So today a nice friend of mine showed me how to make all my pictures smaller so that it wouldnt take hours to upload pictures on my blog (would have been good to know 5months ago!) So, I would hope my blogs and pictures will improve from now on.
Anyway, while I was staying in Dahab, Egypt I did more than just lay on the beach....I climbed a mountain! Two girls that I met in Dahab and I decided to take the challenge and climb the mountain for the sunrise. We had to leave Dahab at 11pm and drive 2 hours to the base of the mountain(but not before going through 3 security checkpoints who proceeded to shine lights in our eyes to wake us up for passport checks-couldnt they see we were western??) We then were given a "guide" (aka leader) that was to lead us up the 7496ft mountain in the dark. Im glad Jen gave me a mini flashlight before I left or I would have had real problems (it was already tough avoiding the pointy rocks in my flip flops). Anyway, the hike was interesting bc we had no idea where we were going, all we could see was the camel poop and rocks on the trail and in the distance a string of flashlights weaving up the mountain. It took us 3 hours to finally reach the top(we had some stragglers we had to wait for) We found a huge boulder to chill on and watch the sunrise. It probably was just like any other sunrise but I thought it was much more special bc of mt. sinai's symbolism. It was where Moses received the ten commandments from God. And the thing I think makes it more special is that it is a religious site not only for Christians, but for Jews and Muslims too.
one of the many camels that would sneak up on us and basically run us over on the trail. they sure didnt care who or what was in their way!
a little shop along the hike up the mountain.
thats our guide in the pink shirt lighting up a cigarette...and he wasn't even winded!
thats one tough cookie!
waiting for the sunrise...it was
sooo cold on the top!
the
beginning of the sunrise, "here comes the sun"
the outline of the mountains
cool huh?
......no words
the church on the top of the mountain
the rock cliffs were so amazing and it was so cool to look down the mountain and see all the stuff we passed by in the dark.
this is where everyone was sitting during the sunrise
a typical
Egyptian man
a little house and garden in the middle of the mountains
a rock arch on the steep but "faster" way down the mountain
can you see it? "I spy a camel"
St. Katherine's Monastery at the base of Mt. Sinai
bell tower in st.
katherines
this is
supposed to be the "burning bush"??? I thought I'd touch it just
in case? ps. if you were just wondering why my pants look like im wearing a diper in the front...its because they were gna make me pay to rent clothes to "cover" my knees so i just sagged them until they got uncomfortable and let me in. hahaha
the view of Golden, Colorado (where I stayed with Brian and Mary for a month)
Mary climbing a 5.10
Brian belaying me...he makes me nervous bc he never really pays attention..but in all honesty he is a really safe climber, I just get really nervous sometimes :)
well, i hope thats updates people? if you are ever in colorado def come visit!
it was a Nice, France reunion in Dublin when I visited my friends Pawel and Natalia. Joe from London met me over there and we did the 1 touristy thing there is to do in Dublin....visit the Guinness Brewery and drink the most expensive pint of Guinness ever, 9.50 euros haha
at the guinness factory...thats the water they make the beer with
here's Joe confused (as always) about the word fermentation....i still think he has no idea what it mean!
celebrating st. patty's day a little late this year
now thats a more appropriate hat :)
Joe and Pawel starting the night with Tequilla shots...thats dangerous
the Fantastic Four (minus 1-Jamie) together again
the walkway (20min walk through towering cliffs) that takes you to the city Petra.
The Treasury is the first really cool building you come to while walking through Petra. It is the most decorative and elaborate in the whole complex (as well as the most famous).
the most famous shot of the Treasury...made famous by the movie "Indiana Jones and the last crusader" (the theme song was on repeat in my head the whole time i was in Petra!)
a temple complex....many of these buildings were built as tombs for the dead or as banquet/assembly halls. It was basically a whole city built into the side of the mountains! how cool!
is this kid old enough to drive? i think not!
temples
i thought this was cool
another temple
the only free standing temple/building in the complex.... all the others were carved in the sides of cliffs.
i love how people look so funny on donkeys...their feet almost scrape the ground! I laugh every time I see someone riding one and the donkey struggling with the overweight people! so funny and cute!
the monastery...we had to climb to the top of the mountain to see it. i think it was the largest and most impressive temple in the whole of Petra. It was soooo huge, I look like an ant in it!
i love donkeys! this picture looks like it could have been taken from biblical times?
the colors on the rock just blew me away....red, blueish, yellow, orange, brown, black & white!
the Treasury in a different light (right as we were leaving)
a little shop along the hike up the mountain. thats our guide in the pink shirt lighting up a cigarette...and he wasn't even winded! thats one tough cookie!
waiting for the sunrise...it was sooo cold on the top!
the beginning of the sunrise, "here comes the sun"
the outline of the mountains
cool huh?
......no words
the church on the top of the mountain
the rock cliffs were so amazing and it was so cool to look down the mountain and see all the stuff we passed by in the dark.
this is where everyone was sitting during the sunrise
a typical Egyptian man
a little house and garden in the middle of the mountains
a rock arch on the steep but "faster" way down the mountain
can you see it? "I spy a camel"
St. Katherine's Monastery at the base of Mt. Sinai
bell tower in st. katherines
this is supposed to be the "burning bush"??? I thought I'd touch it just in case? ps. if you were just wondering why my pants look like im wearing a diper in the front...its because they were gna make me pay to rent clothes to "cover" my knees so i just sagged them until they got uncomfortable and let me in. hahaha
