Eilat on the Yam Sof and The Sinai Dessert
Arkia Airlines offers economical flights to the resort city of Eilat, located on the Red Sea (Yam Sof). Eilat borders Jordan on the East and Egypt on the West. Its also only about 25 miles away form Saudi Arabia. We used Eilat as our base to visit Jordan (Petra) and Egypt (the Sinai). The colorful fish pictures were taken on a day of snorkeling in the cold and clear waters of the Red Sea
Our hotel in Eilat, the Riviera Suites, offered a giant salt water swimming pool
Ready to dive into the Red Sea
The Sinai Dessert
Is the Sinai really a dessert? Imagine this, in the area that we visited it has not rained for three years! The usual rainfall is about 2-3 inches a year. And yes, there is sand and camels just about everywhere.
Our Egyptian Guide
The "original" biblical burning bush--still there after all these years!
Our ultimate destination in the Sinai was St. Catherine's Monastary, a 5th century Greek Orthodox Monastary which houses the world's second largest collection of ancient hand iluminated books.
A mound of skulls of 7th century martyres of St. Catherine's Monastary
Probable Mt. Sinai Mountain Range in the distance
The "original" well where Sarah met Abraham
Middle East Rule #1--Never turn down a Bedouin who invites you into his tent for a cup of tea!
And remember to act excited--
That's how you get this thing to go!
Especially when he offers you a ride on his camel!
Crusder Castle off the coast of the Sinai on the Red Sea
