There is something very calming about being in the middle of nowhere with very little in terms of modern "conveniences." Despite how much I love my life here in D.C., I definitely have moments when I miss the bareness of my little tukul in Kapoeta, Sudan when my only possessions could fit into one backpack and a good evening simply involved reading a book by candlelight.This nostalgia is one of the reasons why the Adrère Amellal Oasis has my name written all over it! I first heard about this oasis over at From the Right Bank to the Left Coast and my jaw literally fell to the ground. It's such a relief from all the massive hotels that seem to be splattered across the country.
The oasis is at the foot of a huge white mountain and made entirely of local resources (let's just say a rainstorm would be the end of this place). All the food is as local as it gets coming from this small town and also grown on the oasis grounds. The rooms are simple and as there is no electricity, they are lit by tons and tons of beeswax candles.
Besides taking along a few good books to read, you can also go hiking up along the mountain, take in the desert views, go swimming in the saltwater pool and explore the local cafes. The hotel has about 40 rooms so it's very intimate and you can always chat up guests like Prince Charles if you get bored.
While there is absolutely nothing to suggest that the 8-hour journey from Cairo would be anything but brutal (books-on-iPod and a whole lot of battery power), I think it would be totally worth it to spend a few days in a place like this.
3 comments:
This place looks absolutely breathtaking.
j
That was my reaction too when I first saw this place! And I had the exact same thought - the trip out there would be grueling but totally worth it! Thanks for the shout out. :)
It is! My husband and i just celebrated my 70th birthday there. Everything you say - excellent food and the most genuinely kind and helpful staff we've ever encountered. Due to assumptions of unrest in Egypt, most people are staying away. As a result, we were the only people staying at this hotel. Didn't miss electricity at all. Every evening Mohammed, the manager, took our iPhones and cameras back to the town of Siwa for recharging. (No internet or phone service, we just used these for photos) I'd go back in a heartbeat, 8hr ride notwithstanding. No signs of civic unrest or difficulties with protests. One thing: Morsi must clean up his language, if not his attitudes, re. Jews/Zionists. He should not be allowed to talk this way if he wants to be a player in the real world.
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