Stay true to the dreams of thy youth

Last week I had the chance to return to one of my favorite placesin the world. Located on the Sinai peninsula, just an hour north of Sharm Al-Sheikh (where Bush is this week), the coast town of Dahab is a far cry from what one would traditionally expect to see in Egypt. Nearly naked Russian tourists wander around aimlessly drinking a bit too much, restaurants play Bob Marley and Jack Johnson, and the dogs are cuter and less abused than those in Cairo.

Last time I was in Dahab was in 2004 when I was studying abroad in Egypt for the first time. The town was half the size of what it is now, although it now stretches along the coast for about a half mile. Great restaurants with diwan seating line the coast and simple hostels provide guests with lodging in sleepy cottages. In 2005, Bedouin terrorists set off a few bombs here, which pissed off the Egyptians as they were the main victims. They also suffered economically, as tourism numbers have only slowly increased since then, and have yet to reach their pre-bombing numbers, as one hostel owner told me.

This time I went with my American friend Barrett, a Swedish friend Johannis, three Norwegians and a Scot. We lounged around on the beach for a few days, ate delicious food, smoked hookah, and just had a great time enjoying each other's presence.

The highlight of the week was watching the sunset in the evenings (I'll post pictures soon). The strong desert sun was setting over the cragged Sinai mountains as we swam in the crisp Red Sea water. The mountains of Saudi Arabia loomed in the distance across the sea and our beach was warm and deserted. It was absolutely beautiful, and reminded me of traveling previously when Topher, Carson, and I made a daily habit of beach, beer, and sunsets. It's a great way to wind down a hectic day.

I have less than two more weeks here in Egypt before a week in Bulgaria and then back to the States for summer classes. I have some more reflections to share on my experiences and Egypt in general, but I'll wait on those for another post.