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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Jan 08, 2023 12:00 AM Safaga in Egypt...
I have been in Safaga on the Red See years ago. But now the port is much bigger... They give us the ride to the port gate and then I took a walk - first to Al Balad - south to the old quarter to see the poor beach with the nice view of our ship. There is also a little, nice mosque - the caretaker was happy to switch on the light for the rare visitor. Egyption pound is weak - for the dollar they pay 25 pounds. For one dollar you can buy as much as 5 kilos of tomatoes or 4 kilos of oranges. But the place is dirty ad all contemporary Egypt...
Then I turned to the new quarter - north of port. Nice mosque with two minarets is there. In the poor hotel they requested 1 dollar for 5 minutes of internet connection. Shame! But in front of this hotel I met the local people whe drove me to the local, atmospheric cafe where I ordered the tea and had opportunity to surf the network listening to the arab music and watching the men in galabiyas smoking shishas... Ahmad Yousuff Cafe - come and enjoy! :)
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Jan 07, 2023 12:00 AM Port of Sokhna
I got a printed birthday wishes from the cruise company. Thank you! Few people know this little port. I am here also for the first time... Nothing special indeed. This port is used to disembark passenger for the expensive, full day excursions to Cairo and the pyramids - not for me! Other passengers could use free shuttle bus to go to the "town" of Sokhna. Now I know that this option is very disappointing. The bus is crossing the dusty area of the constitution pf the freeway, oil refinery and then goes 34 kms along the coast south - not to the city, but to the coastal resort Porto Sokhna. There is a beach, cable car and restaurants. But not much to do - just a walk under the palms and possibility to take a pictures of the dry mountains. Local drivers offer round trip to Suez for 100 USD. If you wish to go there it is much better to find the lift from the parking located just off the port gate... The distance from here is only 48 kms each way. But you have to know that in advance...
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Jan 06, 2023 12:00 AM Sailing the Red Sea
Day at sea - we are heading to the Egyptian ports. The sky is blue, but a bit windy. I met aboard two great travellers from my country. They live in Warsaw and visited around 120 countries! So nice to speak Polish again. After "dry" Saudi Arabia bars are serving beers and coctails again! Egyptian immigration officers are stamping in advance ou passports... I spent some time on the sun. Inthe evening in the theater a new show "Nature". Full moon visible from my cabin...Gala evening, but the captain did not appear!
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Jan 05, 2023 12:00 AM Yanbu al Bahr
The Red Sea was not so rough and I slept well. Just after breakfast we saw the land on the horizon and an hour later we docked in the small port of Yanbu. This town is known for the activities of the famous colonel Lawrence during anti-Turkish Arab revolt in 1915. Right near the harbor is a nicely restored mini- part of the old town with the mosqoe and night market. A group of the local musicians with Arab drums were welcoming us there - see picture. Saudi coffee and dates were served. Soon I took a walk to the new town meeting people an enjoying the street scenes. The ship offered 9 hours excursion to Medina (without entering the mosques) but if costs asuch as 180 euro per person!!!
Lovely, sunny day with a blue sky. Tomorrow we have a day at sea.
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Jan 04, 2023 12:00 AM Boarding the ship
Jeddah is open for the cruise ships since only two or three years local people are seeing the big white ships from the distance but they do not know how to get there. Taxi driver left me at the port gate, but this was no entry for the passengers. I was forced to walk in the sun about 1,5 km to the passenger terminal - low-rise building where you check-in (they require covid vaccination, pass through the immigrations (ladies on charge are completely black- covered except the eyes! And then the bus wil drive you through the port yo the distant ship.
Do you know who is on my cruise? Russians - hardly, but accepted for their money. Arabs - we have many ladies in black. Europeans form the minority. Once on the Saudi waters all the bars on the ship do not serve any alcohol! After rock show at 9 pm we sailed to the north...
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Jan 03, 2023 12:00 AM Al Balad in the morning, Al Hammra in the afternoon.
In my modest hotel they don't have restaurant but you can have your breakfast in the clean eatery just around the corner. In the line I found the man in white galabija speaking English. I asked for help to place my order. As a result I was immediately invitef to eat the breakfast with him. And he paid! What a hospitable people!. I spent the morning crawling the narrow streets of Al Balad - the oldest part of Jeddah. Many traditional houses with beautifuly carved wooden windows and balconies survived. But other are ruined and will be replaced by the new architecture soon. Information is poor, but you definitely should see the suk - live bazaar and the mosques heading to Meecca Gate... A lot of homeless cats is wondering around...
In the afternoon taxi driver took me to Al Hammra district, where from elegant corniche you can enjoy the view of the 200m+ King Fahd Fountain. He left me on the street, charged 25 SAR... But where is the fountain?. -The fountain doesn't work during the day. You have yo wait till 6 pm. I did! But the water marvel did not appeared. The man in charge told me, that it was damaged by recent rain flooding. Hmmm... Bad luck!
Tomorrow I will be boarding the ship...
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Jan 02, 2023 12:00 AM Back to Jeddah!
I was going by bus from Jeddah to Riyadh so I decided to fly on the return leg because the price of the ticket is almost the same. In the rainy morning driver from uber took me to Rijadh airport for 90 SAR (that's quite a lot, but no other solution) Domestic flights operate from terminal 5. They offer reliable wifi connection in the terminal, but they ask for your mobile number. Having taken online boarding pass I went directly to the electronic entry gate and soon I was on the upper floor for security control. No problems! Flynas low- cost airline has 7 kg allowance of cabin luggage and I was a little bit afraid because my backpack has 14 kg... Nobody cares about the size and weight of your carry-on!!. In Jeddah I experienced 28 deg Celsius! I was waiting in the airport 2 hours for the local host, who promised to pick me up. His phone/whatsup was no responsing. Shame on you! Not reliable person! I decided to share the taxi to the city and stay in the cheap hotel.
What a coincidence! The sharing person was a nice Polish gentleman Mr Marcin from Zambrów, who works here since 11 years. But... On the way our driver hit another car and we were forced to change the taxi. Mr Marcin was so nice to give me the lift to Al Nahda Hotel where I pay 115 SAR for single room with a/c and bath. Thank you Mr Marcin!
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Jan 01, 2023 12:00 AM Dirayah - the cradle of dynasty
Today Jan 1st is a regular working day in Saudia so my host went to his work and I took a uber taxi to Dirayah - historic place located some 25 kms from Riyadh. No public transport, taxis only - I paid for the ride 50 SAR each way. The fortress on Dirayah is the birthplace of Saudi - Wahhabi dynasty. In the morning the entrance is free. If you go in the afternoon you should buy online the ticket for 100 SAR. But it gives you automatically credit in the restaurants and shops.
Well-restored Dirayah was placed in 2010 on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Turn left after the gate. Just after the bridge the will gove you the map and there is info center where you can try saudi coffee and dates. The master of calligraphy will write your name in Arabic - that's free and valuable souvenir. Then you will climb the labyrinth of narrow streets, walls and tiny alleys. Exhibitions are hidden between them. The place is well worth to visit. I met many friendly people. What an interesting, sunny day!
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Dec 31, 2022 12:00 AM Meeting New Year in Riyadh
Last day of 2022 was ver busy to me. Already in the morning my host Miteb took me to the old quarter of the 3- million city. We had a traditional Arabian breakfast (hobz and fool) an I had a chance to visit nicely restored Mismak Fortress housing excellent exhibition about the history of the capital and about saudi coffee production. Then we went to the nearby clock tower, market an the mosque. On the outskirts of the city there is a little dam and recreational area along the water reservoir with many people strolling under the palms. I met there a young local musician playing guitar. We had an interesting talk. And in the afternoon Miteb took me to the diplomatic quarter to see the embassies and beautiful plazas with the rows of palms... Uff... In the evening we had a dinner with Miteb's friends in the traditional Saudi restaurant. In the evening we moved to the city center - to the certified by Guinness "biggest cafe in the world" to enjoy from the the terrace the live concert of Arabian pop Stars. And to meet the New Year. Sorry, fireworks from the imposing Kingdom Tower were poor. In my country at 24.00 people are wishing each other, kissing, singing, laughing... Nothing like that here... Different world!
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Dec 30, 2022 12:00 AM Welcome to Saudi Arabia!
Already in the plane heading from Athens to Jeddah I saw many muslim pilgrims in white clothes... Some of them with their wifes in black. When we landed they were little bit lost: the aiport terminal is huge and the information signs are poor. Finally I reached the immigration hall. No worries - they check my visa, took my picture and my fingerprints. No passport searching, just stamp and go... It was 4 am when I was free to go. Mr Piotr - Polish significant traveller met on the plane rented a car and offered me a lift to Jeddah SAPTCO bus station. (Thanks a lot Mr Piotr!) Outside the terminal we recognised that in Jeddah there was heavy rain. Bus station was small and dirty. At 5.45 they packed passengers to the big, but not luxury bus and we started our 14-hours trip through the desert to the capital city of Riyadh. Only 4 stops on the route. It was dark in Riyadh when we arrived. With the help of local people I contacted my CS host. He explained taxi driver where to go. I have to rest!
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