Sinai News

- and the most important conclusion: “If we leave, the terrorists have won”.
Let’s hope that we are able to prevent any more attacks - before they happen. And let’s hope that tourists will continue to coming to Sinai. It would be a tragedy for many employed in tourism, if they don’t.

…Most tourists in the Red Sea resort of Dahab refused to end their holidays early yesterday, despite the bombing on Monday night that left 23 dead and scores injured, including two Britons.
As police searched the bomb sites for clues, restaurants just yards away started serving again, internet cafes reopened and tourists returned to the beaches. “If we leave, the terrorists have won,” said Paul Pagalday, 38, from Queensland, Australia.
Jo Millar, 27, from Johannesburg in South Africa, said: “It was awful to see the locals who we have got to know being hurt but we think they will be even worse off if we leave and take our business with us. This place depends on tourism completely.”
“We don’t think we’re going to change our plans. You end up thinking that it could happen anywhere these days,” said Matthias Barlocher, from Switzerland. “It doesn’t feel right to be enjoying a holiday when you can see bloody footprints everywhere.”
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Today is Shem al Nessim, the Egyptian spring festival and tomorrow is the Sinai Liberation day, April 25, the 24th anniversary of Sinai being returned to Egypt. We don’t celebrate - we grief.
Many Egyptians headed to the Sinai and to Dahab for a long weekend vacation. Most of the people, who died and were wounded in the evening attack in Masbat Dahab are again Egyptians and those who despite terror warnings came to Sinai out of curiosity or out of love for the place.

These terrorists, whomever they are qaeda or smer’ida have done a perfect job. Within 2 years they succeeded to create instability and fear in Sinai. Those who will suffer again and again are the local communities, who earn their living from tourism.

I was paralyzed when the bomb hit Taba and it broke my heart, when the bomb went off in Ras el Shatein. I was miserable when it hit Sharm. Now Dahab.
What shall I say: Sinai is safe – no it is not! But where on this earth do we have one safe place left?
Sinai paid a tough price. The former peaceful place of paradise turned into a playground for brutal psychopaths and it turned into a prison of security controls, which in the end could sadly enough not prevent these mean acts of terror.

All I wish that the 25th anniversary of Sinai will celebrate the liberation from terrorism and the return to a more mature status of paradise. Enough is enough!

I am in a dilemma. In fact Sinai 4 You should attract and encourage tourists to visit the Sinai. I should write about events and attractions, places to visit, the beauty the Sinai has to offer. And yes, Sinai is a mystifying place to be. Sinai has something for everyone. Luxury hotels, nature, indigenous people, biblical history and beyond,… divers can explore the underwater world, adventurers can explore the desert to the extent of even taking part in a survival training in the magnificent desert… meditation courses or just a sun and fun holiday.
Up to now I can strongly recommend visiting the Sinai. But there are also things that are heartbreaking like some strange developments happening here.

Let us take the road to Dahab. There are about 8 km from the checkpoint to Dahab town, a stretch of nowhere land, a piece of beautiful desert scenery. A few years ago someone decided to decorate the middle strip with different kinds of plants. One drove with a nice feeling along this road, on one hand the magnificent mountains on the other hand a line of greenery.
Yesterday I drove this road and I found many construction workers were busy to erect what seems like a kind of pedestrian way on both sides of the road. Not done with this. It seemed that the middle strip would be paved as well, and partly the plants looked very miserable. Not enough, I discovered a wall was build next to the walk way. Though it was made out of natural stone and not very high, the wall somehow blocked the view and took much from the beauty of the whole scenery.
Let’s count how much it takes to construct a 8 km long walking path, exactly 4 x 8 km long x 1 m wide. Who will use it anyway? Is it a way for people on foot? But nobody is walking there. No people are living there, no buildings are there either. Is it a frame? A picture frame gives emphasis to the picture. What is the picture, the asphalt road and not the picturesque mountain scenery? Why is the dumping place ruining the beautiful colors of the mountains visible from the road and why is this money not spent on a proper waste system? I am confused.

beautiful scenery - unfenced

Why?