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Kamis, 03 Juli 2014
adventure
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beaches
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Egypt
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resorts
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sea life
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travel
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water sports
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ENJOYING THE RED SEA COAST
The Red Sea got its name from the red coral reefs that lie off-shore. The sea itself is a brilliant turquoise, with warm water and sandy shores, with shallows stretching out far from the beaches. To really get a close-up of the coral reefs we went on a glass-bottom boat tour in Soma Bay.
Lynda and I enjoying the cruise
I love those glass-bottom boat trips. I went on one at Zakynthos, Greece last summer to see the caretta-caretta sea turtles. The trip I made on the Red Sea was just as spectacular with schools of brightly-coloured fish everywhere. As we passed over the beds of red coral you could see clearly all the sea-life below: fish, anemones, and crustaceans. We even spotted a couple of scuba divers exploring the reefs.
Diver?
Because of the reefs, diving is a popular sport on the Red Sea coast and from Hurghada north there are many dive schools offering gear and lessons for those who want to try. The area is a prime location of scuba diving and fast becoming a popular resort area as well. The beaches are some of the purest, most unspoiled in the world! The area is known as the Red Sea Riviera.Most of the resorts have dive schools and instructors for those who want to try snorkeling or scuba diving. As well, they offer other water sports such as kite surfing, wind surfing, jet-skiing, sailing and fishing. Or, like we did, you can take a cruise on a glass-bottom boat and survey the wonders of the sea from above.
Kite Surfing?
After a day at sea or on the beach you can relax in the beautiful, fully-equipped spas that these resorts offer to their guests. 
Before leaving our Soma Bay Resort area to board a plane back to Cairo at Hurghada, we stopped to visit another luxury resort, The Steigenberger Aqua Magic. This is one of the most vibrant family-oriented resorts on the Red Sea. This resort was definitely geared for families with children and an entire area is devoted to a Disney-like theme park for kids to enjoy with water slides, pirate ships.
A special program called Magic Tots Club for young guests includes fun and educational activities so parents can enjoy some leisure time on their own. There are lots of teen activities too including a games room, electronic games play station room, billiards, table tennis and a soft drinks bar.
For adults there are all the amenities you could wish for on a Riviera holiday including a 9-hole golf course, a dive centre, a shopping and leisure promenade where guests can shop and dine, The accommodations were posh, beautifully decorated with a congeal staff who showed us around. And when we checked the prices they were amazingly reasonable: �160 a day all inclusive for double occupancy. www.steigenbergeraquamagic.com
For adults there are all the amenities you could wish for on a Riviera holiday including a 9-hole golf course, a dive centre, a shopping and leisure promenade where guests can shop and dine, The accommodations were posh, beautifully decorated with a congeal staff who showed us around. And when we checked the prices they were amazingly reasonable: �160 a day all inclusive for double occupancy. www.steigenbergeraquamagic.com
Spa
?
After our tour we drove to Hurghada for our flight. I was sorry to say goodbye the Red Sea and would love to think I might visit again some day.
Kamis, 12 Juni 2014
HAVE I DIED AND GONE TO SHANGRI-LA? THREE LUXURIOUS DAYS BY THE RED SEA
No kidding! I thought I�d died and gone to Shangri-la when we drove out of the desert and entered the exotic and luxurious Kempinski Hotel at Soma Bay on the Red Sea. For a traveler like me who usually goes budget, even back-packs and camps, this sprawling Moorish style hotel-spa was like waking in a fairy-tale dream. The hotel occupies a beachside area spanning 150,000 sq meters offering 325 rooms designer furnished with views overlooking the hotel lagoon and creation pools to the sparkling turquoise water of the sea.
As I surveyed the luscious landscape, the waterfalls, streams, heated swimming pools and the long stretch of beach I could only gasp and say �Wow!� No wonder the Kempinski is known as the Pearl of the Red Sea!
Welcome to My Room!
After our long journey across the desert, I could hardly wait to go for a swim so I donned my bathing suit and headed for the beach. Imagine! A chance to swim in the Red Sea (called that name because of the red coral reefs), a sea that I had long-ago heard about in Bible stories. I envisioned myself drifting in the crystal clear water.
I started to wade out and went farther and farther from shore, the water barely reaching my shins! Now I know how Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt across the sea. They waded across! Finally I squatted down so it appeared that I was submerged and had my friend Linda take my photograph, just so I could say I �swam� in the Red Sea.
Wading in the Red Sea
Pretending to Swim?
?
Camels on the Beach
Then I returned to shore and joined my friends by the pool side. It is such a large pool it was almost like swimming in the sea so I spent the rest of the afternoon splashing around and lolling in the sun by pool-side.
There�s pool-side restaurant, Al Mar, where sunbathers can order snacks or drinks. The hotel�s main restaurant is The View where we were served a spectacular buffet dinner later that day.
It was fun just hanging out in the vast and beautifully decorated main lounge area where we lounged on comfy couches and checked our emails on our iphones and tablets.
In the evening Markos, Linda and I sat outside on the patio, ordered glasses of Egyptian wine (my favorite was the Omar Khayyam) and smoked a water pipe of pear flavored sheesah. This is a very communal type of pastime in Egypt, relaxing and sweet-tasting and not a narcotic smoked from a tall ornate pipe with long tubes for inhaling. Even a non-smoker like me enjoyed puffing away as we chatted and watched the glorious rosy sunset over the sea.
The Soma Bay Peninsula is 10 square miles but only 2 miles are developed. The Kempinski Hotel is one of several luxurious spa-resorts on the shores of Soma Bay. Just down the beach we visited the Residence Des Cascade Resort, another spa hotel.
We were taken around the 18 hole championship golf-course on a golf cart. This would appeal to most golfers, a par 72 course right by the sea the lush green fairways a contrast to the distant desert landscape.
Later we stopped at the Breakers Hotel, designed for the more laid-back adventurous folks. There�s a dive centre and a Kite House offering kite surfing and kite racing on the long stretch of beach. We watched dozens of brightly coloured kite-surfers, like giant butterflies, hovering over the water. You can take a 4 day kite-surfing course as well as learn how to scuba dive at the Dive Centre. There is also a volley ball training court.
We were invited to return for a free spa treatment. But Markos, Linda and I had other plans: a night out in the nearby city of Hurghada. I knew I�d be too tired to enjoy the fun if I went to the spa, so I passed up the chance. Good job too, because Yves was too tired to join us as we set off by van for a night of adventure in the city.
http://www.residencedescascades.com/
NEXT: Exploring the Night-life of Hurghada.
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