The Blue Hole

After dealing with Egypt we finally made it across the Sinai and stopped in Dahab.  We needed a break.  Dahab used to be a laid-back diving destination, like Sharm down the coast and Hurgada across the water.  Apparently none of them have survived.  Don't get me wrong.  Dahab is a lovely place.  It just isn't what I thought it was going to be.

divers killed in the hole

Dahab doesn't really have a beach, but it does have a lovely waterfront with nice looking restaurants.  You can look across to Saudi Arabia on the other side of the strait, or the other directions to the lovely mountains of the Sinai.  It would be great for lazing over a good meal.

The problem is we can't afford to eat in any of the restaurants on the waterfront.  Their prices approach Western ones.  So after searching for a reasonable restaurant on the waterfront, we started looking in the side alleys for a deal.  We stumbled onto Achmed and sat down to a feast.

Have a Fun Dive

That first night we got a 1/4 chicken, a huge helping of rice, a salad, bread, a dish of beans, a dish of potatoes, and some cheese sauce.  The price was 12 pounds, about $2.10.  It was more food than I could eat and about a quarter of the price of a plate of food on the water.  We ate here every night for the duration of our stay.  The side dishes change each night.  Wonderful food.

We also took a trip to the famous Blue Hole up the coast.  We (and everyone else in town) got in a jeep and drove up the coast to the "town."  We had signed up for a tour with our hotel that included snorkelling gear.  We were taken to a restaurant where we could leave our stuff and use their equipment.  They were very friendly.  There were hundreds of people in large snorkel groups.  The rocky beach was trashed and the coral wasn't doing so hot either.  The Blue Hole is a huge, deep opening right off the beach.  There is coral circling the hole.  By the beach it isn't that great but on the outside of the hole it is quite nice.  The water is freezing though.  After coming out to warm ourselves we went back in and up the beach from the Blue Hole.  The coral and fish were really nice here, and we could swim along the wall.  Interesting to see the colorful underwater world and the dry, dead, abovewater one. 

The Blue Hole site

It was pretty apparent that we were supposed to eat at the restaurant.  We had enough food but Erin said we should at least get a drink or something.  So we got the menu.  The prices were ridiculous.  Even the tea, which is practically free in Egypt and usually a pound, costs 10 pounds.  The cheapest juice was 20 pounds ($4).  The food wasn't worth considering.  Erin told him the prices were too much, and he became very unfriendly and told us he would have to charge us for sitting in the restaurant.  So we left.  This "snorkelling gear included but really you are forced to eat at a ridiculously expensive restaurant so we can squeeze money out of you" routine is getting old.

hiding for some peace and quiet

We found a nice quiet spot up the beach to sit and wait for our ride home.  Then we saw a guy washing his camel in the ocean.  I found that amusing.

After snorkelling the Blue Hole we pretty much relaxed and prepared for our foray into Israel.

~Travis 

beautiful coast

the guy washes his camel

I found this amusing

looking back

sunset

pretty mountains

Dahab promenade and Saudi Arabia

the Dahab waterfront