From time immemorial Sinai peninsula has been the gateway between Africa and Asia, and has been the subject of dispute and hostilities for thousands of years. It has always been a desirable target due to its strategic location and rich mineral wealth. The Sinai Peninsula has also been revered in various cultures as the site of God's revelation to Moses, the pilgrimage of the Jews during their Exodus from Egypt, and the flight of the Holy Family.
As Burton Burstein wrote, "in one way or another, it was implicated in Western and Middle Eastern history, both real and mythical," being the supposed route (there is no archaeological evidence) for the movement of the Jews to the Promised Land. Islam also came to North Africa through the Sinai Peninsula. Sinai then became the site of clashes between Crusaders and Muslims, Arabs and Israelis, and eventually became a demilitarized zone under international control.
Although Sinai is mostly desert, it looks too impressive and too beautiful to be just “24 thousand square miles of nothingness.” The interior of southern Sinai is an arid lunar landscape of jagged mountain ranges that hide St. Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai, which pilgrims and tourists climb along the "steps of repentance" from the Burning Bush to the summit where God handed down the Ten Commandments.
Further to the north is the endless Desert of Wandering, reminiscent of the canvases of Jackson Pollock, dotted with colored stripes and traces of tank tracks. The Sinai Peninsula is also home to many plant and animal species. More than 60% of Egypt's plants grow luxuriantly in this region. Mammals found in the area include the hyena, mountain goat and the rabbit-like hyrax. Venture into the desert on a camel or jeep safari and you'll discover hard-to-reach springs and lush oases and get a glimpse of Bedouin culture.
But first of all, it attracts the south, which amazes with the beauty of coral reefs and tropical fish in the Gulf of Aqaba; this is one of best places in the world for diving and snorkeling. Beach resorts in Sharm el-Sheikh (including Naama Bay), Dahab and Nuweiba will satisfy every taste and budget. From Sharm el-Sheikh you can also take excursions to Egypt's deepest reefs and to Ras Mohammed (a small peninsula located in the very south of Sinai), where marine life is most diverse, as well as the Strait of Tiran, littered with the remains of ships that crashed on the reefs in this narrow passage connecting the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba.
The Gulf of Suez, located northwest of here, looks much less spectacular compared to its eastern counterpart - although the winds blowing here all year round, make it a favorite place for windsurfers; there are no reefs and few attractions of interest to ordinary tourists. North Sinai is hardly visited by Western tourists; but in summer it is very popular among Egyptians. It's a deserted coastline that you can barely see from the road, famous for the single town and center of El Arish; This quiet place with a palm-fringed beach and a weekly Bedouin market.
A Brief History of the Sinai Peninsula
50 million years ago, the Arabian Plate broke away from the African continent, tearing the Sinai Peninsula away from the continent, and the Red Sea filled this gap. Hot springs at the bottom indicate that the tectonic movements that created Sinai are still active - expanding by 7.5 centimeters every year.
In prehistoric times, the climate was less arid, and the Sinai was home to herds of gazelles, which people caught as early as the Stone Age. In the Bronze Age, Semitic tribes from Mesopotamia were the first to exploit the copper ore and turquoise deposits in Sinai, before the colonization of the peninsula by the 3rd Dynasty pharaohs, who conquered the Semites and forced them to work in mines and build roads and fortifications.
According to Egyptian mythology, it was on Sinai that Isis searched for the torn body of Osiris; the goddess Hathor was also associated with this region and was called "Our Queen of Sinai". The rule of the pharaohs continued until the invasion of the Hyksos - “shepherd kings”, who owned northern Egypt for more than a century, until Ahmose I drove them out and eventually destroyed their last bastion in Gaza. Subsequently, along this route, Thutmose III and Ramesses II invaded Palestine and Syria.
Exodus of Jews from Egypt
Safely preserved by the Old Testament and centuries of tradition, the Exodus of the Jews from Egypt is historical mystery, since no archaeological evidence of their wanderings in the Sinai has been discovered - although excavations at Avaris in the Delta suggest that this was the “City of Slavery” from where they left. It is generally accepted that this happened during the reign of the 19th Dynasty pharaoh, Merneptah (1236-1223 BC), although Egyptologist David Rohl argues that it happened two centuries earlier (circa 1447 BC), during the time of Dudimos, the pharaoh XIII Dynasty.
To determine the path of the Israelites and the various key places where they stayed, scholars have compared biblical accounts with natural features and tried to compare myths with reality. The "Red Sea" mentioned in the King James I Bible is a mistranslation from the Hebrew: it is Yam-suf, or the Sea of Reeds, which corresponds to the salt lakes and marshes north of Suez, known in modern times as the Bitter Lakes.
From here the Israelites headed to the coast at Ain Musa and followed Wadi Feiran inland towards Mount Sinai, although another theory states that they crossed into northern Sinai and received the Ten Commandments at Gebel Halal. In any case, the next forty years they lived in the desert can only be explained by the very long stay of the Israelis in “Kadesh Barnea”, identified as the oasis of Ain Kedirat, where there are extensive ruins.
Christianity and Islam in Egypt
Over the next millennium, Sinai was invaded by the Assyrians, Hittites and Babylonians, the Egyptians recaptured it, and were in turn conquered by the Persians and Greeks. While the Ptolemies built ports along the Mediterranean coast, Semitic tribes from Petra settled between Aqaba and Gaza, both peoples eventually succumbing to the ancient Romans. Whether the Holy Family crossed Sinai or not to escape the massacre carried out by Herod, the region attracted hermits even before Emperor Constantine declared Christianity the state religion, which took root in cathedrals and monasteries under the patronage of Justinian.
In 639-40, Arabs burst into Sinai, inspired by the preaching of Islam. The new faith suited the local tribes, who began to plunder the monasteries in the desert, while the Arabs did the same to the cities and cathedrals. North Sinai eventually became a pawn in the Crusades, the area between Aqaba and Rafah belonged to the kingdom of the Franks until they collapsed at Acre. After the Crusades, the victorious Mamluks resumed trade routes through Sinai, but the peninsula remained Egypt's Achilles heel as the Ottoman Turks and Muhammad Ali asserted their claim to the conquered territories in 1517 and 1831.
Sinai Peninsula in the 20th century
The strategic importance of the Sinai increased after the completion of the Suez Canal, and in 1892 forced Turkey to recognize it as a buffer zone. Supported, it recaptured it in 1914, building roads and water pipelines along the northern coast and inland. The Anglo-Egyptian troops were only able to push the Turks back a little. During World War II, Sinai witnessed minor battles, but changes in Israel's borders brought the area back to the front line. In 1948, the Israelis repulsed Arab attacks from all sides and captured the Gaza Strip before an armistice was signed, withdrawing only under British pressure.
By closing the Gulf of Aqaba to Israeli ships and nationalizing the Suez Canal, Egyptian President Nasser brought British and Israeli interests together. The Israeli offensive on Sinai in October 1956 was the agreed pretext for Anglo-French intervention in the Suez Crisis; Although it was a successful operation in military terms, the three countries were forced to admit defeat under pressure from international intervention, UN peacekeeping forces positioned themselves in a buffer zone in Gaza and guaranteed free passage through the Gulf of Aqaba.
But in the future, Arab-Israeli wars were inevitable. When it forced the UN to leave the country and renewed the blockade in 1967, Israel launched a preemptive strike against a number of Arab countries, captured the entire peninsula and held it after the Six Day War, fortifying it with the Bar Lev Line along the eastern bank of the Suez Canal. In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, Egyptian forces broke into the Sinai but were met with a powerful counterattack across the canal.
US-led peace talks culminated in President Sadat's historic visit to Jerusalem, and the Camp David Accords and peace treaty led to Egypt's exclusion from the Arab League for a decade. In turn, Israel evacuated all settlements that arose during the occupation of Sinai, and the territory was returned to Egypt. The gradual relocation ended in 1982, with the exception of the disputed enclave of Taba, which was resolved in 1989. International Military Observers (MFOs) based in Naama Bay monitored the demilitarized zones in Sinai from orange-flag outposts located around the peninsula.
Tourism, brought to Sinai by the Israelis, was initially damaged when it was transferred to Egypt, as the Camp David Accords prohibited any development or construction in the area for five years. However, since 1988, the calm has given way to feverish activity: on the coast of Aqaba, where there were once only five hotels, there are now more than 150, and more are being built. While the areas of Ras Mohammed, Abu Galum and Nabq have the status nature reserves, the entire coastline north of Nuweiba and from Sharm el-Sheikh to national park Nabq is densely built up. Plans to expand hotel construction deep into the desert and establish direct charter flights from Europe could be on the line while Sinai remains a desert area.
The fickle nature of Middle Eastern politics, however, means that tourism along the Sinai coast is a precarious business. Since 2000, with the outbreak of the Palestinian intifada, tourism from Israel has slowed to a near standstill, and the terrorist attacks in Taba have made the situation even worse. While resorts in Sharm el-Sheikh remain full, plans for the "Red Sea Riviera" - which includes Taba, Eilat in Israel and Aqaba in Jordan - have been shelved; the airport in Taba is now rarely used, and tourist centers holiday resorts along the coast in the Nuweiba area are mostly empty. This is especially true of the Bedouin sites in Tarabin, which are almost completely devoid of life.
Bedouins in Egypt
The majority of Sinai's inhabitants are Bedouins, who say they are descended from the Hejaz tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, and therefore consider themselves to be among the most pure Arab peoples. Only the Jabaliya tribe differs from the others, originating from the Caucasus. Traditionally, each tribe wanders around its territory in search of pastures and settles near local oases. The Mizayna claim the land between El Torah and Nuweiba, the Tarabeen from Nuweiba to El Arish; Jabaliya - St. Catherine's area, and so on. The number of tribes in Sinai is, according to various estimates, from 14 to 27.
Other tribes include the Sawalha, Alekat, Walad Shahin and Tiyakh. Together they are known as tavarah ("Arabs of the Torah"), in honor of ancient name peninsula, or simply al-Arab. For all tribes, the honor of the tribe and family was always the most important, raiding and camel theft were constant causes of blood feuds that could persist for generations. Agriculture or fishing were always secondary to the breeding of goats and camels - it was by this that the wealth of the tribe was judged; camels for racing were valued above all else.
Although, being faithful Muslims, the Bedouins retained pagan superstitions and practices from the "times of ignorance" along with their own common law (urf) instead of the usual Islamic jurisprudence. Unsurprisingly, the Bedouins often fought back against outside authorities, and efforts to settle them failed until Israel built water tanks, schools, and clinics in several areas in the 1970s. By providing jobs and exposing Bedouins to the comforts of the Western lifestyle, coastal resorts are equally big influence to their traditional way of life.
Today, many make their living in the tourism business, as taxi drivers or in construction, and stone houses with corrugated iron roofs and television antennas are more common than black tents. Although relations between the Bedouins and Egyptians are generally peaceful, there are increasing reasons for discontent; they mainly concern administrators and entrepreneurs from mainland Egypt, whom the Bedouins only tolerate in their territory, but their number is constantly growing.
Visit to the Sinai Peninsula
The differences between Sinai and mainland Egypt can cause culture shock. For those who are accustomed to Egyptian cities and beaches, the Sinai Peninsula will seem surprisingly deserted, calm, where no one bothers you - this is especially noticeable for women. If you come from Israel or Jordan and, after spending a few days on the beaches of Sinai, then head to, your impressions will be the opposite. Both the Bedouins and the occasional settlers from the Egyptian mainland exhibit a distinct Sinai character and are disdainful of the Egyptian government, often comparing it to the period of Israeli rule, not at all in favor of the former.
Even the seller’s greeting is different: “Kif halak” (“How are you/how are you?”) instead of “Izzeyak.” For ease of understanding, this article divides the peninsula into three zones: the gulf coast and Aqaba, the interior and northern Sinai. Connections between the resorts along the coastal strip of the Gulf of Aqaba and the interior in the area of Sainte-Catherine are well established (these two sections create administrative district southern Sinai), but northern Sinai is separated from both, except for an improved route between El Arish and Nakhl, in the interior.
Unlike other places in Egypt, you can visit part of the peninsula with only a Sinai visa, valid for two weeks, which you can get at Taba (on the Israeli border), at the port (where ships from Jordan arrive) or at Sharm airport El-Sheikh, 10 kilometers from Naama Bay, where charter flights from Europe are carried out. This visa is only valid on the Aqaba coast to Sharm el-Sheikh and in the immediate vicinity of St. Catherine's Monastery (essentially a visa for southern Sinai).
If you want to visit Ras Mohammed, other areas of the Sinai interior or mainland Egypt, you will need a full Egyptian visa, which cannot be issued in Nuweiba or Taba at the border crossing, but can be obtained upon arrival at Sharm el airport. Sheikha ($15). You can pay in pounds sterling, but the exchange rate is not very friendly, so use dollars if possible.
Climate and entertainment on the Sinai Peninsula
The climate of the Sinai Peninsula is extreme. On the coast, daytime summer temperatures can reach 50 degrees Celsius, while nights can be quite mild, depending on the prevailing wind. In the mountains, snow sometimes falls in the winter, and in the spring there are downpours with hurricanes; the nights are cool - they can even be very cold. To avoid sunburn and heatstroke, you should wear a hat, use high-protection sunscreen, and drink 4 to 6 liters of water per day (more if you're traveling) in all seasons except winter. It is obvious that climate is an important factor influencing the occupation of tourists holidaying in the Sinai Peninsula.
In the summer, the heat will likely cause you to spend less time on the beach and more time in the water and eventually forget about traveling or camel rides. Fortunately, diving or snorkeling can be done safely at any time of the year, this is the main advantage of Sinai. Certificates about diving centers, courses and trips are issued at each resort. As a rule, places near the coast can be visited by jeep at any time of the year, and between October and April - by camel. Traveling to the highlands is possible in winter if you are prepared to face cold nights and even snowfall; and in summer - if you can bear the heat.
Transport, accommodation and costs in the Sinai Peninsula
All major tourist places accessible thanks to well-paved roads and several types of public transport. Most travelers say that getting around the area is quite easy, as the local buses are a fairly reliable and cheap form of transport, and taxis can be used to get to and from any resort. The only exception is the border at Taba, where there are only a couple of buses a day to take people further south - also a few service taxis, whose drivers try to take advantage of the situation and charge high prices.
Foreign motorists are restricted on main roads; The scorching heat and vast distances make hitchhiking quite difficult unless your destination is nearby or you are confident that you can drive all the way (or at least to a place where there is shade and walking buses). Women are strongly discouraged from catching a car alone. The peacekeeping force, officially called the Multinational Forse and Observes (MFO), an independent international organization created by Egypt and Israel to monitor a section of the border between the two countries after a peace treaty was signed in 1979, has banned private drivers take travel companions.
The type of accommodation varies from place to place: from expensive country villas in Naama Bay to cheap " tent camps» in Nuweiba. Of course, they can only be called camps conditionally: these are houses made of stone, concrete, bamboo or palm leaves, not always equipped with electricity and bathrooms. Although tourism is a year-round business, there are several peak periods when hotels increase prices and are more likely to be full. To some extent, this depends on the location of the resort: in Sharm el-Sheikh, an influx of tourists occurs in spring, autumn and Christmas. Before the political situation between Israel and Palestine deteriorated, the Bedouin camps between Taba and Dahab, especially in Tarabin and to the north, filled with Israelis during Jewish holidays.
Also, don't forget about the holiday periods in Egypt - from December 22 to February 2, from March 1 to May 3 and from July 19 to October 31 - during these times you should make reservations in advance. It must be said that in general the cost of daily necessities, food and transport services in Sinai is higher than anywhere else in Egypt, but still cheaper than in Israel and Europe. Tap water in Sinai is not drinkable, so you will have to buy it in bottles (they are cheaper in stores than in hotels). All major resorts have banks, and you can change dollars at most stores. Many diving centers and hotels now accept payments in Euros.
Sights of the Sinai Peninsula
1). Reefs and wrecks– You can visit the infamous Blue Hole or explore the wrecks in the Thistelgorm area;
2). Ras Mohammed– The first Egyptian national park, located in the very south of the Sinai Peninsula, one of the best places for diving;
3). – The most popular Egyptian resort, whose bars and cafes are crowded with tourists by nightfall;
4). National Park Nabq– You will see amazing landscapes and the northernmost mangroves in the world;
5). – Relax in Asilaha, a great diving spot, full of inexpensive hotels and cafes;
6). Bedouin culture– In the desert, mawlids and weddings are held on the full moon;
7). Sandy beaches – The beautiful beaches stretching between Nuweiba and Taba are dotted with inexpensive recreation centers for travelers;
8). Desert Safari– Take a camel or a jeep to visit the Bedouins in remote wadis surrounded by palm trees;
9). – It was built by the Byzantine Empress Helen in honor of the Burning Bush at the foot of Mount Sinai;
10). Mount Sinai– Climb the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments and watch the sunrise over the Sinai desert.
In contact with
I am in awe and in awe of the beauty of the Sinai Peninsula! I have been here many times and it seems that I know almost every stone, every gorge and mountain peak. But every time I rejoice as if I had conquered Mars. And yet these views are exactly what Mars resembles, at least in the form in which Arnold Schwarzenegger’s hero showed us in the film “Total Recall.” The road from Dahab deep into Sinai, to Mount Sinai and the monastery of St. Catherine, in my opinion, is the most picturesque in Sinai. One day, having swam a lot in the Red Sea, we took a minibus (on a tip from Alena Lyutikova, a girl who has lived in Dahab for almost 15 years and knows absolutely everything about Sinai) for only 450 pounds and off we go!
The colors are so bright that sometimes it seems that your eyes are dazzled -
You shouldn’t put your camera away even for a minute, gorgeous vistas open around every turn -
Small Bedouin camps are scattered chaotically across the desert -
Dangerous serpentines and sometimes broken roads await you. But all this just adds color -
The famous fork: to the left is Mount Sinai, and to the right is the road to Cairo, where you will not be allowed to enter without a full-fledged Egyptian visa (a free Sinai stamp will not work). By the way, the road to Cairo is very interesting. You will pass the largest oasis of Sinai, Waidi Feiran, then the oil town of Abu Rudeis (founded by the Israelis in 1968) and large resort Ras Sudr is near the city of Suez and the canal of the same name. It will be there unusual object- firing point "", where in 1967 - 1975 the Israeli military base, from where artillery strikes were carried out on Egyptian positions on the eastern side of the canal. The famous line of defense also begins there.
The monastery is colorful, but is already closed. We didn’t really try to arrive before 12 noon (visits are possible from 9 to 12), since we had already been inside several years ago. It’s no less interesting to walk around -
How a camel eats these hellish thorns without being pricked is a mystery.
In Egypt, auto rarities get a second and third life -
I wonder how this truck got thrown onto the cliff?
These and other debris military equipment part of the road to Mount Sinai is dotted. In 1967, battles took place here between the Israelis and the Egyptian army. The latter suffered a crushing defeat -
Just a kettle and just glasses in the middle of the desert. The Bedouins leave this for road-weary travelers -
Picturesque dunes where it’s fun to run barefoot -
It's getting dark, it's time to go home!
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Geography and geology
The Sinai Peninsula, better known simply as Sinai (Arabic: شبه جزيرة سيناء, Shibh Jazirat Sina) has the shape of a wedge, pointed to the south, bounded on the north by the Mediterranean coast, on the west by the Gulf of Suez, on the east by the Gulf of Aqaba. Since the boundaries of the peninsula are arbitrary, its territory, depending on the determination method, is estimated to range from 25 thousand to 60 thousand km². The territory is mainly occupied by desert; there are mountains closer to the south (the most high point this is Mount St. Catherine, 2637 m) and plateau. Oil fields have been discovered on the peninsula, and turquoise has also traditionally been mined.
Traveling through the Sinai, you can find yourself in three countries - Egypt, Jordan and Israel. All of them are in close proximity to each other. The average travel time is 2-3 hours.
The main attraction of the Sinai Peninsula is its beautiful and majestic fauna - the coral reefs of the Red Sea. Along the entire coast of Sinai there is a wide barrier reef which makes it very popular place dives among divers all over the world.
The deserts of the Sinai Peninsula are home to wolves, hyenas, foxes, mountain goats, gazelles and eagles.
Climate and weather
Tropical desert. The temperature in summer is 35-40 °C (which, due to the dry air, feels like 26-28 °C in Moscow), in winter - 23-26 °C. There are 365 sunny days a year, in winter and autumn it can be cloudy, but the sun is visible every day. Dahab, located on east coast Sinai Peninsula is considered a year-round resort. Wind - 300 days a year, which causes the rapid development of windsurfing and kitesurfing in the region. Water temperature ranges from 21-22 °C in January to 28-29 °C in July and August. The frequency of high and low tide is about 6 hours.
The indigenous inhabitants of the Sinai Desert are the Bedouins. The word “Bedouin” comes from the Arabic يودب badawi - “inhabitant of the desert (steppe)”, “nomad”. Typically, this term is used to refer to the entire population of the Arab world who lead a nomadic lifestyle, regardless of their nationality or religion. According to modern science, Bedouins have lived in the desert for at least 4-5 thousand years.
The Bedouins are distinguished by their national traditions and culture, which sometimes run counter to Arab principles. Formally, the Bedouins are Muslims, but, nevertheless, they still follow many pagan customs and beliefs traditional for their tribes, and all disputes, conflicts and problems are resolved according to their own Bedouin law - Urfa. The first law of a Bedouin is hospitality. They are excellent guides and without them it would be impossible to see those natural beauty, which are located far from highways. They know the desert grasses well and determine their path by unknown signs.
Over the past 30 years, the life of the Bedouin has undergone many changes, one of which is that Jeep SUVs have almost universally replaced camels as the food of choice. vehicle, but fortunately, Bedouin culture in Sinai has remained virtually unchanged. Almost all Bedouins live in the north of Dahab - in the Assala area, the main bay of the once Bedouin village.
Bedouin men and women traditionally have different roles in society. Bedouin men typically earn a living for their families. Today, some of them work as safari guides, drivers, some own shops, some are involved in construction or in the service sector. Women work primarily in the home, taking care of household chores, the family, and the herd of goats, sheep, and camels.
The Bedouins have an amazing gift of storytelling and can tell you numerous stories about “what events happened in ancient times.” Most stories are unusual stories about the behavior of camels, about the miraculous treatment with medicinal herbs that they use in their family. Many Bedouins have a real talent for poetry, often using it for special occasions such as weddings.
Since time immemorial, Sinai, sometimes figuratively called “24 thousand square miles of nothingness,” has been one of the world's great crossroads. Since ancient times, the peninsula has served as a transit route from Africa to Asia, from Europe to Indian Ocean and to the Far East, was a bridge between the Mediterranean and Red Seas. In the 16th century BC. egyptian pharaohs built a road leading through Sinai to Beersheba (Bathsheba) and further to Jerusalem. The "Great Sea Route" connecting the Nile Valley with Mesopotamia passed along Mediterranean coast peninsula.
The sands of Sinai remember Napoleon, who passed through it north coast in 1799 during the Egyptian campaign. Since the 13th century, it belonged first to the Mamelukes and then to the Turkish Ottoman Empire, until in 1917, during the First World War, the peninsula was captured by British troops.
In 1967, as a result of the Six-Day War, the Israelis conquered the peninsula; The Suez Canal closed.
In 1973, the Egyptians crossed the Suez Canal and attacked Israel. Israel drove the Egyptian troops back. Israel later withdrew its troops located west of the canal.
In 1979, after the signing of the Egyptian-Israeli peace treaty, Israel began to gradually return the peninsula to Egypt, dismantling most of its settlements, and the rest went to Egypt (for example, the settlement of Ophir in the south of the peninsula became the current Sharm el-Sheikh).
Egypt
The local currency is the Egyptian pound. There are 100 piastres in one pound. They are freely exchanged for dollars and other convertible currencies at banks and exchange offices, which are usually located at airports, hotels, large restaurants, etc. 1 US dollar costs about 6 Egyptian pounds (rate varies). Coins come in 5, 10, 25 piastres. Banknotes come in denominations of 10, 25 and 50 piastres, and pounds in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 500, 1000. Be careful when receiving change when shopping, because The 50 piastres and 50 pounds notes are very similar!
Credit cards and travelers checks are widely used in large tourist centers. There are many ATMs and they are quite common in all retail outlets. However, in the province, the use of electronic payment instruments is extremely difficult.
Israel
The official currency of Israel is the new shekel (NIS), the plural in Hebrew is "shkalim". One shekel is equal to 100 agorot, the singular number is "agora". Currently in circulation in Israel are banknotes of 200, 100, 50 and 20 shekels, coins of 1, 5 and 10 shekels, as well as 50, 10 and 5 agorot.
Credit cards from the world's leading payment systems are accepted almost everywhere. ATMs are widespread. Many ATMs allow you to withdraw cash in foreign currencies. International credit cards and traveler's checks can also be cashed in the foreign currency departments of banks without commissions.
Jordan
The monetary unit is the Jordanian dinar. 1 dinar = 1000 fils. The Jordanian dinar is divided into 100 qirsh and 1000 fils. Weighted average exchange rate - 1USD = 0.7JOD
Currency exchange can be done in banks, hotels, special exchange offices, as well as at borders and at the airport.
Payment for goods and services usually occurs in dinars.
The shops
Shops in Egypt are usually open until 22:00. If there is a price set for the product, then haggling is pointless. If not, the price can be reduced by 10-20%, and sometimes more.
Souvenirs.
Egypt has a huge variety of souvenirs. It is impossible to think of a more Egyptian souvenir than papyrus with colored drawings. Papyri are inexpensive, durable, lightweight and easy to transport. It should be noted that Egypt is flooded with cheap fakes - made from rice paper and banana leaves with stamped designs, so you should buy papyri only in specialized stores, the so-called “papyrus museums”, where quality certificates are issued. Throughout Sinai, coinage - plates with Arabic designs or artistically decorated hookahs - are very popular among tourists. You can also buy oils and essences of plant origin.
Sinai's business card is a T-shirt with a diver or windsurfer depicted on it with the inscription Surf ever, work never.
In Egypt, Israel and Jordan, time is one hour behind Moscow
Communication and Internet
If you use the “Roaming” service, SIM cards from MTS, Beeline and Megafon operators are connected to the local operator in all places visited by tourists.
When talking from a pay phone on the street, 1 minute of conversation with Russia costs about 60 rubles, at a call center about 100, and from a hotel - 150 rubles. The minimum duration of calls from call centers or from hotels is 3 minutes. The billing starts on the third ring, and money is charged even if the call is not answered. A card is required to speak from a pay phone. They are usually sold in "small supermarkets", bus stations, etc. A twenty-pound card is enough for about 6-8 minutes of conversation with Moscow, but if there is less than a certain amount left on it (about 5 pounds), then it can only be used for local calls. There are cards for 10, 50 pounds. International code Russia 007, then you need to dial the area code and subscriber number.
Electricity
In Egypt, the network voltage is 220V. European type sockets.
Border crossing rules
Due to the fact that the Sinai Peninsula is divided between three states, when traveling here you will most likely cross borders. And each case has its own nuances.
Egypt - Israel
If you want to cross the border between Egypt and Israel while on the Sinai Peninsula, it will be very easy to do so. It is enough to come to Taba (180 km from Sharm el-Sheikh).
While vacationing in Taba, you fall under the jurisdiction of Egypt, but the proximity to the Israeli border gives every chance to combine one person in two countries at the same time.
Here you should take into account the nuances when crossing the border!
Who does not have to pay the Israeli exit tax when crossing the border?
First of all, based on the Camp David Agreement between the two countries mentioned, the Taba area is considered a special zone. We are talking about a stretch of land starting from the border and ending with the Tobya Hotel two kilometers to the south. On these two kilometers there are at least ten hotels where thousands of tourists live. As you know, when leaving Israel, everyone is forced to pay a $32 border tax. Then, on the Egyptian side, the tourist is forced to pay 75 pounds ($14) entry fee. At the same time, only those who plan to travel outside the above-mentioned two-kilometer Taba zone pay.
In other words, if you are, say, staying at the Hilton-Taba, then you do not have to pay an exit fee. Even if you cross the border every half hour. To avoid paying this amount, you must provide border guards with evidence that you live in the Taba area. For example, a hotel reservation.
Who should pay £75 to enter Egypt?
Only those who plan to stay outside the Taba area pay. The scheme is the same as with the Israeli exit tax. If you live in a hotel near the border, you don't pay anything. You will need proof of your hotel reservation or room keys.
When crossing the border into Israel from Egypt, you must remember that an additional border fee is charged: 60 shekels for Russian citizens (Egypt-Israel) and 200 shekels for return (Israel-Egypt) on the Israeli side and 75 pounds on the Egyptian side.
Egypt - Jordan
There are two options to get to Jordan from Egypt. You can take advantage of a regular ferry line between the Egyptian town of Nuweiba on the Sinai Peninsula and the Jordanian port of Aqaba. The duration of such a trip is 3-4 hours, the cost is $70-80 (depending on the ship).
Some time ago, a new ferry line opened, Taba - Aqaba. It is much more convenient than Nuweiba - Aqaba. But while this line is used for charter flights on orders from travel agencies, there are either no tickets available for free sale, or their purchase is extremely unpredictable.
Israel - Jordan
It's possible, but not necessary. It is better to take the ferry from Egypt. If you really want an original trip, then from Israeli Eilat this can be done through the Arava checkpoint, a ten-minute drive from the city center in the direction Dead Sea. For those who, for one reason or another, do not have a suitable bus departure time or a fixed return date, they can easily get to one of the border crossings at public transport, go through border control, and on the Jordanian side, take advantage of frequent and cheap local buses and minibuses. However, it should be noted that in order to directly cross the border, you will have to negotiate with one of the bus or truck drivers traveling to Jordan to take you with them when crossing the bridge over the Jordan River, since crossing the border on foot is prohibited. The same rule applies when returning back. When making financial calculations for your trip, you should keep in mind that the fee when leaving Israel for Jordan is $17 in shekel equivalent.
Health
Officially, vaccinations are not required for Russians traveling to Egypt. Some doctors recommend vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus, typhoid and polio.
It is necessary to observe basic rules of personal hygiene. It is recommended to brush your teeth with bottled water because... Desalinated water comes from the tap.
The standard of living in Egypt has grown rapidly over the past 20 years and continues to rise. Egypt's health care also does not stand still; the country is equipped with new hospitals and modern equipment. Prices for medicines in Egypt are much lower than Russian prices.
Egyptian cuisine in Sinai.
On the Egyptian side of Sinai, the cuisine is unique and sometimes you can find dishes here that you will not find throughout the entire Egyptian territory.
As a rule, when looking for food in Dahab, you first of all come to the famous promenade with numerous Arabic-style restaurants. These are Friends, one of the oldest and famous for its friendly atmosphere, Ali Baba with white tablecloths and an atmosphere of peculiar pathos, El Lantern, Nemo, Green Valley, Chillout, Napoleon, Al Capone and others. It is almost impossible to understand at first glance how they differ from each other. The truth is that practically nothing. Those. their menu is exactly the same, traditional for this class of restaurants. However, significant differences can be found in prices, service and quality of preparation. Moreover, it is curious that one thing can be good in one restaurant, and something else in another. One way or another, it is certainly worth sitting on the shore, trying traditional dishes, smoking a hookah, and feeling the special atmosphere of these establishments. Not doing this means not fully visiting Dahab.
First, get rid of the illusory desire to try Arab cuisine. She is not in Dahab. To do this, it is better to go to Cairo or Alexandria. What classic restaurants offer to tourists is the modernized traditions of the former Israeli resort. If you want something truly Arabic, go to one of the workers' canteens in the city and order falafel (pea fritters) and ful (stewed beans). All Arabs eat this for breakfast every day and it’s delicious! In addition, you will get to know non-tourist places and feel their flavor.
Let's return to the menu of traditional tourist restaurants. It consists of several types of main dishes: meat, chicken, fish or seafood, cooked on the grill or on an open window, always served as a side dish with rice and French fries, sometimes grilled vegetables, and as a preliminary appetizer - tortillas and a set of local salads in tiny plates (all included in the price).
This is the main tradition of Israeli cuisine, which was adopted by the Egyptian Sinai - to serve before the main course. a large number of a variety of snacks. Despite the fact that chefs have greatly simplified the cooking technology and reduced the number of appetizer options (there are 6-7 main ones, while Israeli catering establishments offer up to 50 types), the tradition is very interesting and pleasant. The main thing is not to overeat on appetizers so that you can fit in the main course later!
Some appetizers deserve a separate description: tahina, khomus, babaganoush, tzatziki.
They look unusual, but they are definitely worth a try. Tahina is sesame puree with the addition of spices and vegetable oil. Khomus - white pea and chickpea puree.
Babaganoush is a baked eggplant appetizer, often topped with tahini. It is prepared differently everywhere. Sometimes it’s very tasty, sometimes it’s inedible. Tzatziki is yogurt with grated fresh cucumbers. It tastes very good and cannot be spoiled.
Jordanian cuisine in Sinai
The most favorite dish in Jordan, which, for example, is served to guests at noisy weddings, is mensaf (lamb cooked in sour cream, served on rice with the resulting soup and strewn with toasted pine nuts).
But if mansaf is to some extent a festive dish, then adas (yellow lentils with chicken and onions in lemon juice) is a dish eaten almost every day. This hearty lentil stew is usually eaten in winter. Another typically Jordanian dish is very interesting - maqluba, which is translated from Arabic as “upside down”. The name of the dish fully corresponds to the method of its preparation. Potatoes and eggplants are fried together with beef or lamb in a saucepan or frying pan. Then pre-fried rice is added there, filled with water, salt and spices are added and the whole thing is simmered until cooked. Well, then the makluba is covered with a large dish and turned over. It turns out to be a meat-potato-rice casserole, served on a large platter with sour cream. Jordanian taverns often offer mlukhiya - a soup made from meat, chicken or rabbit with garlic, rice and lemon juice. The leaves of various herbs growing in Arab countries give mlukhia a special piquancy. An inexpensive dish of Jordanian cuisine is cutlets made from coarsely crushed peas, which are generously smeared with theheniya (aka tahina), a kind of putty made from the same yellow peas with sesame oil. Thenia is often eaten with meat or chicken dishes. Our tourists can get acquainted with this seasoning in Israel.
Anyone who has tried the sweets made in Jordan has invariably come to the conclusion that what is called " oriental sweets"in other Arab countries (with the possible exception of Syria and Lebanon) this is not the case. The most popular sweets in Jordan are made using pistachios (baklava), cheese (kanaf) or in the form of cookies strewn with sim-sim (sesame).
Pay attention to the coffee. Many gourmets bring kilograms of coffee from Jordan.
Israeli cuisine in Sinai.
There is one defining principle in the cuisine of Israel (it applies to all geographical areas): a religious Jew eats only kosher food, and only those restaurants that comply with the strict rules of the rabbinical overseers are allowed to exist.
“Kosher” generally means “pure” or “permissible,” and the set of rules that determine kosher is called kashrut. Three Rules of Kosher There are three basic rules of kosher written in the Torah. First: “Do not boil a kid in its mother’s milk,” therefore meat and milk should not be combined in the same container and in the stomach. The second rule is related to the prohibition of consuming blood, so cattle are slaughtered in a special way so that all the blood flows out of the animal. According to the third rule, it is allowed to eat only the meat of artiodactyl mammals, chewing cud, poultry and those marine inhabitants that have scales and gills. As a result, it is forbidden to eat pork and camel meat, as well as lobsters and crabs. However, despite all the restrictions, food in Israel is varied and tasty. And those who cannot do without sour cream sauce for beef will find a restaurant in Eilat that serves non-kosher food.
Israeli cuisine, in addition to kosher, is also distinguished by Arab influence, as well as the use of local seasonings mentioned in the Bible: sesame, cinnamon, mint, coriander, which adds originality to the dishes. Menus in restaurants are usually written not only in Hebrew, but also in English language, and in some places in Russian.
Sinai, Sinai Peninsula(rocky, rocky) - the mountain and desert of Rocky Arabia, where the Israelites came in the third month after leaving Egypt and from the top of which the law from God was given to the Jews, and therefore Sinai in the Holy. Scripture is often called the mountain of God and the mountain of Jehovah. The Arabs currently call the mountain Tour, or JebelTur Sina. Sinai, as a place of legislation, is indicated in other places in both the Old Testament () and New Testament books (,).
An ancient legend also testifies to Sinai as a mountain of legislation. Since ancient times, Egyptian Christians have retired there to escape persecution. St. hid there for some time. Great Martyr Catherine, and on one of the peaks of it there is still a monastery dedicated to her name, and in general ancient desert dwellers settled on it, seeking silence and solitude for their holy deeds. In the 5th century the entire deserted Sinai region, despite the desolation of its nature, was dotted with monasteries. It is believed that Mohammed knew Mount Sinai well and gave orders to his commanders not to disturb the quiet and serene life of the desert people of Sinai. And indeed, after the conquest of these places by the Mohammedans, the Sinai monastery, although open to their attacks, still exists, and legends do not speak of any violence on their part.
The Sinai Peninsula, on which the city of Sinai and Horeb rises, is formed by two gulfs of the Red Sea - Suez and Aqaba, but in a broad sense it includes the northern desert up to the land of Canaan and to the Mediterranean Sea. This country is of particular importance and significance for us due to the events that took place here during the journey of the Jews from Egypt to the Promised Land and their forty-year wandering. A look at Sinai, the Sinai Peninsula and its surroundings presents so much extraordinary and special that no mountain can compare with it. Apart from the nearby plains, there is nowhere to be seen any green meadow, no forest, no babbling spring, no waterfall, no hut, no village, no greenery, no tree, no animal, no birds, no livestock, no people. Cliffs and ridges of granite and porphyry rise everywhere. There is a chasm in the very gorges, and neither sandstone nor limestone is visible anywhere - only stones or blocks of granite that have fallen from the top of the cliffs. Throughout the long and extremely tiring journey to the top of the mountain, where there are 3,100 steps, travelers mention only one source of water emerging from under a stone and one magnificent cypress tree towering on the mountain plain, and also nearby a well of water collected from the rains , and only in some places does ash-like grass and greenery appear from stone crevices (Trud. V. Acad. 1872, May, pp. 298–299, 303–304).
The mountain's summit rises to more than 8,000 feet. above the surface of the sea and consists of 2 small areas, each 3 fathoms. squared; on the northern site a small one was built in honor of the Transfiguration of the Lord, and on the other - a Muslim mosque. In the rock behind the church towards the village. indicate the place where Moses hid during the miraculous vision of a bush burning and not being consumed. But while the mountains of Sinai represent a complete desert, we find something completely different in the valleys: they are enlivened by springs, and their high position produces such a beneficial effect on the climate that during the hot season, travelers find residence, for example, in the monastery of St. Catherine most favorable for good health. In winter, snow covers the top of the mountain and, for a short time, the monastery itself. In the summer, when the simum rages in the plains near the sea, the air in the monastery plains is the most moderate. Bright lightning and terrible peals of thunder occur only occasionally, and earthquakes are very rare.
Pestilence never happens here. The climate has a beneficial effect on the vegetation itself. In the monastery gardens, excellent fruits of all kinds ripen, which are highly valued in Cairo. In addition to various herbs, sycamores, cypresses, palms, fig and olive trees also grow here, and from the animal kingdom the following are especially remarkable: ibex, antelope, underwater badgers, eagles, quails, etc.
Sinai peninsula(Arabic: شبه جزيرة سيناء , Sina; Hebrew סיני) is a peninsula in the Red Sea, on the border between Asia and Africa, part of the territory of Egypt. Territorially belongs to Asia.
Geography
The peninsula, shaped like a wedge, pointed to the south, is bounded on the north by the Mediterranean coast or by a line connecting the northern ends of the Gulf of Suez and the Gulf of Aqaba; from the west - the Gulf of Suez, from the east - the Gulf of Aqaba. Since the boundaries of the peninsula are arbitrary, its territory, depending on the determination method, is estimated to range from 25 thousand to 61 thousand km². The territory is mainly occupied by desert; closer to the south there are mountains (the highest point is Mount St. Catherine, 2637 m) and plateaus. Oil fields have been discovered on the peninsula, and turquoise has also traditionally been mined.
Climate
The climate of almost the entire Sinai Peninsula is tropical desert, with the exception of the northern part adjacent to Mediterranean Sea where the Mediterranean climate is typical. The climate is very arid everywhere, especially the south of the peninsula, which is closed by mountains from the arrival of rare cyclones from the north, and where in some years there is no precipitation at all, and on average only a few millimeters fall per year, as in Sharm el-Sheikh. Summer temperatures are very high, usually reaching +40 °C or more in the shade, winter temperatures are lower, and night frosts are not uncommon in deserts. The south of the peninsula, heated by the Red Sea, has the warmest winters.
Story
The land of the peninsula was developed by the ancient Egyptians back in the era of the First Dynasty.
Since 2011, Islamist militants have become more active on the peninsula (see Conflict in Sinai).
In 2015, on October 31, a plane flying from Sharm el-Sheikh (Ophira airport) to St. Petersburg (Pulkovo airport) crashed over Sinai. 224 people died.
Ecology
The Sinai coast is on the brink environmental disaster. The dominance of tourism, fishing, and widespread urbanization of the coast leave little chance of preserving this unique corner planets. Scientists estimate that most of the reefs will disappear from the face of the Earth in the next decade.
There are many reasons for the widespread death of corals. First of all, this is the clogging of coral pores with sand, vandalism of vacationers, an increase in water temperature and its acidity. The biggest damage to corals is from off-road vehicles, which destroy a thin layer of lichens and rocks. This leads to soil erosion and more frequent sandstorms, bringing tons of sand and dust into the sea. Sand brought by the wind or lifted from the bottom by divers' fins clogs the pores of the coral and leads to its death. The greenhouse effect and global warming are no less dangerous for corals. An increase in water temperature above +29 °C causes the coral to expel the algae. At these temperatures, the algae becomes toxic to the coral. An orphaned coral cannot survive for long and dies of starvation. Harmless feeding of coral fish changes their diet, thereby disturbing the ecological balance. Water blooms and surges in the population of starfish feeding on corals are just a small part of the consequences of such a disturbance.
Coastal pollution has become last years catastrophic proportions. One of the expeditions from Dahab to Sharm el-Sheikh discovered that the northern Nabek protected area is the most littered. Beach holidaymakers are not the only source of plastic waste. There are many reports of garbage being thrown openly from boats and ferries. It is difficult for a Bedouin to understand that the plastic he throws away is harmful to the environment. For generations they dealt only with organics, and this behavior is still considered the norm. Bedouins still fish in the reserves and catch shellfish to this day. South of Dahab, entire coastlines are covered with broken shells. Shells are obtained from shallow waters during high tides. Sometimes entire villages come to the coast to eat shellfish. There is no one to deal with environmental education in Egypt. The country is riding the wave of a tourism boom and is trying to squeeze the maximum benefit from its sea coasts.
Exodus of anatomically modern humans from Africa
According to the hypothesis of the British pediatrician S. Oppenheimer, about 120 thousand years ago (during the Eemian (Ipswich) interglacial (English)Russian) Homo sapiens exodus from Africa through the Sinai Peninsula to the Levant region, but these representatives of anatomically modern people completely died out there during the next ice age, and all non-African peoples descended from several hundred people who crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait about 80 thousand years ago, some of which returned to North Africa through the Sinai about 50 thousand years ago. According to scientists from the University of Tübingen (Germany), the first wave of modern people, who became the ancestors of the Australian Aborigines, Papuans and Melanesians, crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait about 130 thousand years ago, and other Asian populations are descendants of the second wave of Homo sapiens that emerged from Africa north of the Red Sea about 50 thousand years ago.
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Notes
Literature
- Chichagov V. P. Sinai desert and ancient Pelusium // Nature. - 2012. - No. 11. - pp. 35-42.
- Matthew Teague. New Sinai // National Geographic Russia, July 2009, p. 120-137.
Links
- by Haubitz, Zoche Publisher: Fotohof Editions, 2006 (English) ISBN 3-901756-64-7 ISBN 978-3-901756-64-1
Excerpt characterizing the Sinai Peninsula
“I think it’s better to contact this general,” said m lle Bourienne, “and I’m sure that you will be given due respect.”Princess Marya read the paper, and dry sobs shook her face.
-Who did you get this through? - she said.
“They probably found out that I’m French by name,” said m lle Bourienne, blushing.
Princess Marya, with a paper in her hand, stood up from the window and, with a pale face, left the room and went to the former office of Prince Andrei.
“Dunyasha, call Alpatych, Dronushka, someone to me,” said Princess Marya, “and tell Amalya Karlovna not to come to me,” she added, hearing the voice of m lle Bourienne. - Hurry up and go! Go quickly! - said Princess Marya, horrified by the thought that she could remain in the power of the French.
“So that Prince Andrei knows that she is in the power of the French! So that she, the daughter of Prince Nikolai Andreich Bolkonsky, asks Mr. General Rameau to provide her with protection and enjoy his benefits! “This thought terrified her, made her shudder, blush and feel attacks of anger and pride that she had not yet experienced. Everything that was difficult and, most importantly, offensive in her position, was vividly imagined to her. “They, the French, will settle in this house; Mr. General Rameau will occupy the office of Prince Andrei; It will be fun to sort through and read his letters and papers. M lle Bourienne lui fera les honneurs de Bogucharovo. [Mademoiselle Bourien will receive him with honors in Bogucharovo.] They will give me a room out of mercy; soldiers will destroy their father's fresh grave to remove crosses and stars from him; they will tell me about victories over the Russians, they will feign sympathy for my grief... - Princess Marya thought not with her own thoughts, but feeling obligated to think for herself with the thoughts of her father and brother. For her personally, it didn’t matter where she stayed and no matter what happened to her; but at the same time she felt like a representative of her late father and Prince Andrei. She involuntarily thought with their thoughts and felt them with their feelings. Whatever they would say, whatever they would do now, that is what she felt necessary to do. She went to Prince Andrei’s office and, trying to penetrate his thoughts, pondered her situation.
The demands of life, which she considered destroyed with the death of her father, suddenly arose with a new, still unknown force before Princess Marya and overwhelmed her. Excited, red-faced, she walked around the room, demanding first Alpatych, then Mikhail Ivanovich, then Tikhon, then Dron. Dunyasha, the nanny and all the girls could not say anything about the extent to which what M lle Bourienne announced was fair. Alpatych was not at home: he had gone to see his superiors. The summoned Mikhail Ivanovich, the architect, who came to Princess Marya with sleepy eyes, could not say anything to her. With exactly the same smile of agreement with which he had been accustomed for fifteen years to respond, without expressing his opinion, to the old prince’s appeals, he answered Princess Marya’s questions, so that nothing definite could be deduced from his answers. The summoned old valet Tikhon, with a sunken and haggard face, bearing the imprint of incurable grief, answered “I listen with” to all the questions of Princess Marya and could hardly restrain himself from sobbing, looking at her.
Finally, the elder Dron entered the room and, bowing low to the princess, stopped at the lintel.
Princess Marya walked around the room and stopped opposite him.
“Dronushka,” said Princess Marya, who saw in him an undoubted friend, the same Dronushka who, from his annual trip to the fair in Vyazma, brought her his special gingerbread every time and served her with a smile. “Dronushka, now, after our misfortune,” she began and fell silent, unable to speak further.
“We all walk under God,” he said with a sigh. They were silent.
- Dronushka, Alpatych has gone somewhere, I have no one to turn to. Is it true that they tell me that I can’t leave?
“Why don’t you go, your Excellency, you can go,” said Dron.
“They told me it was dangerous from the enemy.” Darling, I can’t do anything, I don’t understand anything, there’s no one with me. I definitely want to go at night or early tomorrow morning. – The drone was silent. He glanced at Princess Marya from under his brows.
“There are no horses,” he said, “I told Yakov Alpatych too.”
- Why not? - said the princess.
“It’s all from God’s punishment,” said Dron. “Which horses there were were dismantled for use by the troops, and which ones died, what year it is today.” It’s not like feeding the horses, but making sure we don’t die of hunger ourselves! And they sit like that for three days without eating. There is nothing, they are completely ruined.
Princess Marya listened carefully to what he told her.
- Are the men ruined? Do they have no bread? – she asked.
“They’re dying of starvation,” said Dron, “not like the carts...”
- Why didn’t you tell me, Dronushka? Can't you help? I will do everything I can... - It was strange for Princess Marya to think that now, at such a moment, when such grief filled her soul, there could be rich and poor people and that the rich could not help the poor. She vaguely knew and heard that there was master's bread and that it was given to the peasants. She also knew that neither her brother nor her father would refuse the needs of the peasants; she was only afraid of somehow making a mistake in her words about this distribution of bread to the peasants, which she wanted to dispose of. She was glad that she was presented with an excuse for concern, one for which she was not ashamed to forget her grief. She began asking Dronushka for details about the needs of the men and about what was lordly in Bogucharovo.
– After all, we have the master’s bread, brother? – she asked.
“The master’s bread is all intact,” Dron said proudly, “our prince did not order it to be sold.”
“Give him to the peasants, give him everything they need: I give you permission in the name of my brother,” said Princess Marya.
The drone said nothing and took a deep breath.
“You give them this bread if it is enough for them.” Give everything away. I command you in the name of my brother, and tell them: what is ours is also theirs. We will spare nothing for them. So tell me.
The drone looked intently at the princess while she spoke.
“Dismiss me, mother, for God’s sake, tell me to accept the keys,” he said. “I served for twenty-three years, I didn’t do anything bad; leave me alone, for God's sake.
Princess Marya did not understand what he wanted from her and why he asked to dismiss himself. She answered him that she never doubted his devotion and that she was ready to do everything for him and for the men.
An hour after this, Dunyasha came to the princess with the news that Dron had arrived and all the men, by order of the princess, gathered at the barn, wanting to talk with the mistress.
“Yes, I never called them,” said Princess Marya, “I only told Dronushka to give them bread.”
“Only for God’s sake, Princess Mother, order them away and don’t go to them.” It’s all just a lie,” Dunyasha said, “and Yakov Alpatych will come and we’ll go... and if you please...
- What kind of deception? – the princess asked in surprise
- Yes, I know, just listen to me, for God’s sake. Just ask the nanny. They say they do not agree to leave on your orders.
- You're saying something wrong. Yes, I never ordered to leave... - said Princess Marya. - Call Dronushka.
The arriving Dron confirmed Dunyasha’s words: the men came on the orders of the princess.
“Yes, I never called them,” said the princess. “You probably didn’t convey it to them correctly.” I just told you to give them the bread.
The drone sighed without answering.
“If you order, they will leave,” he said.
“No, no, I’ll go to them,” said Princess Marya
Despite the dissuading of Dunyasha and the nanny, Princess Marya went out onto the porch. Dron, Dunyasha, the nanny and Mikhail Ivanovich followed her. “They probably think that I am offering them bread so that they will remain in their places, and I will leave myself, abandoning them to the mercy of the French,” thought Princess Marya. – I will promise them a month in an apartment near Moscow; I’m sure Andre would have done even more in my place,” she thought, approaching the crowd standing in the pasture near the barn in the twilight.
The crowd, crowded, began to stir, and their hats quickly came off. Princess Marya, with her eyes downcast and her feet tangling in her dress, came close to them. So many different old and young eyes were fixed on her and there were so many different faces that Princess Marya did not see a single face and, feeling the need to suddenly talk to everyone, did not know what to do. But again the consciousness that she was the representative of her father and brother gave her strength, and she boldly began her speech.
“I’m very glad that you came,” Princess Marya began, without raising her eyes and feeling how quickly and strongly her heart was beating. “Dronushka told me that you were ruined by the war.” This is ours common grief, and I will spare nothing to help you. I’m going myself, because it’s already dangerous here and the enemy is close... because... I give you everything, my friends, and I ask you to take everything, all our bread, so that you don’t have any need. And if they told you that I am giving you bread so that you can stay here, then this is not true. On the contrary, I ask you to leave with all your property to our Moscow region, and there I take it upon myself and promise you that you will not be in need. They will give you houses and bread. - The princess stopped. Only sighs were heard in the crowd.
