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Remember you can read all about the Indian Ocean Voyage on our blog by hitting here
On March 11, after finally sailing through the Bab El Mandeb straight, we entered the Red Sea officially, but were not considered in a safe zone until we were 150 miles north. We anchored in several places in Eritrea but only to rest and did not check in and go ashore until Suakin, Sudan. Sudan is the largest and maybe the poorest country in Africa. This was an antiquated and simple but interesting place. Donkey carts, dirt everywhere, handmade flatbread, stone ruins; all made for a step back hundreds, maybe thousands, of years except for the cell phones! As ever, folks were welcoming and even though we were warned, we never felt any animosity to the USA. We bought provisions in open air markets that looked like they had been used since the dark ages but the produce was remarkably good because it was sold so soon after being harvested. Suakin has been a port location for thousands of years...since there were ports being used!
Next CYAN, motoring north diligently, often into annoying wind, and crossed into Egypt, heading to Hurghada but weather caused us to stop in a tourist destination marina in Port Ghalib. This is where we spent almost a week getting CYAN cleaned up with the first available water in 3 months. What a treat!! The sand, dirt and salt were amazing in their accumulation! Here we found an overpriced TGIFridays restaurant to enjoy with other tired cruisers. We all compared notes about our crossing adventures and what we'd heard about the boats that were attacked. Not much news, actually, but we did have internet access to join the modern world again.
A weather break allowed us to motor on into Hurghada which is a large city and it was a comfortable marina stay. We left the boat for 8 days visiting Luxor and Aswan soaking in all kinds of ancient Egyptial culture. Seeing temples and carvings of pharohs and gods until our eyes bled! Actually, it was all quite fascinating but a bit repetitous after a while. The vast number of structures that came out of ancient Egyptian civilization is astounding. I want to especially remark about Abu Simbel, 9 hours south of Luxor [on hot busses] and in the Nubuan area which is almost to Sudan. This and the Nefertiri temple next to it were going to be underwater when the 1960's dam was built, so UNESCO moved these 2 small mountains and about 30 other ancient and huge structures up 20 stories higher on about the locations. This gigantic feat was most impressive to us after seeing the amazing way they were flawlessly reassembled.
 Suakin Sudan Market |
 Agent Mohammed |
 Suakin Ruins |
 Street scene |
 Simple mosque |
 Cart on Modern st |
 Spice Shop |
 Luxor Temple entry |
 Luxor T column |
 Luxor T detail |
 Excellent Statue of Ramses11 |
 Mummy Factory, used once |
 Nile green in Valley of Kings |
 Tomb Detail |
 Karnac columns |
 Seated Pharoh |
 Columns at Karnac |
 Horus Temple entry |
 The Ancient God Horus |
 Abu Simbel facade |
 Abu Simbel Hollow Mountain |
 Ramses 11 at Abu Simbel |
 Fuluka in front of old village |
 Traditional Uniform Mc D |
