EGYPT
Pyramids of Giza, Marah and Red Sea
Day 2 - 10th April 2011



Alarms went off at half past six and we were all packed and ready at breakfast by 7.00am. My son was more than thrilled as we celebrated his 10th Birthday in Holy Land. After cutting my sons birthday cake we headed for "The Great Pyramids of Giza". It is the oldest of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and greatly intact pyramid.



Three Main Pyramids

PYRAMIDS of EGYPT - Photos

There were three pyramids at Giza, each one had adjoining complex of mortuary temple, Mastabas tombs and smaller subsidiary temples where members of the royal family and officials were buried.

 The whole complex were connected by causeway to the three valley temples and the Sphinx. These in turn were linked by a channel, to the Nile.



We spent couple of hours at the Pyramids, then we drove out of Egypt through Suez canal - crossed Red Sea through underground tunnel which was running below the river and drove for seven hours in the "Wilderness of SHUR" towards place called "Marah"

Mara Well

MARA - Photos 
Exodus 15:22 - 25:

"Then Moses let Israel to journey away from the Red Sea, They went out to the Desert of Shur, walked for three days into the desert, and found no water. Then they came to Marah, but they were not able to drink the waters of Marah, because they were bitter. So the people murmured against Moses, saying ; "what can we drink?"

He cried out to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a tree. When Moses threw the branch into the water, the water became safe to drink. There the LORD made for them a binding ordinance and there he tested them".

At Marah we saw the well and the tree which Moses used for branch. Only this place had lots of palm trees and surrounded by couple of water ponds (Oasis). The place was very hot, dry and windy - Typical of a desert. The place is still inhabited by locals who put up sheds and sold souvenirs for living. They are so poor that they also begged from tourist. It was pretty sad to see the sight of beggars in "HOLY LAND".

After driving for less than an hour we stopped for lunch at a local Hotel by the Red Sea. Great food in the desert. Can't believe it! Then dipped our legs in the Red Sea and picked some pebbles for remembrance.

RED SEA - Photos


Exodus 15:19

"For the horses of Pharoah came with his chariots and his footment into the sea, and the LORD brought back the waters of the sea on them, but the Isralites walked on dry land in the middle of the sea".

Then we started our journey towards Mt Sinai where we camped overnight. We passed through "Elim" Exodus 15:27 "Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees, and they camped there by the water",travelled through the wilderness of sin and stopped at "Rephidim"

Exodus 17:1 "The whole community of the Isralites travelled on their journey from the Desert of Sin according to the LORD's instruction, and they pitched camp in Rephidim. Now there was no water for the people to drink".

We saw the rock in Horeb where Moses striked to give water for people. It was such a great feeling to stand, walk and touch the places where Moses walked with Israelites and where God him self did miracles.

Exodus 17:6 "I will be standing before you there on the rock in Horeb and you will strike the rock, and water will come out of it so that the people may drink". And Moses did so in plain view of the elders of Israel.

REPHIDIM and HOREB - Photos

We also saw the place where Amalek attacked Israel in Rephidim, which was not far from the rock of Horeb.Exodus 17: 8 "Amalek came and attacked Israel in Rephidim".

We came to Catherine Plaza Hotel, Mount Sinai at about 7.30pm. The Hotel was of very high standards considering the location, in the midst of the great desert. The food was really great and view from the hotel view was breathtakingly beautiful wilderness. I was very excited to go to "The Monastery of Saint Catherine" where we saw Burning Bush.