BACKGROUND INFO:
After leaving Aqaba at 9:00 last night we headed back out of the Gulf of Aqaba and backtracked a bit in the Red Sea to the Egyptian port city of Safaga. There are numerous phosphate mines in the area and it is exported through this port. Safaga is also has a small but thriving tourism industry. It is known for its unpolluted air, black sand dunes, and therapeutic mineral springs for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Scuba diving is very popular and world class due to the reefs here in Red Sea. However, the main reason for our stop here will be for the excursions going to see the ancient ruins along the Nile River at Luxor.
There are still about 60,000 Bedouin people living in tribes here in the eastern desert. They live in tents made by them from the weaving of camel and goat hair (not skins). Goat hair is used for the roofs as it is rain proof. It does rain but rarely. When it does rain there can be a flash flood problem. They are nomadic so they can pack up their tents and move if water runs out or for whatever reason. Most now do have vehicles but they can get all their possessions on the back of a camel if need be. The men raise camels and women & children herd sheep & goats. Our guide said some make a lot of money smuggling drugs and arms across the desert. Each tribe has its own boundaries and it is THEIR land. The Egyptian government will not mess with them but will negotiate with them if they need some land for a project. The tribes has their own laws. Fines are levied by the number of camels not money. If a man kills a man from another tribe, his fine will be 200 camels. If a woman or child is killed, the fine increases to 500 to 600 camels. Reason for the difference is, they say a man can defend himself whereas a woman or child cannot. Marriages are arranged. A man must marry one of his cousins. Yes, they have birth defect problems due to this inbreeding. They usually have 4 to 8 children. Boy children are essential and grounds for divorce if a woman cannot have one. (Guess they don’t know that men carry the Y chromosome and are responsible for a child’s sex) A Bedouin must marry another Bedouin. NO exceptions! Camels are most important to them. A person’s wealth is judged by the number of camels he owns. Bedouins usually do not eat meat, even the goats or sheep. They do use the camel’s milk however. They only eat breakfast, then dinner at sunset. Their breakfast consists of coffee and a date. Dinner is rice and vegetables. There’s no way I can be a Bedouin!!! They make their medicines from desert flowers and plants. They even have one for piles from riding camels. These animals are not Cadillacs! By the way, a camel can go without water for 20 days in the desert.
WHAT WE DID TODAY:
We will be in Safaga for two days. The two excursions to Luxor are both scheduled the second day here although there is an overnight one leaving today. So today I (not something Rebecca does) was suppose to do a 4 hour, “Desert Jeep Safari”. I cancelled it due to my head cold. Thought I should stay on ship to get better, hopefully.
I have been trying to upload yesterday's photos that I took in Petra all day long. First try failed and had to start all over at 2:00 pm. So not going to get it done today. Tomorrow most of the passengers will be off on long all day tours so hope to have it done tomorrow. Sorry.
We changed time again last night so now only 7 hours ahead of Central time. This afternoon Rebecca and I took the shuttle bus in a small shopping area. It was not too impressive and just normal tourist souvenirs probably made in Chine. We did go to a pharmacy and got some more drugs for next to nothing cost wise. So we took the same bus back to the ship 15 minutes after getting there.
Tonight we have Prime 7 reservations for dinner at 7:00. No show tonight. Ship is in port overnight.
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