For the last few days I have been soaking up the remote lifestyle of the Siwan people in Western Egypt. Only 80km away from the Libyan border and one can tell that this isn’t regular Egypt. Whilst Cairo has more than 5 million vehicles on it’s roads, here the roads are made from mud and bicycles and donkey pulled carts rule the roads. No traffic lights, no beeping and life is much like it were a long time ago. Most of the houses here are built out of mud-brick, too, and since it rains for about three days every 25 years, it makes sense.
The oasis is really something special. In the middle of the great rolling sand dunes, lies a collection of fresh, salty, hot and cold natural springs, which feeds and sustains the local environment. Hundreds of thousands of palm trees populate the area, each sucking up to as much as 300 litres of water a day to provide enough nutrients to grow up to 100kg of the finest quality dates. The region has attracted thousands of people across the centuries, from Alexander the Great and his visit to the Oracle of Amun, to the Persian generals who managed to lose an entire 50,000 troop army in the desert sand storms.
Life here is rich and plentiful. The people are genuine and seemingly happy. Today I spent my day riding a half rideable bicycle to visit the ruins of the Oracle of Amun and Cleopatra’s baths (which she never visited). In the afternoon, I lazed around the Oasis island and watched sunset until it was very cold, and had some kids take me home on their donkey cart. Food is also excellent here, some of the best tahina i have ever had. I hope to visit the rolling sand dunes tomorrow, and sleep under stars which are too plentiful to count. Surely it will be cold in the desert at night.
