positively giddy, The minarets are tantalisingly glimpsed through fences and down side streets, as the driver stops to ask about the best route. Eventually, we stop just outside the enclosure and peep through the fretwork. Headscarves definitely required here. Just to make sure I’ve added a black bandanna face mask and sunglasses. Leader Steve, kindly says I look terrifying.

There are gorgeous intricate canopies, numerous glittering pillars and, to one side, the green dome of the holy mosque that contains Mohammed’s body. Pilgrims stream in and out. ‘You’re the first foreigners I’ve seen here in 20 years,’ declaims a Pakistani guy. An excited Moroccan woman wants her picture taken with us. Sadly, the restaurants with views over the enclosure are closed, or so we’re told. But we’ve already seen more than I had expected.

The Quba Mosque

Elsewhere, there are more diversions round construction and when we do arrive anywhere more often than not we have to wait whilst one of the mandatory prayer sessions finish. The Quba Mosque may be the first mosque in the world which dates to the lifetime of Muhammad in the seventh century. Its first stones were said to be positioned by Muhammad when he escaped from the city of Mecca. The escape in the year 622 AD is known as the hejira and is Year 0 in the Islamic calendar. At that time, Medina was known as Yathrib and was a Jewish settlement.

This mosque is believed to be where the first Friday Prayer was held - led by Muhammad. According to Wikipedia, the Mosque of the Companions, which I saw in Massawa in Eritrea, is also a contender for oldest mosque. Whatever, Quba is an important and holy mosque. Offering prayers in the Quba Mosque is equivalent to performing one Umrah. After we’ve waited for prayers to finish (and Emad and the driver have disappeared to participate) we wander over the pigeon filled square to have a look We’re the first non Moslem visitors ever, it seems. The door guardians are happy to participate in photographs, to celebrate this event, but the younger of them is fervent in his opposition to our entry and cannot be persuaded to so much as let us peek inside.

Mosque of the Two Qiblas

So, we’re off to the Masjid al-Qiblatain or 'Mosque of the Two Qiblas', to try our luck again. This is believed to be the place where Muhammad received the command to change the Qibla (direction of prayer), from Jerusalem (this is where Muhammed ascended to heaven), to Mecca. This mosque also dates back to ancient times. Sort of. It was built during the year 2 AH (623 AD), one of the few mosques in the world to have contained two mihrabs (niches indicating the qibla) in different directions. However, in 1987, during the reign of King Fahd, the mosque was completely torn down and rebuilt. The old prayer niche facing Jerusalem was removed, and the one facing Mecca was left.

We're hoping they will let us look inside here. But it’s shut. Maybe they’ve been warned we’re coming?

Run out of Medina?

The young man at the Quba Mosque has followed us, filming our departure, and then phoned the tourism authority to complain about foreigners hanging around. No-one seems quite sure what to do with tourists in Medina. Our scheduled visit to the museum about Muhammed is off. Only pilgrims allowed. So is our traditional dinner. We’ve been confined to barracks. The tourist police inquire when we are leaving and are told, ‘Tomorrow’.

'Good', they reply.

Uhud

We chance our arm at one more stop on our way out of Medina. Uhud Mosque is built on the site of Muhammed’s second battle, against the Meccans (there were three). Adjacent is the Hill of the Archers,– a crucial part of the battle plan. The archers were supposed to cover the rear, but they deserted their posts in search of booty and Muhammed was severely wounded.
There is a graveyard (tombs here are unmarked), adorned with lists of rules and exhortations from the ultraconservative Wahhabi religious movement within Sunni Islam. Wahhabi has been described as a "predominant feature of Saudi culture", although the power of the religious establishment has been significantly eroded in recent years. Everyone is climbing the hill, for the view, even though the sign forbids it. A police car is circling, but we depart Medina without any further drama.

Hejaz Railway

The desert road, the old Incense Route, leads north through anthracite coloured rocky dunes and low mountain ranges – this is volcanic territory. First stop is a Hejaz Railway station. This Ottoman railway, was built to bring pilgrims from as far away as Syria and is famous for T. E. Lawrence’s sabotage attempts. Together with local tribesmen, he succeeded in disrupting services several times. I’m playing the Lawrence of Arabia them of course.

The station is fenced off, but there’s a hole in the netting just big enough to crawl through. There are reconstructed wooden carriages attached to an old locomotive. And no-one appears to castigate us. On our perambulations round Medina we stopped at the terminus. Naturally, the museum there was closed for renovation.

Camel Burgers

Driver Omar is Syrian and is bemused by us tourists and the long route. His usual job is ferrying pilgrims on Umrah. He is not averse to long telephone conversations while he’s driving the wrong way and struggling with Google and Emad’s directions. He amuses himself the rest of the time by eating sunflower seeds, spitting or flicking the shells onto the coach floor.

Lunch is at Khaybar, a small desert town in a fast food meets traditional Arab joint, called King Camel. It’s plate glass, metal railings and shiny scarlet carpet. It has ordering booths a la McDonalds. But we sit traditional style on the red plush and the food is placed on the floor on huge platters. Tender camel meat in a pilaff, and the usual dips and salads. And a chef cooking sweet and creamy rosewater soaked kanafa over flames. Our welcome from the local people continues to be both astonished and friendly. Steve is bemused and very touched to be given a watch by a young man insistent on rewarding him for bringing tourists to the country.

Khaybar

Khaybar was the scene of another ancient battle, this time between the Jews, who had introduced agriculture and ran the local date palmerie and the Moslems, led by Muhammed. The Jewish community were beaten and forced to agree to hand over half their annual profits. They were eventually totally ousted. We drive to see the old village on the site of the battlefield. A policeman arrives and tells us we cannot go in as the buildings are being renovated. There is no sign of any activity.

Plan B is to search out a viewpoint of the battlefield and the ruins of the Jewish Khaybar Fort, but Google fails to do the job again. After driving across rocky lava strewn desert for some time and past the ruined village three times it is agreed that we should give up and depart for our final destination, Al Ula.

Shaden Desert Resort

The sun has set when we arrive at the Shaden Desert Resort, but the illuminated formations in the gorge are a stunning welcome. The hotel spills along the narrow chasms - my home is a luxurious mock Bedouin tent. There’s also a sundeck and swimming pool. Men only. Grrrr.

AlUla

The territory that now constitutes Saudi Arabia was the site of several ancient cultures and civilizations. The prehistory of Saudi Arabia shows some of the earliest traces of human activity in the world. AlUla is a good place to start looking. However, The Royal Commission has taken over tourism in the AlUla area and the itinerary is changing almost literally minute by minute. Emails are flying into Emad’s phone. Steve flinches every time it pings.

AlUla Desert

This morning is billed as an exhilarating 4 WD ride through the canyons of the desert. Sure enough, we pile into Toyota Landcruisers. They’ve been restored and all the upholstery is covered with flapping plastic. And we proceed at leisurely pace. A stop for coffee by the road first. There is a little sedate off-roading to take in some more incredible rock formations. Mesas, buttes and hoodoos abound. Strung together like huge lines of pudding, dripping with sticky toffee. The highlight is The Rainbow, an arch that frames the landscape beautifully. The best view involves a scramble up some steep slopes and an inelegant slide down some shale. Then some more coffee.

A gap in a pair of giant rock pillars guarding the road. It’s explained that a large camel belonging to one of the prophets on an expedition attempted to pass through the original narrow gap, which widened to allow passage. The poor animal was still ungratefully slaughtered for meat.

Eating and Drinking in AlUla

Then, an oasis farm and café with the usual Arab lounging area, the unusually spicy Arab coffee and dates of course. The owner has connections with the royal family and is wealthy enough to have her own menagerie as an added attraction. There are peacocks, bantams, a giant tortoise (relatively young at 38), goats, gazelles (just about visible with binoculars) and ostriches. We’re told that another pen adjacent to the ostriches contains Australian ostriches. They look like emus to me.

And another café. This one is reached via a siq, a long chimney schism in the rock like the one at Petra. There’s a sandy opening, surrounded by sheer rock face and yet more divans.

And now it’s lunch. A palmerie, The Authentic Place, still more divans and carpets and succulent spicy chicken under the shade of the tall palms, the leaves cross-crossed above us. It would be a very pleasant place for a snooze before our planned stroll through the oasis. (What some exercise?). But the phone has pinged again. We’re going to the ruins of Dedan.

A Journey in Time in Saudi Arabia

The cars take us back to the coach. The coach takes us to the ticket booth at the Winter Park. Then, we have to get on the official tourist bus to the Dedan ruins - ‘A Journey in Time’.( Well, it doesn’t go for 45 minutes.) The commission are determined to provide the ultimate tourist experience. Take it or leave it.

I decide to go back to our coach, to fetch my laptop and write up today’s experiences, whilst I’m waiting. ‘Knock on the back of the bus to wake up Omar’, instructs Steve. So I do. Except it’s the wrong bus and the wrong driver. When I do track him down, Omar is having a party, on his own, in our coach. Cooking on his gas stove, platters of dates and sweetmeats, smoking his shisha.

At least the wait gives us time to admire the rock formations. There are plenty of tall thin towers around this spot. Andrea suggests we produce a coffee table book called Phalluses of Saudi Arabia. To go alongside Roundabouts of Jeddah.

Attempting to See Dedan

Eventually arriving at Dedan, we get to look at rock tombs from a great distance. The lion tombs are those belonging to the VIPs. We transfer to another bus then, to view what I think is called a sink. I haven’t a clue. The explanation is incoherent and indistinct. From an even greater distance. It's dusk and hardly anything is visible now.

Then a bus journey of about 100 metres back to the entrance to Dedan. The guide (or rawi) suggests looking for more information on Goggle. So Google now has a new name. and this is what I’ve done.

Dedan

• ‘Dedan was an ancient oasis city that was once the capital of one the oldest kingdoms of Arabia. It benefited from its strategic location along the ancient frankincense trade road between ancient Yemen and the Levant and the abundant underground water resources.
• The historical importance of Dedan and the Dedanites goes back to the early 2nd millennium BC through the time of the Madianites, Dedan then became the capital of the Lihyan peoples between the mid-5th century BCE and the mid-4th century BCE (dates are still being debated by scholars). Although the Lihyanite kingdom took over the power in north-western Arabia they continued using the Dadanic script and language.'

I’m told that dwellings built more than 2 000 years are now visible. There’s the remains of a palace and temples. Monumental statues four metres high. I'm unable to confirm this.

Jabal Ikmah

Yet another bus to the “open library” of inscriptions in the rocks at Jabal Ikmah dating back as far as 1000 BC. Except it's dark now and we can’t see anything at all when we’ve clambered up the (many) steps. People are waving their phone torches around desperately. This is the only time each day they offer this tour at the moment. Mad.

Elephant Rock

I’ve read that Elephant Rock is iconic. I’ve been promised a visit there all day. It’s best at night I’m told. There are lots of little cafes and it’s lit up. We finally arrive and our entrance is barred. It's closed for renovations. It’s just too frustrating for words.
I peep over the fence from the height of our coach…and that’s it.

Hegra, the First UNESCO Heritage Site Designated in Saudi Arabia

I've been told to be ready outside my tent with my bags to be picked up by the golf buggy that goes between the tents and reception /restaurant. Naturally, it’s 15 minutes late. I've decided to dub this The Sit Around in Saudi Tour. Today, we're visiting Mada'in Saleh or Hegra, the first UNESCO heritage site designated in Saudi Arabia. It’s a Nabataean city, sister to Petra in Jordan. The Nabatean kingdom filled the gap between the Dedanites and the Romans, presiding over the Incense Route. A bus to the Hegra site. Another Journey In Time coach. We have to sit on it for over half an hour before it goes. 25 minutes to get to the site.

Exploring Hegra

Then another bus round Hegra. First stop is another siq at Jabal Ithlib. The sun lights the path just once a day giving rise to a so called mystical path. Close by is the Diwan, a meeting room in the rock - a place which hosted sumptuous banquets.

There are nearly 100 tombs to follow. We get a close up view of 18 of these at Jabal Al Ahmar. They have intricately carved entrances decorated with birds flowers and lions. Some of the eagles and urns are peppered with bullet holes. The Islamic extremists objected to the depiction of animal life. And others were just hopeful that there was gold in them there urns. They were disappointed.

The grand-daddy tomb further on is the isolated and unfinished monolith that is the burial place of Lihyan, Son of Kuza. It’s sometimes referred to as the Lonely Castle and it features on all the posters. We troop around the canyons and rock faces. There's filming going on in front of one of the important tombs. We're forbidden to go there. But that's the only thing ruled out so far. So, we're doing quite well today. And it's a glorious setting, presided over by a string of stunning hoodoos.

Old AlUla

Things have been going too splendidly. Emad is persuaded to abandon Tik Tok and phone around to find us somewhere to eat in AlUla. We follow a guide to the chosen restaurant to find a closed sign. We wonder who Emad called. Eventually, another traditional café is identified and we make our repast - chicken and rice (khabsa).

A stroll around the very newly renovated Old Town next. The main street is a string of modern stalls and cafes, with an Arab vibe. There's even a Dunkin Donuts. They front the 900 or so traditional Adobe dwellings that were old AlUla. The bulldozer is busy doing its work behind the hoardings, but there are plenty of ruined walls to be admired - a crenellated fort on a hill providing a suitable atmospheric backdrop. Or there would be if we bought a ticket and took a tour. Which would involve another Journey in Time bus back to where we are standing now. Fortunately, we spy a restaurant with a terrace and a cooperative waiter. So we get the view free.

Ha’il

Next, we set off for Ha'il. Somehow or other the journeys all seem to take much longer than expected. This is flat desert over a newly tarmacked and relatively quiet road. A few camels wander on the horizon.

Ha’il is a sprawling conurbation holding some 900,000 people. It’s evolved as a caravan stop on the pilgrim route, the centre of the area once ruled by the House of Rashid, in north Najd. It was conquered by the Saudis and incorporated into one kingdom by King Abdul-Aziz in 1932.

Today, it's an agricultural area, with a couple of reconstructed forts, Arif and Qishlah. There are good views from Arif, where three of the group manage to get locked into a chamber, causing a few minutes consternation. And there’s a cosmopolitan downtown area with the Barzan Souq that’s gradually opening up after Thursday evening prayers. The shops are modern, concrete and plate glass, but there are the usual rows of overly bright blingy gold and perfume shops. Some specialise in the local favourite, oud – to burn or to spray, Groups of young women, eyes gleaming from behind their niqabs, call out welcomes and ask for selfies.

Hassle in Ha'il

It’s a neon lit comfortable hotel with little atmosphere, especially in the rooms. It’s typical, in Arab countries. Hot water is provided by individual water heaters. The green agenda isn’t even in the planning stages here, it seems. I’ve not seen one solar panel, despite the relentless sun and searing heat of the desert. Plastic water bottles abound and are replenished by the half dozen. As fast as Steve encourages the use of refillable water bottles and tap water (which he assures us is perfectly safe) Emad emerges beaming, with more plastic bottles ,and distributes them around the bus. Cutlery nearly everywhere is plastic and here even the breakfast crockery is throwaway plastic.

Dinner in the Asian Feast hotel restaurant. The manager is attentive and tells me I need to re-register my room card, as it’s been near my phone. No it hasn’t, I think, but I go along with it, even though I can’t remember my room number. Andy and Andrea helpfully supply it. Slight alarm bells are ringing, but I tell myself I’m just being paranoid. But no, half an hour later my door bell rings and he’s there with a plate of fruit I haven’t ordered. The chain’s now across the door.

Jubbah

Just over an hour north of Ha’il is Jubbah, famous for its UNESCO designated rock art, spread over two sites at Jabal Umm Simmam. There are the usual proliferation of petroglyphs and inscriptions, dating back as far as 10,000 years. They depict camels, cattle, African mammals (which used to wander up this way), ostriches and an ancient king or two. Possibly more interesting are the very graphic Kama Sutra type scenes. We’re not sure how old these are, but they are not referred to in any of the literature.

Traditions of Saudi Arabia

Another traditional Arab meal on another traditional estate. The words chicken and rice have become synonymous with lunch. As usual, we start in the lounge area or majis, where coffee (qahwah) is served. The custom is to have your teeny cup filled three times - just a sip each time -and then to shake it to show you have had enough. Coffee is always accompanied by dates. And sometimes it’s followed by tea.

As usual, there’s a tour to finish. In this case it’s a look round the old high rooms, rafters burnt black by smoke. (Nevertheless, there’s still a TV on the wall). Another little museum of 50s bric a brac. The piece de resistance is a working irrigation system. A pair of delightfully fluffy white camels in harness, stroll disdainfully up and down. This operates a series of pulleys, which enable two leather skins to scoop up water and cascade it into a channel.

Nefud Desert, Saudi Arabia

For me, the highlight of this day trip is the Nefud Desert scenery, as we wind through an apricot sand sea of small barkhans.

Dinner is khabsa - again.

Hutamayah Crater

The Hutamayah Crater is off the road to Buraydeh and near the small eerily quiet town of Tabah. But no-one is quite sure exactly where it is. Emad solicits directions and the coach lurches along a dirt track and into a low caldera, past an even more deserted village and a dilapidated date farm, before we decide we must be in the wrong place. Back to the main road and past a sign that indicates Volcanic Orifices. Ah that must be it. The coach creeps another long desert track, this time coming to a halt on the rim of a deep crater, veined with green swirls. There’s a sparkling stretch of salt lake in the centre. It’s impressive and deserves a circumnavigation. Though true to form on this tour the path at the far end disappears inland, covered in steep shale, and we have to do a U turn.

Catastrophe in the Desert of Saudi Arabia

Back to the bus. This time we have to reverse out and Omar attempts several times to turn the bus round. The last attempt results in catastrophe. The back wheels are firmly embedded in the sand. Emad has phoned his local friends, he says, who are sending a truck to tow us out. It’s another long wait. We watch out for the clouds of dust that signal the arrival of vehicles. A friend of Emad's turns up first. with a pick up. and attempts to attach a rope. Whilst he is planning his rescue the local fire men (Civil Defence) arrive with a slightly bigger pick up (their trucks are lime green here), snort derisively at these puny efforts and elbow him out of the way. Tow rope in place they attempt to move forward. The rope snaps with a loud bang.

More of Emad’s friends put in an appearance in assorted Landcruisers, leap out, dig for about 30 seconds and then stand round gossiping and drinking coffee. Time ticks by. Finally, John Wayne and the Second Cavalry to the rescue, as the back up to the Civil Defence team arrive. This time they have a super big proper fire engine tow truck. Finally, we’re pulled out and on our way. The ultimate U Turn. It’s more exciting than the rock art.

Mussawakaf

It’s now mid afternoon on Friday and all the local restaurants are closed. We’ve missed out on our khabsa so we descend on a supermarket and fill up on coca cola, crisps and ice cream.

We’re skirting Buraydeh, the capital city of the ancient province of Najd and heading to the souq at Mussawakaf. It's been rebuilt in traditional style with mud walls and triangular merlons up top and is utterly delightful. No-one seems to mind us wandering around with our cameras. There’s an auction of car boot style items stacked on trestle tables in the centre. All men. There are also men dancing and manning other stalls, selling items like gas masks from the Iraqi war. Up the other end of this large open area are benches and tables with women and one or two families enjoying picnics. I’m plied with cakes and biscuits.

And then dinner at our hotel at Unayzah. It’s khabsa.

Buraydeh Camel Market

Buraydeh is said to be the biggest camel market in the world. For my part, I’ve never before never seen so many camels (and goats and sheep). A heaving mass of animals winched in, flailing in the air, craning their necks for all the world like small dinosaurs, hobbled, squashed into cramped rows. The incessant bellowing. The indignity. The odd attempt to escape quickly curtailed by masters current and new, wielding their sticks. Red and white check cloth headed men weave in and out stern, proud, concerned as they buy and sell. The auctioneer’s voice firm above the caterwauling of the beasts. Enthralling and disturbing. Poor camels.

Shaqra Heritage Museum

Half way to Riyadh from Buraydeh (if you drive the indirect route ) are the heritage museums of the twin towns -Shaqra and Ushaiger. Both were settled by Bedouins some 1500 years ago. Shaqra has a mud walled fort and several restored house, a mosque and a notable well. Both offer stunning examples of Najdi architecture, with its distinctive triangular windows and roofs, and ornately carved wooden doors. Some still bear the names of the families who lived there.

Ushaiger Heritage Village

Ushaiger became a popular stopping point for pilgrims crossing to Mecca, thanks to its springs and low-brimmed olive and palm groves. More rural than Shaqra, It’s a living museum, draped with traces of an ancient way of life. Encased in thick mud walls, Ushaiger is a labyrinth of winding alleyways, shaded pathways and timber-framed walkways.

The Edge of the World

Our last stop for the day, on our way to Riyadh, is billed as a memorable sunset view from an escarpment. Except that Emad can’t find the spot. We follow a road that peters out. The sun disappears behind the low dunes. There is no view. It’s more the Edge of Reason than the Edge of the World.

Riyadh, the Capital of Saudi Arabia

Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. Emad says that the government’s new plans for the future - Vision 2030 -hope to increase the population here from 8.5 million to 30 million, as the country's economy diversifies. Petroleum was discovered in Saudi Arabia in 1938 and it has since become the world's second largest oil producer (behind the US) and the world's largest oil exporter. This is the only Arab country to be part of the G 20 major economies.

The Vision 2030 Homepage tells me that it is planned to expand the population to 15-20 million. It’s still a huge increase. MSB wants Riyadh to one of the biggest city economies in the world and incorporates a greening programme into his vision. He says, ‘We also aim to have Riyadh become among the world’s most prominent cities in terms of quality of life, tourism, and services in one way or another’. As you might expect Riyadh is a modern glitzy city, especially at night, when all the malls and scrapers are lit up.

Exploring Riyadh

A visit to the Al Masmak Palace Museum explains the history of the Saud empire and the establishment of the three Saudi states, the alter two founded from Riyadh. The storming of Masmak Fort in 1902 gave the Al Saud’s control of Riyadh. Royal family portraits are proudly displayed. This was a residence of King Abdul Aziz.

The city wakes up slowly on a Sunday, the first day of the working week. It turns out that some things aren’t open at all. The national museum was supposed to be the visit highlight. But it’s closed. Some of the hoardings confirm this. 'We haven’t changed the website yet', they admit. Though Google seems to know.

The adjacent Murabba Palace Museum is open, however. Abdul Aziz moved there from Al Masmak. The mud brick, white painted palace was the first building to be erected outside the walls of the old city.

Between Al Masmak and Murabba is the huge Deera Square, affectionately known as Chop Chop Square. At unannounced times, police and other officials will clear the area to make way for public executions to take place.

The other highlight of Riyadh is the 302 metre-high Kingdom Centre, more colloquially known as The Bottle Opener. It has a slightly curved sky bridge connecting two towers: it’s a weird sensation walking over it and gazing out. There aren’t that many scrapers - Riyadh is another low beige city melding into the desert. It’s walls were last demolished in the fifties, after being rebuilt several times.

Saudi Arabia Summary

This is a country which isn’t quite sure if it wants tourists yet. There’s plenty to see and some very welcoming people. Whether it’s open when you get there, or you’re allowed to enter is a different matter. Masks are currently mandatory in indoor public areas, in theory, but in practice this rule is often not reinforced. The Tawakkalna App is also checked in theory, but in practice it’s phenomenally difficult to activate. Besides, the person in charge of checking often gets bored after looking at the first couple or so and everyone else just troops in. Let’s see if it all settles down as Vision 2030 develops. For now, I’m heading home.

Bahrain

Bahrain is the third-smallest nation in Asia, after the Maldives and Singapore and it isn’t quite what I expected. I wasn't exactly anticipating a stereotypical desert island, with one palm tree in the middle. I had, in mind, a flat, arid island in the Persian Gulf, with maybe a few palms, joined to Saudi Arabia by a causeway. (I can see it twinkling below, as we land in the dark.) But it turns out to be an archipelago, made up of 83 islands. To be fair to me, the area known as Bahrain Island is definitely the largest, by a long way.

Getting into Bahrain

UK citizens qualify for a visa on arrival and also don’t need a PCR test to get on the plane, but you do have to get one as soon as you arrive. It’s mandatory to download the BeAware app and book everything via that. (I'm not sure I would have chosen that name. At a swift glance it says Beware Bahrain). And you have to fill in a vaccination declaration form on the app too. It’s all relatively straightforward.

The Flight to Bahrain

The flight attendants are all dressed as if they are working in an operating theatre - totally covered in PPE. And the food is pretty bad. They’ve forgotten to put any gravy on my lumps of tasteless beef. But otherwise it’s comfortable enough, on my Gulf Air plane.

Arrival at Bahrain

The airport is modern and calm and there’s hardly any queuing. Even the line for the compulsory PCR on arrival test isn’t too taxing. The clerks are super friendly and my result arrives before breakfast next day - all as promised. The only irritation is the argument with the taxi driver taking me to my hotel. He smiles, refuses to turn on his meter and charges me eight dinar (about £15) for a two kilometre trip. (The return, metered fare, is three dinar).

Muharraq Island: Where Bahrain’s Past Meets the Present

The airport, and my hotel, are on Muharraq Island. This is the former capital, the historic and cultural heart of Bahrain and a UNESCO-recognized pearling centre. it even features a Pearling Trail, celebrating the region's historic diving industry. There are souqs, historic Gulf architecture, and ( I read) a rich legacy of local arts and music

As far as I can see, Muharraq is home to artificial beaches, restful gardens, dhow shipyards and a small, restored Islamic fort. Arad Fort was built to defend its own island (though it wasn’t successful in keeping the Portuguese out), but is now joined onto Muharraq. I’m told there are some nice sunset views across the bay, to the scrapers of Manama. So I decide to go look, on my last afternoon. I can testify to the views, but not the sunset. I fall asleep and set off too late. Then I go the wrong way and eventually arrive, just as it gets dark.

Bahrain - Facts and Factoids

• Bahrain is an archipelago made up of 33 natural islands and an additional 50 artificial islands. They’re still reclaiming land - one project currently underway is a Palm Resort, like the one in Dubai.
• Bahrain lies in the Arabian Gulf, between the east coast of Saudi Arabia and the Qatar peninsula.The country is physically connected to the Arabian mainland by the King Fahd Causeway, a 25-kilometre series of bridges and causeways
• Bahrain made its money first through pearls and fish, and then through oil and gas.
• But it has also developed the first post-oil economy in the Persian Gulf, the result of decades of investing in the banking and tourism sectors. Many of the world's largest financial institutions are based here. It’s definitely a high-rise, high income economy. It has also diversified into aluminium production.
• Over half of the resident population consists of foreign nationals and expatriate workers, primarily from South and Southeast Asia.
• The kingdom operates as a constitutional monarchy where the king holds ultimate political authority, appoints the prime minister, and approves all legislation.
• Arabic is the official language of the country, but English is universally used in business, commerce, and daily public life. Most of the signage is in English. ‘Suitings Corner’, over a tailor’s shop, is my favourite.
• The climate is exceptionally arid and features two main seasons, resulting in intensely hot, humid summers and mild winters, with minimal rainfall.
• Bahrain's name is from the Arabic term al-baḥrayn, meaning 'two seas'.

Manama: Where Skyscrapers Meet the Sea

The capital and largest city is Manama, on Bahrain Island, though it's hard to tell where one sliver of urbanization ends and another begins. The only gaps between buildings are the areas of reclaimed land, bulldozers sitting ready. I take my cue from the many linking causeway bridges.

My second misconception is my plan to walk to the tourist sites. There aren’t that many of them, but they’re very spread out and much too far away. Besides, it's 35 degrees outside, which is roasting, after autumnal England. So I commandeer a driver - at a rate set in advance, this time.

It soon becomes apparent that Manama is home to an ever increasing number of fancy skyscrapers, massive glass towers rising straight out of land retrieved from the sea, catching the glare as the sun reflects blindingly off the emerald Gulf. These are complemented by a large number of giant shopping malls. Some of them full of very expensive shops. The top end hotels seem to be having a Las Vegas style competition to produce the most extraordinary glittering edifice. The winner is probably the swirling, almost hexagonal tower that is the Wyndham. Though the most promoted building is the Bahrain World Trade Centre, with its sail like twin towers. It features on all the photographs of Bahrain and is the first skyscraper in the world to integrate wind turbines into its design. (Don't ask me where they are.)

The Manama Souq

But Manama is a city of contrasts. If you walk just one block behind those coastal skyscrapers, the corporate world vanishes. Now, we have a maze of low concrete buildings, tangled overhead wires, and weathered alleyways, a place which feels deeply lived-in rather than polished for tourists. The air smells of heavy traffic mixed with cardamom and sea salt, and the streets belong equally to expatriate workers, local shopkeepers, and the heat. It is a capital that hasn't erased its past to look modern; it just built the new city right alongside the old one.

The labyrinth of winding streets which the souq is a great place for a wander, shady cafes, drinks booths, serving a huge range of juices and my favourite lemon and mint sherbets. And hundreds of open stores and stalls, serving a wide range of goodies. As always I’m drawn by the colourful and fragrant spice shops. ‘Saffron, saffron’, the hopeful vendors call after me.

There’s a cool modern souq too, in a double storeyed white building - the Bab el Bahrain. This is, naturally, more tourist orientated and the stall holders therefore more persistent in their entreaties: ‘Come in - looking is free…’

Historical Bahrain

More expectations confounded. Bahrain has some interesting historical attractions. It is the site of the capital of the ancient Dilmun civilization, which dates back 4,000 years to the Bronze Age. There are seven stratified layers, relating to the Kassites, Greeks, Portuguese and Persians and it was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 2005.

I had never heard of the Dilmun Civilisation before, but I’m lucky enough to get a guided tour of the excavations. The Danish archaeologist in charge, Steffen Lauersen, (he’s written published books on the subject) shows me the walls, halls and streets of the various places he is uncovering, He says they chiselled the giant blocks with tools made of natural bronze alloy. It’s an unexpected, but hot and dusty treat. They only have one small awning to provide shelter.

The Dilmun ruins abut (and run underneath) a large Islamic fort, the Bahrain Fort. This massive stone garrison was built by the Portuguese, in the mid-sixteenth century, They wanted to secure a chokehold on the lucrative maritime trade routes running through the Persian Gulf. A heavily armed base, directly over a critical natural harbour, meant they could tax merchant ships, protect their regional territory from the Ottoman and Persian empires, and control the flow of goods moving between Europe, India, and Mesopotamia. There are some beautiful Islamic arches and more great views, across the jade water.

A Very Brief History of Bahrain

• Ancient Bahrain was the centre of the Dilmun civilization, a major maritime trading hub that dominated the routes between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley, from the third millennium BC.
• Persian empires first arrived and claimed the archipelago in the sixth century, under the Achaemenid Empire, using it to establish ancient naval outposts in the Gulf.
• The islands converted to Islam in the seventh century, during the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad, quickly becoming a strategic naval base for early Islamic caliphates.
• Portuguese forces invaded and occupied the territory in 1521, constructing heavily fortified garrisons to control the highly lucrative Persian Gulf pearl trade for nearly a century.
• Persian rule returned, in 1602, when Safavid forces expelled the Portuguese; successive Persian dynasties occupied Bahrain for nearly two centuries to monopolise the global pearl trade, secure strategic maritime shipping routes, and defend mainland Iran from rival Arab tribes.

• Driven from the Najd region of central Arabia by drought in the seventeenth century, the Al Khalifa family - a prominent clan of the Bani Utbah tribal federation - migrated to the Gulf coast and established a wealthy merchant power base, in Qatar, before their leader, Ahmed Al Fateh (Ahmed the Conqueror), launched a naval invasion, in 1783, whcih permanently expelled the Persian garrison and established the sovereign dynasty that rules Bahrain today.
• Bahrain became a British protectorate in 1861, by signing a treaty which traded control over its foreign relations for British maritime military protection.
• The country discovered oil, in 1932, at the Jabal ad Dukhan site, making it the first state on the Arab side of the Persian Gulf to strike petroleum and kickstart rapid modernization.
• Bahrain gained full political independence from Great Britain on August 15, 1971, officially declaring itself a sovereign nation and joining the United Nations.
• The government formally transitioned from an emirate to a constitutional monarchy in 2002 under a national charter that established a bicameral parliament and granted women full voting rights.
• In the late 1800s, following successive treaties with the British, Bahrain became a protectorate of the United Kingdom.
• In 1971, it declared independence. as an emirate, and converted to an Islamic constitutional monarchy in 2002.

Al Fateh Grand Mosque

And of course there are plenty of mosques. The Al-Fateh Mosque is one of the largest mosques in the world, with the capacity to accommodate over 7,000 worshippers at a time. The dome is currently the world's largest, made of fibreglass. The mosque was built by the late Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa, in 1987 and is named after Ahmed ibn Muhammad ibn Khalifa, the first monarch or hakim of Bahrain, commonly referred to as Ahmed al-Fateh (the conqueror).

Bahrain in Summary

Bahrain has a reputation for being seedy - the place where the Arabs go to ’let off steam’. It’s also known for violation of human rights. I did not see any of this. Perhaps I was lucky and didn’t look hard enough. The people were friendly, I felt safe and I had an interesting and worthwhile visit.

Saudi Arabia next.