This is a guide for foreigners resident in Egypt in the event of a death.
Unknown persons dying in Egypt.
Because of local custom, the deceased must be buried within 24 hours.
Egyptian Law states that every citizen must carry about their person an id card which hold information regarding name, address, and religion.
All citizens who reach the age of 16 MUST by law carry id.
Carrying the id ensures that should anyone be involved in an accident or death, the family can be notified immediately.
If an Egyptian child under 16, or any unidentified citizen dies without an id and no member of the family comes forward within a few days to claim it from a hospital mortuary, the body is then interred after a Muslim ceremony in the mosque, in a public paupers grave at the expense of the government.
The same rule applies to a foreigner dying in Egypt unknown.
Because the identity cannot be established the state will inter the body due to local custom in a paupers grave.
Foreign consulates would not be informed if there was no identifying marker, ie on a tour with a manifesto, holding a ticket with a name, some kind of identity marker about the person or surroundings.
It is for this reason that it is VITAL for a foreigner to keep about their person some form of id at all times. even a trip to the local shop.
In the event of the deceased resembling a foreign national, ( anyone with Arabic/African/ Middle Eastern features would presumably not) ie European, the body would be held for a longer period of time to allow relatives to come forward after noticing the deceased was missing. A few days at most.
If id is found then the police will alert the relevant embassy and the embassy will contact the next of kin. The body will be kept in a hospital mortuary till relatives arrive to conduct funeral proceedings.
Please note that embassy's merely advise and hand out numbers to call.
Known foreign persons dying in Egypt.
All foreigners wishing non repatriation should have an Egyptian grave.
All cemeteries have at the entrance 'grave sellers'.
A foreigner would approach one and purchase a grave.
The custom in Cairo is to be interred in a traditional 'house type' grave ( explained in the Dying in Egypt thread).
Elsewhere single graves are popular especially in Christian cemeteries.
It is not essential that an embassy is informed of a foreign nationals death. But it is possible to register the death and be given a foreign death certificate .
Procedure:
Relatives of the deceased must call the Ministry of Health immediately and report the death.
The MOH will then send out a doctor to certify cause of death. If there is no suspicious circumstance he will issue a document with time and cause of death.
This document is taken to the MOH and a death certificate issued for the deceased. This certificate allows burial at the cemetery.
Relatives then call the mosque and other relatives to attend funeral which will be held that day before sunset.
Relatives can then call the local undertaker ( number will be held at the mosque/church).
Relatives and the undertaker then prepare the body in the deceased's home for burial. This includes washing/ wrapping in shroud.
In Egypt a shroud is often called the coffin.
A traditional wooden coffin used to inter bodies abroad, in Egypt is only used to transfer a body to the grave where it is removed and placed on the sand in the grave, and wooden coffin removed.
Some Egyptians are buried in a wooden coffin, but this is not the norm.
Once the body is wrapped it is taken to the mosque/church for a service and from there taken in a truck, or microbus roof to the grave.
The death certificate is shown to the cemetery staff and the grave is opened, the deceased laid on the sand in the cubicle and the grave closed.
Sometimes a relative or relatives will sleep at the graveside within the walls of the 'house grave' for a few nights to protect the body from any mischief.
In Cairo there are two numbers I have for you. These are the only two numbers in the Yellow pages.
Funeral Director.
Emile Joseph Tawaf
31 El Zaher St.
El Zaher, Cairo
Tel: 02-25906753, 012-3260936, 012-2326708
George Aziz
18 Othman Ibn Affan St., Salah El Deen Sq.
Heliopolis, Cairo
Tel: 02-22314201
Egypt is NOT Europe. The customs are very different and one should not expect a traditional style European investigation, or burial after death.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Monday, August 24, 2009
Residency Visa Egypt
Available Residency Visa's in Egypt.
1) Spouse of an Egyptian Citizen. (3 or 5 year residency ) Husband must fill in appropriate form at the Mogamma Cairo and a 3 or 5 year resident visa will be issued within one week of applying. This 3-5 year residency visa DOES NOT allow the spouse to work in Egypt.
2) Owner of a REGISTERED property exceeding US $ 50,000. ( 1 year residency renewable ) (note: the property must be registered with the local council and the applicant must be registered to pay property tax and all documents must have the applicant as the official owner of the property. Applicants living in compounds which are still technically registered with the company and not yet handed to the owners will NOT be able to apply for residency. You MUST show proof that you OWN the property.)
3) Investment of US$ 50,000 in an Egyptian company with an Egyptian partner in one of the recognised companies. ( 1 year residency renewable )
4) Divorcee or widow of an Egyptian citizen showing divorce documents.
( 1 year residency )
5) Anyone over 60 years of age after living continuously in Egypt for 10 years.
( 1 year residency )
1) Spouse of an Egyptian Citizen. (3 or 5 year residency ) Husband must fill in appropriate form at the Mogamma Cairo and a 3 or 5 year resident visa will be issued within one week of applying. This 3-5 year residency visa DOES NOT allow the spouse to work in Egypt.
2) Owner of a REGISTERED property exceeding US $ 50,000. ( 1 year residency renewable ) (note: the property must be registered with the local council and the applicant must be registered to pay property tax and all documents must have the applicant as the official owner of the property. Applicants living in compounds which are still technically registered with the company and not yet handed to the owners will NOT be able to apply for residency. You MUST show proof that you OWN the property.)
3) Investment of US$ 50,000 in an Egyptian company with an Egyptian partner in one of the recognised companies. ( 1 year residency renewable )
4) Divorcee or widow of an Egyptian citizen showing divorce documents.
( 1 year residency )
5) Anyone over 60 years of age after living continuously in Egypt for 10 years.
( 1 year residency )
Note: Investors investing US$50,000 in an Egyptian Bank for the duration of the residency is no longer acceptable.
How to buy a property on a Gated Community in Egypt.
How to buy a property on a Gated Community in Egypt.
Each compound has a company office. The development companies vary in size.
Ours is huge and owns many sectors. This is the procedure we followed to buy on ours.
We went to the a real estate agent and viewed the property. It was unoccupied and was from the original owner.
The owner had bought it using a mortgage with a few years left to pay.
It had electric meter in their name.
Our estate agent then arranged for the seller and us, plus him to go to the Head Office to do the exchange. Because it was on a compound there was no need for a lawyer as the Company acted as the lawyer.
The company showed us( the buyer) the Ministerial Document saying that they had ownership of the Development and land.
They then showed us the purchase documents from the original seller ( our seller). It showed every payment to the mortgage and how much was left to pay. The seller had a few thousand pounds left to pay in our case.
The company then drew up a new contract of exchange.
Before they could sell it they had to complete the mortgage payments so they could legally sell it.
The usual thing done in this situation is the buyer (us) pays the remaining balance and deducts it from the price.
So we paid the company the balance and they cleared the debt and issued a final payment document.
We then paid the seller his money less the balance we paid.
We paid cash and it was all done in the office.
The seller then goes with his cash.
We are then given a full contract which was written up that afternoon detailing the sale. That included the ministerial letter, the layout, a statement of all the payments made and the final payment paid.
They also give us an electricity letter saying that we are now the legal owners.
We then pay them an admin fee ( sorry I can't remember how much that was?)
We then take the electric letter to the electric company with our new contract and they switch the electric to our name.
There are no lawyers involved because there is no court registration because it is a compound.
In our case the land is registered to the compound till handover. Then once the development is fully complete the company turn it over to the council and residents are then able to register their own units in their own names. In about 2 years we should be able to do this. Once they hand over they give a list of all the owners in the compound. Once you register it you then become liable to tax.
Also because the unit is not registered in your name I guess that is why residents are able to sell when they want , without the 5 year ban on selling?
The above only applies to compounds.
Each compound has a company office. The development companies vary in size.
Ours is huge and owns many sectors. This is the procedure we followed to buy on ours.
We went to the a real estate agent and viewed the property. It was unoccupied and was from the original owner.
The owner had bought it using a mortgage with a few years left to pay.
It had electric meter in their name.
Our estate agent then arranged for the seller and us, plus him to go to the Head Office to do the exchange. Because it was on a compound there was no need for a lawyer as the Company acted as the lawyer.
The company showed us( the buyer) the Ministerial Document saying that they had ownership of the Development and land.
They then showed us the purchase documents from the original seller ( our seller). It showed every payment to the mortgage and how much was left to pay. The seller had a few thousand pounds left to pay in our case.
The company then drew up a new contract of exchange.
Before they could sell it they had to complete the mortgage payments so they could legally sell it.
The usual thing done in this situation is the buyer (us) pays the remaining balance and deducts it from the price.
So we paid the company the balance and they cleared the debt and issued a final payment document.
We then paid the seller his money less the balance we paid.
We paid cash and it was all done in the office.
The seller then goes with his cash.
We are then given a full contract which was written up that afternoon detailing the sale. That included the ministerial letter, the layout, a statement of all the payments made and the final payment paid.
They also give us an electricity letter saying that we are now the legal owners.
We then pay them an admin fee ( sorry I can't remember how much that was?)
We then take the electric letter to the electric company with our new contract and they switch the electric to our name.
There are no lawyers involved because there is no court registration because it is a compound.
In our case the land is registered to the compound till handover. Then once the development is fully complete the company turn it over to the council and residents are then able to register their own units in their own names. In about 2 years we should be able to do this. Once they hand over they give a list of all the owners in the compound. Once you register it you then become liable to tax.
Also because the unit is not registered in your name I guess that is why residents are able to sell when they want , without the 5 year ban on selling?
The above only applies to compounds.
Egyptian Land Laws
The Government have three types of land.
1) Agriculture land
2) Special low cost land ( usually new in the desert) for low cost housing development.
3) Standard land for sale for housing or business.
1) Agriculture land
This land is not for building of any sort. In the land registry it is logged as being used for agriculture free from building and it is the countries natural resource for crops.
Any land built on it, is illegal and even though it may have been given permission to purchase for dwellings by backsheesh etc. It is still registered as agriculture land and any dwelling can be pulled down at any time at the whim of the government.
2) Special Low Cost Land
This land is often sections of desert with basic infrastructure like roads, lighting and water, electricity etc pinpointed to the lower classes of poor Egyptians unable to afford market priced housing.
This land is heavily subsidized and can only be bought by Egyptians, single with no other property, with jobs, on a mortgage scheme.
It cannot be bought by cash.
This land cannot be sold on for 5/10 years. This deters developers of buying up tracts of land to invest in and not build on and resell years later.
If the land does not come with housing the purchaser MUST start building work within 6 months on the dwelling or it is taken back.
Huge companies like Orascom and the Building and Development Bank are working alongside the Government to build affordable housing for poorer Egyptian families. The bank offering low rate mortgages for purchase.
Only someone working with a salary who is Egyptian can purchase these lands and houses.
These companies who work alongside the Government will buy the land and have it registered in the courts as theirs. Private buyers who buy a plot are unable to register the purchase in the courts because technically the owner is still the Government until the 'handover' of the project.
3) Standard land for building or business
This land is available at market price and is available to both Egyptian and Foreign investors.
Recent law stipulates that a certain percentage MUST be allocated to green area. ? a 1/6th. This is sold in plots and each plot must have a surrounding 'green area' used as a buffer to the next building or plot. It does not necessarily have to be planted but this is encouraged.
This land is purchased either privately from the Government where the owner will be registered in the courts, or by private investors who wish to build compounds or malls etc, with the purchaser having a legal contract of sale from the court. If you live on a compound which has not been 'handed over' it still belongs to the Government technically. I will explain this further in sales thread.
Power of Attorney in Egypt
POA Power of Attorney are quite popular in Egypt.
It is a legally drawn up document allowing another person to handle your affairs and act as your advocate.
Banking POA:
Banks have separate POA documents which do not have to be done outside of the banking system.
To do a POA for someone to act as your advocate for the bank you simply tell your bank and fill in the relevant form, with both yours and the POA signature on it.
This POA will then allow the advocate full powers to deal with your bank and that includes removing monies from your account.
A POA does not need your signature to remove or deposit monies, or handle investment certificates. It is not like a joint account where both signatures are required. That persons signature is all that is required.
The only thing that a POA cannot do is close an account. That has to be done by the account holder in person.
So in effect a POA can clear your account and cash in investment certificates without your knowledge.
General POA:
This is done at a Public Notary Office/ Al Shahre Al Akari/ الشهر العقاري
It is not a lawyers office as such.
Each office has a Government Official licensed to 'frank' documents with the official government stamp.
In this office you can specify exactly what you want your advocate to do.
You can make them a general POA which literally gives them the right to completely control your affairs, buy, sell, or exchange your property.
A (specific) POA will only allow what is specified on the document. So you can for instance allow an advocate to represent you in dealings, sell an item, act on your behalf for a limited period or for one specific duty or transaction.
To make a POA, both parties must attend the Notary Office and must present their id.
A POA General document is completed with deleted sections initialed and must specify exactly what powers you are handing over to the advocate.
Both parties sign in agreement and the Government Clerk will 'frank' it with the official stamp making them your POA.
This is also the office where you can register a book as your own work, register a valuable as yours if you have proof, register a sale of land between two parties.
The cost of a General POA currently costs 55le.
POA's for cars, land, valuables vary in price.
Once the POA is completed it is entered into the system and the previous owners contract is initialed and entered into the system as henceforth defunct.
Lawyers are NOT required to do a POA.
POA are easily done between seller and buyer with no need for a Lawyer.
Non Arabic speakers require a trusted Translator to translate the document as it is not in English.
Buying property in Egypt/Sinai.
Information for foreign investors in Egypt.
The Law currently states that foreigners can buy as many properties as they wish in Egypt as long as they do not have a court registered entry into the Land Register, and are less than 4,000 sq mtr floorspace in total.
Court registry of the property will put the owners name on the land register.
10% of property in Egypt is not registered on the land registry, but at Notary Offices.
A client wishing to buy off development/ non compound have to use the services of a lawyer to search for the true ownership of the property/land.
If it is not on the land registry this can be costly, time consuming and precarious. Once the lawyer has established the true ownership he then enters it onto the court registred Land Registry under the new owners name ( foreign investor ).
Because of this clause a foreigner is limited to buying only 2 properties in Egypt to a total of 4,000 sq mtr in actual building excl land attached.
The foreign investor is also not able to sell the property till a period of 5 years has elapsed after the sale date.
If foreign investors wish to sell within 5 years, or to buy more properties it is in their interest to register the sale only at a Notary Office as the registered owner, and not at the Land Registry Office.
If you buy from a compound that has the registry in it's company name, you are free to sell your property at any time.
If your name is on the Land Registry you cannot within 5 years.
Another restriction is buying land or property on the Sinai Peninsula, ie Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba.
Foreigners cannot buy any property or land in Sinai on freehold.
This law came into force to stop any Israeli purchasing of land in Sinai and limiting it to only Egyptian investors.
Foreign investors wishing to invest in Sinai property can only buy leasehold for a term of 99 years. The ownership, therefore ensuring of the land and property will always remain in Egyptian hands.
The Law currently states that foreigners can buy as many properties as they wish in Egypt as long as they do not have a court registered entry into the Land Register, and are less than 4,000 sq mtr floorspace in total.
Court registry of the property will put the owners name on the land register.
10% of property in Egypt is not registered on the land registry, but at Notary Offices.
A client wishing to buy off development/ non compound have to use the services of a lawyer to search for the true ownership of the property/land.
If it is not on the land registry this can be costly, time consuming and precarious. Once the lawyer has established the true ownership he then enters it onto the court registred Land Registry under the new owners name ( foreign investor ).
Because of this clause a foreigner is limited to buying only 2 properties in Egypt to a total of 4,000 sq mtr in actual building excl land attached.
The foreign investor is also not able to sell the property till a period of 5 years has elapsed after the sale date.
If foreign investors wish to sell within 5 years, or to buy more properties it is in their interest to register the sale only at a Notary Office as the registered owner, and not at the Land Registry Office.
If you buy from a compound that has the registry in it's company name, you are free to sell your property at any time.
If your name is on the Land Registry you cannot within 5 years.
Another restriction is buying land or property on the Sinai Peninsula, ie Sharm el Sheikh, Dahab, Nuweiba.
Foreigners cannot buy any property or land in Sinai on freehold.
This law came into force to stop any Israeli purchasing of land in Sinai and limiting it to only Egyptian investors.
Foreign investors wishing to invest in Sinai property can only buy leasehold for a term of 99 years. The ownership, therefore ensuring of the land and property will always remain in Egyptian hands.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Hotline Numbers of Egyptian Banks
Arab African 19555
ABC 19123
Arab 19100
Bank Audi 16555
Bank of Alexandria 19033
Barclays 16222
Banque Misr 19888
Blom Bank 19233
BNP Paribas 16664
CIB 19666
Credit Agricole 19191
Housing and Development 19995
Egyptian Gulf 19342
HSBC 19007
National Societe Generale 19700
Piraeus 19322
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Informative Forum on Egypt
www.egypt4u.com
Nice friendly forum where you can find advice on living, working, and visiting Egypt.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Do you have a complaint about your trip?
NEED TO MAKE A COMPLAINT ABOUT YOUR TRIP. THEN Contact THIS OFFICE IN Cairo. The Egyptian Consumer Protection Agency.
| |
Telephone : In case you have a complaint or an inquiry, please call the Consumer Protection Hotline: 19588 Mail : Complaint forms can be collected and sent at your nearest post office, free of charge Fax : You can fax your complaint to 02 5380 384 E-mail : Delivery of the complaint in person : At 96 Ahmed Orabi St., Mohandessein – Giza. |
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Blacklist of ILLEGAL dive centres in Sinai
Black List
The following diving companies and websites are not operating legally or have been shut down by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism. CDWS recommend you do not book any diving activity with them. The Ministry of Tourism accepts no responsibility for any activity booked through these organisations.
Illegal Dive Companies
| Name | City |
| Sea Pioneers | Dahab |
| Sertaki | Dahab |
| Oxygène | Dahab |
| Dahab Tec Divers | Dahab |
| Red Sea Ringers | Dahab |
| Sea View Divers | Dahab |
| Callyez Aqua Tec | Dahab |
| SSX Hammer Head | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Divers Planet | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Sinai Luna | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Sea & C | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Blue Lagoon | Sharm El Sheikh * |
| Brother Dive College | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Red Sea Ringers | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Halabnaha | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Easy Divers | Sharm El Sheikh ** |
| Divers Bay | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Centre at Aida Hotel | Sharm El Sheikh *** |
| Absolut Divers | Sharm El Sheikh |
| Taba Divers | Taba |
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Dangerous Marine life found in the Red Sea
FIRE CORAL
CONE SHELLS
PORTUGUESE MAN 'O' WAR
CROWN OF THORNS STARFISH
Some of the more common poisonous invertebrates found in the Red Sea.
Dangerous Fish found in the Red Sea
The Red Sea plays host to quite a few hazardous aquatic inhabitants.
Due to the risk divers, snorkelers, and bathers should be aware of some of the most common poisonous, or otherwise dangerous species native to the area.
A brief glimpse of some of the ones to avoid contact with.
The Tiger Shark
Grey Reef Shark
Lion Fish
Surgeon Fish
Sting Ray
Due to the risk divers, snorkelers, and bathers should be aware of some of the most common poisonous, or otherwise dangerous species native to the area.
A brief glimpse of some of the ones to avoid contact with.
The Tiger Shark
Grey Reef Shark
Lion Fish
Surgeon Fish
Sting Ray
The Red Sea
The Red Sea, one of the worlds most saline stretches of water at 4% salinity, and bordered by Egypt,Eritrea, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Yemen, Djibouti, Sudan, and Somalia, reaches from the Indian Ocean in the South to through the Gulf of Suez to the Mediterranean in the North.
The constant year round surface sea temperature of 26 degrees celsius in the North and 30 degrees in the South, makes it an popular location for year round water sports including, scuba diving, snorkeling, kite surfing, sailing, and wind surfing.
The Red Sea is home to approximately 1200 different species of fish with around 120 species native to the Red Sea exclusively. Some are hazardous to swimmers and include 2 species of shark, the Tiger and the Grey Reef, although these are rarely active during daylight hours.
Other dangerous and poisonous species include green, and yellow trigger fish, Moray eels, lionfish, surgeonfish, stone, rabbitfish and stingrays. Soap, box and pufferfish can also inflict deadly toxins if disturbed, and a few invertebrates like the Portugese Man o' War , cone molluscs and fire coral are all hazardous if stepped on or handled.
Never the less these injuries are rare and should not frighten off potential visitors.
The Red Sea is particularly enjoyed by divers due to its many marine reef shelves, and shallow coral reefs, allowing snorkelers close up views of spectacularly coloured and interesting marine life.
Jacques Cousteau the famous marine journalist and film maker spent many years studying the marine life of the Red Sea in the 1960's aboard his vessel the Calypso.
Two of his projects the Conshelf 1 and 2 off the coast of Sudan proved that man could live for long periods of time in a little city under the waves.
Because the Red Sea has no rivers which exit into it, there is little sedimentation, or creation of silt. This explains why the Red Sea is so crystal clear. The sunny, steady temperatures along with no sedimentation allow the sun to penetrate the depths allowing the growth of coral which cannot survive below 18 degrees celsius. These reefs are formed where crustaeceans and other marine organisms adhere to a limestone surface increasing the bulk by a few millimetres per year and over time create what we know as coral reefs.
Darwin classified the reefs into 3 types. Fringing of which the Red Sea is probably the most famous due to the desert arid conditions, Barrier which is the type found in the Great Barrier Reef off Australia, and Atoll the type which circles a lagoon ,where the worlds most famous are found in and off the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Islands.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Qalat Al Guindi
Qalat Al Guindi marked by red X on map.
View of Ras Sidr Road to Qalat al Guindi seen from part of the defence wall with road in distance.
Approximately 50km East of Ras Sidr, reached by a turn of to the East at the town of Ras Sidr, lies a old fortress, still in very good condition, but rarely seen by visitors, or included in tours.
This 12th Century Fortress built by Salah el Din ( Saladin ) is situated in the middle of 3 camel caravan routes from Damascus, Transjordan, and Eilat to Egypt.
Discovered by Jules Barthoux in 1909, the fortress most of which lies in ruins, still has portions of defence walls, a water cistern, mihrab, and shops.
Qalaat Al Guindi is only accessible by private transportation. You can hire a taxi from Ras Sidr town for approx 150le. The police station on the Main Road at Ras Sudr before the Co-op petrol station will issue foreigners wishing to visit a permission slip to show to checkpoint police on route.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Oyun Musa Fortified Firing Position Sinai
For anyone wondering what lies up on that hill, and what is beyond the huge camouflaged helmet on your right as you drive South towards Ras Sidr, it is well worth a visit.
On 5th -10th June 1967 when the Israeli Army invaded yet another one of it's many neighbours namely Egypt and occupying the Sinai, few people would have guessed that the constant aggression shown by the Israeli's to it's middle eastern neighbours, and in particular the cruel and inhumane treatment shown to the original owners of occupied Palestine, the Palestinian refugees would today have escalated into International terrorism on such an unimaginable scale, with suicide bombing now rife in the region and beyond.
Zionist aggression with the help the of the US military war machine, completely destroyed in a surprise attack on the undefended Egyptian people, the Egyptian Air Force in a raid that led to the invasion of Sinai and it's occupation for 6 years by the Israeli Army.
Oyun Musa Fortified Firing Position was a military stronghold used by the invading Israeli's to launch attacks on the civilian population of Suez, it's oil wells and the Sinai infrastructure. The railroad in Sinai was destroyed by being lifted and used to reinforce the Israeli bunkers of which you can see in some of the photographs leaving Sinai with no railway lines.
The bunkers were heavily fortified and have sliding metal doors which were swung closed after every rocket launch to avoid detection by the Egyptian army at Suez ( also seen in the photographs ).
1973 saw the retaking of the Egyptian land again from the aggressors and Egypt's Sinai was once again returned to it's rightful owners.
The Oyun Musa Fortified Firing Position remains as a reminder of the Egyptian victory against the invader, and today Egyptian soldiers act as guides, showing visitors around the site for a very small entrance fee.
.
There is a visitor centre with Israeli soldier artifacts, an observation deck with high powered binoculars which reach to Suez, bunkers and military hardware on show.
Pharoah's Bath / Hammam Pharoun Sinai
In Egypt there are 19 recognised Thermo Mineral springs.
Any water spring with a temperature exceeding 35 c/ 95f is considered a thermal spring.
The Pharoah's Bath Thermo Mineral spring with a year round temperature of 72c in Sinai is probably considered one of the more famous, and many visitors descend on the area each year to bathe in it's mineral rich mud and waters.
Pharoah's Bath or Hammam Pharoun as it is locally known lies approximately 100km from Suez on the Sinai peninsula. Getting there is relatively easy for the tourist.
Pass the Ramada and Moon Beach Resorts 90km South of Suez and on the right hand side of the road you will see a yellow and blue sign signalling the entrance to the 'Bath's'.
Drive a few 100 mtrs along this side road towards the mountainside and the overpowering smell of sulphur leads you to a rocky escarpement along which a road has been built to allow travellers access to the mineral rich sandy beach, the springs and the man made caves which visitors have hewn from the rock creating small sauna's.
There you will find the odd tourist bus, locals and passing visitors lying in the warm sands enjoying the 'free spa', and mineral qualities of the spot, said to cure many ailments including skin diseases and afflictions, rheumatism and arthritis, lung ailments, diabetic sores, and kidney diseases.
Entrance is free.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Ras Sidr Hospital Sinai
The old Ras Sidr hospital, has now been replaced by a new state of the art Ras Sidr General Hospital, in the town of Ras Sidr Sinai.
The hospital is clearly signposted from the main Ras Sidr turn off.
Directions to the hospital are as follows:
Take the turn off for Ras Sidr town at the Mosaic Fish Statue. Follow the road through the souk area over the first roundabout, then turn right at the crescent hospital sign. 50 mtrs along this road will bring you into the rear of the hospital complex.
The hospital is situated between the corniche and the villa complex at the 'Flower Basket' roundabout.
The hospital grounds also house a beautifully designed mosque and visitors accommodations.
Hospital Numbers:
Tel: 069-3400214
Tel: 069-3401774
Oyun Musa Moses Spring
It is said that during the Israelites flight from Pharoah in Egypt across the Red Sea, ( Sea of Reeds )to Sinai, Moses led his people from the Land of Goshen to the Sea of Aqaba.
Exodus 15:22-26 Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. 23 When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) 24 So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What are we to drink?" 25 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made a decree and a law for them, and there he tested them. 26 He said, "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you."
When Pharoah Ramsis II banished the Israelites from Egypt, across the Red Sea, it seems from historical legend the route they took was from Modern day Ismailia, across the Red Sea and landed on the Suez Gulf shore of Sinai in the region of Marah, now known as Oyun Musa, because it was here that Moses tried to find drinking water for his people and when he pleaded to God for intervention, God asked Moses to cast his wooden staff into the bitter springs, and they became drinkable.
Oyun Musa springs today is a fertile oasis some 20 km from the Suez crossing at the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel.
Undeveloped and much as it would have appeared in Moses time the springs are situated through the bedouin settlement approached prior to the Oyun Musa Checkpoint, past the village houses in between date palms which thrive in the moist sandy terrain.
During the few minutes drive through the village to the springs, visitors will see the bedouin ladies washing their goats and sheep, and tending to their flocks in the warm sunshine, and the bedouin children will be vying to accompany you to the springs and tell you of their God given powers of healing everything from Rheumatism to Dandruff.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Bedouin Tribes of the Sinai Peninsula
Aleiqat: This tribe was one of the first that has settled in Sinai (at the time of the Islamic conquest of Egypt). Originally they came from the Egyptian province of Sharqeya, parallel and East of Ismailia and to the North of the capital Cairo. Their territory is now on the west coast of Sinai in the Ras Sidr Region. The biblical Joseph lived in Sharqeya. Mentioned in the bible as the land of Goshen, ( Genesis 46:34 “Then you will be allowed to settle in the region of Goshen, for all shepherds are detestable to the Egyptians” ) .Later called Avaris, then became the city of Pi-Ramees during the rule of Pharoah Ramsis II, and today known as Sharqeya.
Aquila: A small tribe inhabiting the Mediterranean coast, between the Sawarka and the Laheiwat.tribes.
Ayaida: North Sinai, next to the Channel of Suez
Gebeleya: These are the people of the mountains. As probably only about 1,500 people they have a very small tribal territory around Mt. Sinai. They are not of Arab descent but are descendants of Macedonian people sent by Emperor Justinian to build, protect and serve the Monastery in the sixth century AD.
Laheiwat: This tribe is split into 3 geographical areas: one in South Sinai (east), one at the Mediterranean Sea, and another one right next to the Channel of Suez.
Muszeina: this is the largest tribe in Sinai. These Beduines are living in the most southern part of Sinai and visitors of Sharm El Sheik will most probably see them on their visit to Sinai.
Suwalha: 3 clans in 1 tribe
Awarma (Suwalha)
Awlad Said (Suwalha)
Qararsha (Suwalha)
Tarabin: The Tarabin, who have tribal territories, in the North and South Sinai, and it's Eastern border with Jordan are of Palestinian origin.
Tiyaha: This tribe occupies an enormous territory in central Sinai; they originate like the Tarabin tribe from Palestine
Sawarka:
The Sawarka are the most numerous of the bedouin tribes, They inhabit Northern Sinai, on the Mediterranean coast centred on Al Arish.
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