Geography
Translated from Arabic, Sharm el-Sheikh means “sheikh bay” (some local guides say “sheikh coast”). Sharm el-Sheikh stretches from northeast to southwest for almost 30 kilometers along the western shore of the Gulf of Aqaba, which has Naama Bay and others within the city limits. From the southwest the city borders on the Ras Mohammed National Park at the extreme southern point of the Sinai Peninsula, on the northeast - on the Nabq National Reserve, from the northwest it is protected from winds and bad weather by the ridge of the Sinai Mountains, and from the southeast it is washed by the Red Sea .
Just off the city's coastline is the island of Tiran. 80 km from the city (as the crow flies) inside the Sinai Peninsula are Mount Moses and the neighboring Mount St. Catherine (the highest peak of the Sinai Mountains).
One and two hours' drive along the Gulf of Aqaba, also on the Egyptian Riviera, are the Bedouin resort towns of Dahab and Nuweiba, and three hours away is the border town of Taba, beyond which is the Israeli port of Eilat.
Climate
The climate of Sharm el-Sheikh is extremely hot. Sharm el-Sheikh has a tropical desert climate with very little annual rainfall. In January-February, night temperatures drop to +15 °C (less often - to +10 °C), and sometimes there is a rather cool wind (the lowest temperature was recorded on February 23, 2000 and was +5 °C), but the bright sun shines during the day and numerous beachgoers sunbathing and swimming.
In summer, temperatures can rise to +45 °C or more in the shade (the absolute maximum was set on June 3, 2013 and was +46 °C), the warmest month is August, the average maximum of which is +38 °C, and even at night the temperature is lower +30 °C, as a rule, does not drop.
The water temperature in the sea does not fall below +20 °C, even in winter (in summer it rises to +28 °C). Rain in Sharm el-Sheikh is extremely rare, the air is dry and warm at any time of the year.
| Climate of Sharm el-Sheikh | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index | Jan. | Feb. | March | Apr. | May | June | July | Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Year |
| Absolute maximum, °C | 31 | 34 | 37 | 41 | 44 | 46 | 46 | 45 | 43 | 41 | 37 | 32 | 46 |
| Average maximum, °C | 21,7 | 22,4 | 25,1 | 29,8 | 33,9 | 37,0 | 37,5 | 37,5 | 35,4 | 31,5 | 27,0 | 23,2 | 30,2 |
| Average temperature, °C | 15,6 | 16,5 | 19,6 | 22,2 | 25,8 | 28,5 | 29,4 | 29,6 | 27,8 | 24,7 | 20,9 | 16,9 | 23,2 |
| Average minimum, °C | 13,3 | 13,7 | 16,1 | 20,1 | 23,8 | 26,5 | 26,7 | 28,0 | 26,5 | 23,4 | 18,9 | 15,0 | 21,0 |
| Absolute minimum, °C | 7 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 17 | 23 | 20 | 23 | 22 | 17 | 14 | 8 | 5 |
| Precipitation rate, mm | 0,5 | 0,2 | 1,2 | 0,2 | 0,5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0,04 | 0,8 | 3,3 | 0,5 | 7,24 |
| Water temperature, °C | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 26 |
| Source: , | |||||||||||||
Structure and zoning
Historically, the city has not been subject to continuous development, and therefore is growing through the development of many different architectural “oases”. The main thoroughfare of the city, Peace Road Avenue, passes through them, connecting the city spread along the seashore into a single whole.
The resort city consists of several areas built along the coast, around the main bays (coves):
Since Sharm el-Sheikh is bordered by two national reserves facing the sea, the coastline that can be occupied by buildings is about 30 km long. Currently, almost all areas of the coast suitable for construction are built up with luxury hotels or allocated for the construction of new residential complexes. But, despite this, the city continues to grow deep into the coast, towards the mountain range.
The most famous districts and neighborhoods of Sharm el-Sheikh are Naama, Old Town, Hadaba, Aida, Tower, Il Mercato, Delta Sharm and SOHO, Hai-en-Nur, Riviera, Hai Salam, Kriss, Nabq Bay.
Many new hotel and residential neighborhoods are being built: Gold Charm, Sun Shine, Sunny Lake, Montaza, and many others.
There are no high-rise or even multi-story buildings in the city. As a rule, residential buildings are built in the form of small complexes of comfortable one-to-two-story villas and townhouses, which, like numerous two-to-three-story hotels, are concentrated around well-greened areas with modern infrastructure, shops, restaurants, swimming pools and gardens. Due to the growing popularity of the resort, Egyptian investment companies are investing heavily in the city's infrastructure, and Sharm el-Sheikh is changing every year.
Transport connection
The geographical location of the city determines its transport importance for the entire Sinai Peninsula.
Sharm el-Sheikh - air gate Sinai. Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport, formerly Ras Nazran Airport ( Ras Nasrani) is the first and largest international airport on the Sinai Peninsula. Air communications pass through it both from Sharm el-Sheikh itself and from other resorts on the peninsula - Dahab, Taba, Nuweiba. The vast majority of tourists and guests arrive and return to the peninsula by air.
Motor transport. Most of Sinai's highways, except some of the peninsula's lightly trafficked roads leading from its interior to the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, pass through Sharm el-Sheikh. All roads are maintained in good condition, equipped (except for traffic lights) and are constantly being developed. The city has a developed car and light scooter rental service, and in a few days you can independently explore Sharm el-Sheikh and its surroundings. Traffic police are usually very friendly to foreigners. Regular intercity buses run from the city's bus station to various cities in Lower Egypt.
Approximate distances and travel times by car:
- Dahab - 100 km, ~1 hour drive
- Monastery of St. Catherine - ~2 hours drive
- Colored Canyon - ~3 hours drive
- Nuweiba - ~2 hours drive
- Taba checkpoint to Israel - ~3 hours drive
- At-Tour (administrative center of South Sinai governorate) - 90 km, ~1 hour drive
- Suez Canal Tunnel - 360 km
- Cairo - 500 km, ~6-7 hours drive
- Alexandria - ~9 hours
Tourism and rest
Sharm el-Sheikh is a resort of European level. There are many hotels, beaches, and vacation spots for tourists from all over the world on the coast. There are more than 200 hotels of different classes and price categories in the city. Almost all hotels have swimming pools, and also provide free access or bus transportation to the beaches. On the beaches, in addition to swimming and sunbathing, a wide range of services are offered: snorkeling, diving, water skiing and scooters, swimming on glass-bottom boats and bathyscaphes, underwater and other sea excursions. Housing construction is developed - the climate and modern infrastructure attract investors from various countries. Along the entire coast, as well as in other vacant areas of the city, the construction of new hotels, residential complexes, and entertainment centers continues.
For the holidays of citizens of Russia, Ukraine, the European Union and a number of other countries, the city, as well as the rest of the Sinai Peninsula, has a visa-free regime. Free so-called Sinai stamp, allowing a stay of up to 15 days and sufficient for a stay in the entire Sinai (as well as for travel to Israel and Jordan), and a tourist visa for $25, allowing a stay of 30 days throughout Egypt (mandatory if trips to the Pyramids and Luxor are planned ), issued at the airport at the tourist’s choice.
In 2007, a new terminal at the International Airport opened, capable of receiving and releasing up to 50 aircraft per day. The city has a modern International Medical Center. In the city, in the Hay-en-Nur district, a new Orthodox church and a large mosque were built (opened in 2007, the largest until the completion of the mosque in the Old City).
Life in the city is built around the tourism industry. The vast majority of tourists in the city are from Russia and the CIS countries; there is also a significant proportion of vacationers from Italy and Poland, and less from other countries. Most local residents involved in the tourism industry will be able to carry on a conversation in the main European languages. English is spoken by the vast majority of staff in hotels, shops and other establishments, including taxi drivers. Many of them also speak a little Russian, most signs (including at the airport and even some road signs) are duplicated in Russian, and in a number of small shops and market outlets Russian rubles are accepted for inexpensive goods. Popular bus and plane excursions are organized from the city to surrounding attractions, Egyptian Cairo, Pyramids of Giza, Alexandria, Luxor, St. Catherine's Monastery, Mount Moses, Israeli Jerusalem, other cities and the Dead Sea, Palestinian Bethlehem, Jordanian Petra.
The nightlife of Sharm el-Sheikh is famous for its discos, nightclubs, casinos and show performances. A favorite place is the “promenade” - a walking road in Naama Bay. Here, shopping centers and numerous street cafes are open until late, offering visitors Arabic, Japanese and European cuisine, seafood, and hookah.
The attitude of the local population towards tourists is friendly. Local residents value the opportunity to work in Sharm el-Sheikh, where the standard of living is higher compared to other cities in the country. We are constantly working with staff, employers and government agencies to improve the quality of service. In the city, in addition to the usual, there is the so-called. “tourist police” (Touristiq Police) are specially trained employees whose task is to prevent any problems for city guests.
It should be noted that citizens of nearby Israel can travel to Sharm el-Sheikh, as well as throughout Sinai, without visas, which slightly increases prices for hotels and other tourist services here.
Attractions
The main local and surrounding attractions available to tourists arriving in Sharm el-Sheikh include:
- Sinai Mountains with Mount Moses and the neighboring Monastery of St. Catherine with the Burning Bush
- Ras Mohammed National Reserve
- Nabq national reserve
- coral reefs of Tiran island
- Old town with the Old Market and observation rock
- Naama Bay area with a shopping and entertainment district, an artificial waterfall, a pedestrian “Promenade” and “Panorama Charm”
- entertainment complex "1001 nights" and accompanying shopping arcade in Hadaba
- Hollywood entertainment complex
- Soho square
- new water park in Hadaba
- Cleo Park in Naama Bay
- Dolphinarium in Hadaba (Il Mercato)
Strategic importance
The favorable geographical location of Sharm el-Sheikh allows Egypt, if necessary, to block shipping from its port through the Straits of Tiran, which is the only exit to the Red Sea for Jordan and Israel. In 1967, Egypt tried to put this possibility into practice, which led to an armed clash with Israel - the Six-Day War. Previously, the region was quite tense - until 1979, Egypt participated in several local wars, and in modern times, in 2005, there was a single attack by Islamist fanatics dissatisfied with the tourist openness of the city. Currently, several military units are stationed in the city.
The modern leadership of Egypt has abandoned its militant course in the Middle East and is promoting the development of tourism. Tourism has become the second largest source of income for the country after receiving fees for the passage of ships through the Suez Canal. Revenues from the country's tourism industry have exceeded revenues from oil production and sales. Along with Hurghada, Sharm el-Sheikh has become the most important Egyptian resort. The number of tourists in the city (especially in the high season) exceeds its own population of 40 thousand many times, bringing the actual number to 200 thousand or more.
The government is constantly working to maintain political stability in the region. Egypt and Israel have the Camp David Peace Treaty signed in 1979, thanks to which the city, along with Sinai, peacefully ceded to Egypt. Any tourist in Sharm el-Sheikh can sign up for bus excursions to Israel (Jerusalem, Dead Sea), the Palestinian Authority (Bethlehem), Jordan (Petra), etc., where he will be allowed in without a consular visa (this does not apply to citizens of all countries in the world ), and Israeli citizens, in turn, can visit the territory of Sinai without visas. The streets are patrolled by militarized police, responsible for order in the city and the safety of residents and tourists.
Sharm el-Sheikh is the site of frequent national, pan-Arab and international conferences. In 1999, with the participation of the US Secretary of State, the President of Egypt and the King of Jordan, the Sharm el-Sheikh Memorandum on a settlement in the Palestinian territories was signed here between the Israeli Prime Minister and the Palestinian leader. In 2005, the city hosted the Middle East Leaders' Summit. In 2006 and 2008 The city hosted the World Economic Forum on the Middle East. The city's International Congress Center can host up to 4,700 participants.
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Excerpt characterizing Sharm el-Sheikh
“Well, hush, hush, freeze now. – And the sounds obeyed him. - Well, now it’s fuller, more fun. More, even more joyful. – And from an unknown depth arose intensifying, solemn sounds. “Well, voices, pester!” - Petya ordered. And first, male voices were heard from afar, then female voices. The voices grew, grew in uniform, solemn effort. Petya was scared and joyful to listen to their extraordinary beauty.The song merged with the solemn victory march, and drops fell, and burn, burn, burn... the saber whistled, and again the horses fought and neighed, not breaking the choir, but entering into it.
Petya didn’t know how long this lasted: he enjoyed himself, was constantly surprised by his pleasure and regretted that there was no one to tell it to. He was awakened by Likhachev's gentle voice.
- Ready, your honor, you will split the guard in two.
Petya woke up.
- It’s already dawn, really, it’s dawning! - he screamed.
The previously invisible horses became visible up to their tails, and a watery light was visible through the bare branches. Petya shook himself, jumped up, took a ruble from his pocket and gave it to Likhachev, waved, tried the saber and put it in the sheath. The Cossacks untied the horses and tightened the girths.
“Here is the commander,” said Likhachev. Denisov came out of the guardhouse and, calling out to Petya, ordered them to get ready.
Quickly in the semi-darkness they dismantled the horses, tightened the girths and sorted out the teams. Denisov stood at the guardhouse, giving the last orders. The party's infantry, slapping a hundred feet, marched forward along the road and quickly disappeared between the trees in the predawn fog. Esaul ordered something to the Cossacks. Petya held his horse on the reins, impatiently awaiting the order to mount. Washed with cold water, his face, especially his eyes, burned with fire, a chill ran down his back, and something in his whole body trembled quickly and evenly.
- Well, is everything ready for you? - Denisov said. - Give us the horses.
The horses were brought in. Denisov became angry with the Cossack because the girths were weak, and, scolding him, sat down. Petya took hold of the stirrup. The horse, out of habit, wanted to bite his leg, but Petya, not feeling his weight, quickly jumped into the saddle and, looking back at the hussars who were moving behind in the darkness, rode up to Denisov.
- Vasily Fedorovich, will you entrust me with something? Please... for God's sake... - he said. Denisov seemed to have forgotten about Petya’s existence. He looked back at him.
“I ask you about one thing,” he said sternly, “to obey me and not to interfere anywhere.”
During the entire journey, Denisov did not speak a word to Petya and rode in silence. When we arrived at the edge of the forest, the field was noticeably getting lighter. Denisov spoke in a whisper with the esaul, and the Cossacks began to drive past Petya and Denisov. When they had all passed, Denisov started his horse and rode downhill. Sitting on their hindquarters and sliding, the horses descended with their riders into the ravine. Petya rode next to Denisov. The trembling throughout his body intensified. It became lighter and lighter, only the fog hid distant objects. Moving down and looking back, Denisov nodded his head to the Cossack standing next to him.
- Signal! - he said.
The Cossack raised his hand and a shot rang out. And at the same instant, the tramp of galloping horses was heard in front, screams from different sides and more shots.
At the same instant as the first sounds of stomping and screaming were heard, Petya, hitting his horse and releasing the reins, not listening to Denisov, who was shouting at him, galloped forward. It seemed to Petya that it suddenly dawned as brightly as the middle of the day at that moment when the shot was heard. He galloped towards the bridge. Cossacks galloped along the road ahead. On the bridge he encountered a lagging Cossack and rode on. Some people ahead - they must have been French - were running from the right side of the road to the left. One fell into the mud under the feet of Petya's horse.
Cossacks crowded around one hut, doing something. A terrible scream was heard from the middle of the crowd. Petya galloped up to this crowd, and the first thing he saw was the pale face of a Frenchman with a shaking lower jaw, holding onto the shaft of a lance pointed at him.
“Hurray!.. Guys... ours...” Petya shouted and, giving the reins to the overheated horse, galloped forward down the street.
Shots were heard ahead. Cossacks, hussars and ragged Russian prisoners, running from both sides of the road, were all shouting something loudly and awkwardly. A handsome Frenchman, without a hat, with a red, frowning face, in a blue overcoat, fought off the hussars with a bayonet. When Petya galloped up, the Frenchman had already fallen. I was late again, Petya flashed in his head, and he galloped to where frequent shots were heard. Shots rang out in the courtyard of the manor house where he was with Dolokhov last night. The French sat down there behind a fence in a dense garden overgrown with bushes and fired at the Cossacks crowded at the gate. Approaching the gate, Petya, in the powder smoke, saw Dolokhov with a pale, greenish face, shouting something to the people. “Take a detour! Wait for the infantry!” - he shouted, while Petya drove up to him.
“Wait?.. Hurray!..” Petya shouted and, without hesitating a single minute, galloped to the place from where the shots were heard and where the powder smoke was thicker. A volley was heard, empty bullets squealed and hit something. The Cossacks and Dolokhov galloped after Petya through the gates of the house. The French, in the swaying thick smoke, some threw down their weapons and ran out of the bushes to meet the Cossacks, others ran downhill to the pond. Petya galloped on his horse along the manor's yard and, instead of holding the reins, strangely and quickly waved both arms and fell further and further out of the saddle to one side. The horse, running into the fire smoldering in the morning light, rested, and Petya fell heavily onto the wet ground. The Cossacks saw how quickly his arms and legs twitched, despite the fact that his head did not move. The bullet pierced his head.
After talking with the senior French officer, who came out to him from behind the house with a scarf on his sword and announced that they were surrendering, Dolokhov got off his horse and approached Petya, who was lying motionless, with his arms outstretched.
“Ready,” he said, frowning, and went through the gate to meet Denisov, who was coming towards him.
- Killed?! - Denisov cried out, seeing from afar the familiar, undoubtedly lifeless position in which Petya’s body lay.
“Ready,” Dolokhov repeated, as if pronouncing this word gave him pleasure, and quickly went to the prisoners, who were surrounded by dismounted Cossacks. - We won’t take it! – he shouted to Denisov.
Denisov did not answer; he rode up to Petya, got off his horse and with trembling hands turned Petya’s already pale face, stained with blood and dirt, towards him.
“I’m used to something sweet. Excellent raisins, take them all,” he remembered. And the Cossacks looked back in surprise at the sounds similar to the barking of a dog, with which Denisov quickly turned away, walked up to the fence and grabbed it.
Among the Russian prisoners recaptured by Denisov and Dolokhov was Pierre Bezukhov.
There was no new order from the French authorities about the party of prisoners in which Pierre was, during his entire movement from Moscow. This party on October 22 was no longer with the same troops and convoys with which it left Moscow. Half of the convoy with breadcrumbs, which followed them during the first marches, was repulsed by the Cossacks, the other half went ahead; there were no more foot cavalrymen who walked in front; they all disappeared. The artillery, which had been visible ahead during the first marches, was now replaced by a huge convoy of Marshal Junot, escorted by the Westphalians. Behind the prisoners was a convoy of cavalry equipment.
From Vyazma, the French troops, previously marching in three columns, now marched in one heap. Those signs of disorder that Pierre noticed at the first stop from Moscow have now reached the last degree.
The road along which they walked was littered with dead horses on both sides; ragged people lagging behind different teams, constantly changing, then joined, then again lagged behind the marching column.
Several times during the campaign there were false alarms, and the soldiers of the convoy raised their guns, shot and ran headlong, crushing each other, but then they gathered again and scolded each other for their vain fear.
These three gatherings, marching together - the cavalry depot, the prisoner depot and Junot's train - still formed something separate and integral, although both of them, and the third, were quickly melting away.
The depot, which had initially contained one hundred and twenty carts, now had no more than sixty left; the rest were repulsed or abandoned. Several carts from Junot's convoy were also abandoned and recaptured. Three carts were plundered by the backward soldiers from Davout's corps who came running. From conversations of the Germans, Pierre heard that this convoy was put on guard more than the prisoners, and that one of their comrades, a German soldier, was shot on the orders of the marshal himself because a silver spoon that belonged to the marshal was found on the soldier.
Of these three gatherings, the prisoner depot melted the most. Of the three hundred and thirty people who left Moscow, there were now less than a hundred left. The prisoners were even more of a burden to the escorting soldiers than the saddles of the cavalry depot and Junot's baggage train. Junot’s saddles and spoons, they understood that they could be useful for something, but why did the hungry and cold soldiers of the convoy stand guard and guard the same cold and hungry Russians who were dying and lagged behind on the road, whom they were ordered to shoot? not only incomprehensible, but also disgusting. And the guards, as if afraid in the sad situation in which they themselves were, not to give in to their feeling of pity for the prisoners and thereby worsen their situation, treated them especially gloomily and strictly.
In Dorogobuzh, while the convoy soldiers, having locked the prisoners in a stable, went off to rob their own stores, several captured soldiers dug under the wall and ran away, but were captured by the French and shot.
The previous order, introduced upon leaving Moscow, for captured officers to march separately from the soldiers, had long been destroyed; all those who could walk walked together, and Pierre, from the third transition, had already united again with Karataev and the lilac bow-legged dog, which had chosen Karataev as its owner.
Karataev, on the third day of leaving Moscow, developed the same fever from which he was lying in the Moscow hospital, and as Karataev weakened, Pierre moved away from him. Pierre didn’t know why, but since Karataev began to weaken, Pierre had to make an effort on himself to approach him. And approaching him and listening to those quiet moans with which Karataev usually lay down at rest, and feeling the now intensified smell that Karataev emitted from himself, Pierre moved away from him and did not think about him.
In captivity, in a booth, Pierre learned not with his mind, but with his whole being, life, that man was created for happiness, that happiness is in himself, in the satisfaction of natural human needs, and that all unhappiness comes not from lack, but from excess; but now, in these last three weeks of the campaign, he learned another new, comforting truth - he learned that there is nothing terrible in the world. He learned that just as there is no situation in which a person would be happy and completely free, there is also no situation in which he would be unhappy and not free. He learned that there is a limit to suffering and a limit to freedom, and that this limit is very close; that the man who suffered because one leaf was wrapped in his pink bed suffered in the same way as he suffered now, falling asleep on the bare, damp earth, cooling one side and warming the other; that when he used to put on his narrow ballroom shoes, he suffered in exactly the same way as now, when he walked completely barefoot (his shoes had long since become disheveled), with feet covered with sores. He learned that when, as it seemed to him, he had married his wife of his own free will, he was no more free than now, when he was locked in the stable at night. Of all the things that he later called suffering, but which he hardly felt then, the main thing was his bare, worn, scabby feet. (Horse meat was tasty and nutritious, the saltpeter bouquet of gunpowder, used instead of salt, was even pleasant, there was not much cold, and during the day it was always hot while walking, and at night there were fires; the lice that ate the body warmed pleasantly.) One thing was hard. at first it’s the legs.
On the second day of the march, after examining his sores by the fire, Pierre thought it impossible to step on them; but when everyone got up, he walked with a limp, and then, when he warmed up, he walked without pain, although in the evening it was even worse to look at his legs. But he did not look at them and thought about something else.
Now only Pierre understood the full power of human vitality and the saving power of moving attention invested in a person, similar to that saving valve in steam engines that releases excess steam as soon as its density exceeds a known norm.
He did not see or hear how the backward prisoners were shot, although more than a hundred of them had already died in this way. He did not think about Karataev, who was weakening every day and, obviously, was soon to suffer the same fate. Pierre thought even less about himself. The more difficult his situation became, the more terrible the future was, the more, regardless of the situation in which he was, joyful and soothing thoughts, memories and ideas came to him.
On the 22nd, at noon, Pierre was walking uphill along a dirty, slippery road, looking at his feet and at the unevenness of the path. From time to time he glanced at the familiar crowd surrounding him, and again at his feet. Both were equally his own and familiar to him. The lilac, bow-legged Gray ran merrily along the side of the road, occasionally, as proof of his agility and contentment, tucking his hind paw and jumping on three and then again on all four, rushing and barking at the crows that were sitting on the carrion. Gray was more fun and smoother than in Moscow. On all sides lay the meat of various animals - from human to horse, in varying degrees of decomposition; and the wolves were kept away by the walking people, so Gray could eat as much as he wanted.
It had been raining since the morning, and it seemed that it would pass and clear the sky, but after a short stop the rain began to fall even more heavily. The rain-saturated road no longer absorbed water, and streams flowed along the ruts.
Pierre walked, looking around, counting steps in threes, and counting on his fingers. Turning to the rain, he internally said: come on, come on, give it more, give it more.
It seemed to him that he was not thinking about anything; but far and deep somewhere his soul thought something important and comforting. This was something of a subtle spiritual extract from his conversation with Karataev yesterday.
Yesterday, at a night halt, chilled by the extinguished fire, Pierre stood up and moved to the nearest, better-burning fire. By the fire, to which he approached, Plato was sitting, covering his head with an overcoat like a chasuble, and telling the soldiers in his argumentative, pleasant, but weak, painful voice a story familiar to Pierre. It was already past midnight. This was the time at which Karataev usually recovered from a feverish attack and was especially animated. Approaching the fire and hearing Plato’s weak, painful voice and seeing his pitiful face brightly illuminated by the fire, something unpleasantly pricked Pierre’s heart. He was frightened by his pity for this man and wanted to leave, but there was no other fire, and Pierre, trying not to look at Plato, sat down near the fire.
- How's your health? - he asked.
- How's your health? “God will not allow you to die because of your illness,” said Karataev and immediately returned to the story he had begun.
“...And so, my brother,” Plato continued with a smile on his thin, pale face and with a special, joyful sparkle in his eyes, “here, my brother...”
Pierre knew this story for a long time, Karataev told this story to him alone six times, and always with a special, joyful feeling. But no matter how well Pierre knew this story, he now listened to it as if it were something new, and that quiet delight that Karataev apparently felt while telling it was also communicated to Pierre. This story was about an old merchant who lived well and fearing God with his family and who one day went with a friend, a rich merchant, to Makar.
Stopping at an inn, both merchants fell asleep, and the next day the merchant's comrade was found stabbed to death and robbed. A bloody knife was found under the old merchant's pillow. The merchant was tried, punished with a whip and, having pulled out his nostrils - in the proper order, said Karataev - he was sent to hard labor.
“And so, my brother” (Pierre caught Karataev’s story at this point), this case has been going on for ten years or more. An old man lives in hard labor. As follows, he submits and does no harm. He only asks God for death. - Fine. And if they get together at night, the convicts are just like you and me, and the old man is with them. And the conversation turned to who is suffering for what, and why is God to blame. They began to say, that one lost a soul, that one lost two, that one set it on fire, that one ran away, no way. They began to ask the old man: why are you suffering, grandpa? I, my dear brothers, he says, suffer for my own and for people’s sins. But I didn’t destroy any souls, I didn’t take anyone else’s property, other than giving away to the poor brethren. I, my dear brothers, am a merchant; and had great wealth. So and so, he says. And he told them how the whole thing happened, in order. “I don’t worry about myself,” he says. It means God found me. One thing, he says, I feel sorry for my old woman and children. And so the old man began to cry. If that same person happened to be in their company, it means that he killed the merchant. Where did grandpa say he was? When, in what month? I asked everything. His heart ached. Approaches the old man in this manner - a clap on the feet. For me, he says, old man, you are disappearing. The truth is true; innocently in vain, he says, guys, this man is suffering. “I did the same thing,” he says, “and put a knife under your sleepy head.” Forgive me, he says, grandfather, for Christ’s sake.
Karataev fell silent, smiling joyfully, looking at the fire, and straightened the logs.
- The old man says: God will forgive you, but we are all sinners to God, I suffer for my sins. He himself began to cry bitter tears. What do you think, falcon,” Karataev said, beaming brighter and brighter with an enthusiastic smile, as if what he now had to tell contained the main charm and the whole meaning of the story, “what do you think, falcon, this killer, the one in charge, has appeared . I, he says, ruined six souls (I was a big villain), but most of all I feel sorry for this old man. Let him not cry at me. Showed up: they wrote it off, sent the paper as it should. The place is far away, until the trial and the case, until all the papers have been written off as they should, according to the authorities, that is. It reached the king. So far, the royal decree has come: to release the merchant, give him awards, as much as they were awarded. The paper arrived and they began to look for the old man. Where did such an old man suffer innocently in vain? The paper came from the king. They started looking. – Karataev’s lower jaw trembled. - And God already forgave him - he died. So, falcon,” Karataev finished and looked ahead for a long time, silently smiling.
Not this story itself, but its mysterious meaning, that enthusiastic joy that shone in Karataev’s face at this story, the mysterious meaning of this joy, it was now vaguely and joyfully filling Pierre’s soul.
– A vos places! [Get to your places!] - a voice suddenly shouted.
There was a joyful confusion and expectation of something happy and solemn between the prisoners and the guards. The shouts of the command were heard from all sides, and on the left side, trotting around the prisoners, cavalrymen appeared, well dressed, on good horses. On all faces there was an expression of tension, which people have when they are close to higher authorities. The prisoners huddled together and were pushed off the road; The guards lined up.
– L"Empereur! L"Empereur! Le marechal! Le duc! [Emperor! Emperor! Marshal! Duke!] - and the well-fed guards had just passed when a carriage thundered in a train, on gray horses. Pierre caught a glimpse of the calm, handsome, thick and white face of a man in a three-cornered hat. It was one of the marshals. The marshal's gaze turned to the large, conspicuous figure of Pierre, and in the expression with which this marshal frowned and turned his face away, Pierre seemed to have compassion and a desire to hide it.
The general who ran the depot, with a red, frightened face, driving his thin horse, galloped after the carriage. Several officers came together and the soldiers surrounded them. Everyone had tense, excited faces.
– Qu"est ce qu"il a dit? Qu"est ce qu"il a dit?.. [What did he say? What? What?..] - Pierre heard.
During the marshal's passage, the prisoners huddled together, and Pierre saw Karataev, whom he had not seen that morning. Karataev was sitting in his overcoat, leaning against a birch tree. In his face, in addition to yesterday’s expression of joyful emotion when he told the story of the merchant’s innocent suffering, there was also an expression of quiet solemnity.
Karataev looked at Pierre with his kind, round eyes, now stained with tears, and, apparently, called him to him, wanted to say something. But Pierre was too afraid for himself. He acted as if he had not seen his gaze and hurriedly walked away.
When the prisoners set off again, Pierre looked back. Karataev was sitting on the edge of the road, near a birch tree; and two Frenchmen were saying something above him. Pierre didn't look back anymore. He walked, limping, up the mountain.
Behind, from the place where Karataev was sitting, a shot was heard. Pierre clearly heard this shot, but at the same moment he heard it, Pierre remembered that he had not yet finished the calculation he had begun before the marshal passed about how many crossings remained to Smolensk. And he began to count. Two French soldiers, one of whom was holding a removed, smoking gun in his hand, ran past Pierre. They were both pale, and in the expression of their faces - one of them looked timidly at Pierre - there was something similar to what he had seen in the young soldier at execution. Pierre looked at the soldier and remembered how this soldier of the third day burned his shirt while drying it on a fire and how they laughed at him.
The dog howled from behind, from the place where Karataev was sitting. “What a fool, what is she howling about?” - thought Pierre.
The comrade soldiers walking next to Pierre did not look back, just like him, at the place from which a shot was heard and then the howl of a dog; but a stern expression lay on all faces.
The depot, the prisoners, and the marshal's convoy stopped in the village of Shamsheva. Everything huddled around the fires. Pierre went to the fire, ate the roasted horse meat, lay down with his back to the fire and immediately fell asleep. He slept again the same sleep that he slept in Mozhaisk after Borodin.
Again the events of reality were combined with dreams, and again someone, whether he himself or someone else, told him thoughts, and even the same thoughts that were spoken to him in Mozhaisk.
“Life is everything. Life is God. Everything moves and moves, and this movement is God. And as long as there is life, there is the pleasure of self-consciousness of the deity. Love life, love God. It is most difficult and most blissful to love this life in one’s suffering, in the innocence of suffering.”
“Karataev” - Pierre remembered.
And suddenly Pierre introduced himself to a living, long-forgotten, gentle old teacher who taught Pierre geography in Switzerland. “Wait,” said the old man. And he showed Pierre the globe. This globe was a living, oscillating ball that had no dimensions. The entire surface of the ball consisted of drops tightly compressed together. And these drops all moved, moved and then merged from several into one, then from one they were divided into many. Each drop sought to spread out, to capture the greatest possible space, but others, striving for the same thing, compressed it, sometimes destroyed it, sometimes merged with it.
Geography
Translated from Arabic, Sharm el-Sheikh means “sheikh bay” (some local guides say “sheikh coast”). Sharm el-Sheikh is located in Naama Bay. From the southwest the city borders on the Ras Mohammed National Park, in the northeast - on the Nabq National Reserve, from the northwest it is protected from winds and bad weather by the ridge of the Sinai Mountains, and from the southeast it is washed by the Red Sea.
Not far from the coastline of the city is Tiran Island.
Mount Moses (the second highest peak of the Sinai Mountains, after Mount St. Catherine) is located 80 km from the city (as the crow flies). One hour by bus along the Gulf of Aqaba is the city of Dahab, two is Nuweiba, and three is the border city of Taba, beyond which is the Israeli port of Eilat.
Climate
The climate of Sharm el-Sheikh is extremely hot. Sharm el-Sheikh has a tropical desert climate with very little annual rainfall. In January-February, night temperatures drop to +15 °C (less often - to +10 °C), and sometimes there is a rather cool wind, but during the day the bright sun shines and numerous beach visitors sunbathe and swim. In summer, temperatures can rise to +50 °C or more in the shade, the warmest month is August, the average maximum of which is +43 °C, and even at night the temperature usually does not drop below +30 °C.
The water temperature in the sea does not fall below +20 °C, even in winter (in summer it rises to +28 °C). Rain in Sharm el-Sheikh is extremely rare, the air is dry and warm at any time of the year.
| Climate of Sharm el-Sheikh | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Index | Jan. | Feb. | March | Apr. | May | June | July | Aug. | Sep. | Oct. | Nov. | Dec. | Year |
| Average maximum, °C | 21,6 | 22,7 | 25,4 | 29,8 | 34,0 | 36,9 | 39,5 | 42,9 | 37,6 | 33,2 | 28,0 | 24,2 | 32,2 |
| Average minimum, °C | 13,0 | 13,6 | 16,1 | 19,9 | 23,5 | 26,1 | 27,3 | 29,7 | 26,3 | 23,9 | 18,6 | 16,1 | 20,8 |
| Precipitation rate, mm | 0,5 | 0,2 | 1,2 | 0,2 | 0,5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0,04 | 0,8 | 3,3 | 0,5 | 7,24 |
| Water temperature, °C | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 27 | 26 | 24 | 26 |
| Source: worldweather.org, Travel Portal | |||||||||||||
Structure and zoning
Peace Road - one of the streets of Sharm el-Sheikh
Historically, the city has not been subject to continuous development, and therefore is growing through the development of many different architectural “oases”. The main street of the city, Peace Road Avenue, passes through them, connecting the city spread along the seashore into a single whole.
The resort city consists of several areas built along the coast, around the main bays (coves):
Since Sharm el-Sheikh is sandwiched between two national reserves facing the sea, the coastline that can be occupied by buildings is limited to a strip of about 30 km. Currently, almost all areas of the coast suitable for construction are built up with luxury hotels or allocated for the construction of new residential complexes. But, despite this, the city continues to grow deep into the coast, towards the mountain range.
The most famous areas of Sharm el-Sheikh are Hadaba, Old Town, Aida, Tower, Il Mercato, Delta Sharm, Hai-en-Nur, Riviera, Hai Salam, Kriss, Naama, Nabq Bay.
Many new residential areas are being built: Gold Charm, Sun Shine, Sunny Lake, Montaza, and many others.
As a rule, residential buildings in the city are built in the form of small complexes of comfortable villas, concentrated around green areas with modern infrastructure, shops, restaurants, swimming pools and gardens. Due to the growing popularity of the resort, Egyptian investment companies are not afraid to invest heavily in the city's infrastructure, and Sharm el-Sheikh is changing every year.
Transport connection
One of the airport halls
The geographical location of the city determines its transport significance for the entire Sinai Peninsula.
Sharm el-Sheikh - air gate Sinai. Ras Nazran Airport ( Ras Nasrani) is the first and largest international airport on the Sinai Peninsula. Air communications pass through it both from Sharm el-Sheikh itself and from other resorts on the peninsula - Dahab, Taba, Nuweiba. The vast majority of tourists and guests arrive and return to the peninsula by air.
Main roads
Most of Sinai's roads, with the exception of some lightly trafficked roads on the peninsula leading from its interior to the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, pass through Sharm el-Sheikh. All roads are maintained in good condition, well equipped and are constantly being developed. The city has a developed car and light scooter rental service, and in a few days you can independently explore Sharm el-Sheikh and its surroundings. Traffic police are usually very friendly to foreigners.
File:View of the mountains from the highway (Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt).jpg
View of the mountain range from one of the city highways
Approximate travel distances and times:
- Dahab - 100 km (~1 hour drive by car)
- Monastery of St. Catherine - ~2 hours drive
- Colored Canyon - ~3 hours drive
- Nuweiba - ~2 hours drive
- Taba - ~3 hours drive
- At-Tour (administrative center of South Sinai governorate) - 90 km (~1 hour drive)
- Suez Canal Tunnel - 360 km
- Cairo - 500 km (~6-7 hours drive)
- Alexandria - ~9 hours
Tourism and rest
At the entrance to one of the hotels on Sity Council Street
View of the city at night
Sharm el-Sheikh is a resort of European level. There are many hotels, beaches, and vacation spots for tourists from all over the world on the coast. There are more than 200 hotels of different classes and price categories in the city. Housing construction is developed - the climate and modern infrastructure attract investors from various countries.
From the book Encyclopedic Dictionary (X-Z) author Brockhaus F.A.
Sheikh Sheikh is an Arabic word that means old man. This is what Muslims call abbots of spiritual orders or religious communities, descendants of a revered saint, and spiritual people in general.
From the book Digital Photography in Simple Examples author Birzhakov Nikita MikhailovichSheikh-ul-Islam Sheikh-ul-Islam is the head of Islam, the representative of the Muslim clergy in Turkey. This position was first introduced by Muhammad II in 1453, upon his conquest of Constantinople. Previously, all significant cities had their own Shul-Islams, but now it has been preserved
From the book Great Soviet Encyclopedia (SHE) by the author TSBSharm el-Sheikh Sharm el-Sheikh is a more prestigious resort, with a smaller share of oriental flavor. Holidays in Sharm el-Sheikh mean excellent service, coral reefs and, of course, underwater photography. At this resort you can capture the unique beauty of the Red Sea and swim among
From the book Egypt. Guide by Ambros EvaSheikh (leader of the clan) Sheikh (Arabic, literally - old man, old man), among Arab nomads, the head or leader of a clan, tribe or union of tribes. In countries where Islam spreads, the term “Sh.” also acquired the meaning of a respectable person in general; most often Sh. was called
From the book 100 Great Phenomena authorSheikh Shafia Ahmed Sheikh Shafia Ahmed (1924 - 1971), leader of the Sudanese and international labor movement; see Shafia. Shafia Ahmed
From the book 100 Great Adventures author Nepomnyashchiy Nikolai Nikolaevich From the book Diving. Red sea author Ryansky Andrey S. From the book All the Caucasian Wars of Russia. The most complete encyclopedia author Runov Valentin Alexandrovich**Tombs of Sheikh Abd el-Qurna Aristocrats, close associates of the pharaoh and government officials, as well as some high-ranking Theban priests, artists and artisans could, with the highest consent, build tombs for themselves near the royal ones. Along with many
From the book Big Dictionary of Quotes and Catchphrases author Dushenko Konstantin VasilievichSheikh Sharifu: a dervish who preached goodness and peace In 1999, the African press first reported about a unique boy - Sheikh Sharifu. He preached to crowds of Muslims who listened with bated breath. The boy visited fourteen African
From the author's bookSheikh Johann “I know that I am doing my duty, and I look joyfully to the future,” Burckhardt wrote to his mother three months before his death. - I am ready for both good and bad, no matter what it brings me, but in all cases I hope to achieve one goal - to see you in this or that life.
From the author's bookSharm el-Sheikh / Sharm el-Sheikh Telephone code 069 www.sharmelshekh.com For several decades, Sharm el-Sheikh has been the calling card of the Red Sea for the whole world. Cozy hotels built in wind-sheltered bays, the unique nature of Sinai,
From the author's book From the author's bookYAMANI, Ahmed Zaki (Yamani, Ahmed Zaki, b. 1930), sheikh, in 1962–1986. Minister of Oil of Saudi Arabia, founder of OPEC 15 The Stone Age did not end because the stones ran out, and the oil age will not end because the oil ran out. Interview to gas. The Telegraph (London), June 25
After a Russian A321 plane flying from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg crashed on the Sinai Peninsula as a result of a terrorist attack, the Russian government decided to suspend air traffic with Egypt. The British authorities, concerned about the terrorist threat in the Arab republic, did the same.
The result was not long in coming. Less than a month has passed since Russian and British tourists left Egyptian resorts, but the “downtime” has already had an impact on the condition of the cities most popular among foreigners. We invite you to take a look at what happened to the favorite vacation spot of Russians and British people, Sharm el-Sheikh, which the foreign press has already dubbed a ghost town.
This is what one of the most comfortable areas of Sharm el-Sheikh, Naama Bay, famous for its sandy beaches, looks like today.
Shop assistants and cafe workers on empty streets waiting for customers
The city's most popular cafe among young people, Hard Rock Cafe, also turned out to be empty.
Now compare what the area looked like before the flight bans were introduced.
The pictures were taken at the end of October by Instagram users
The number of available hotel rooms has increased significantly.
An empty golf club at one of the hotels
And this is the old market - the main eastern bazaar of the city. Located in the southwestern part, it has always been one of the most crowded places. It combines a traditional oriental bazaar, small shops, cafes and restaurants. At the entrance to the market, decorated in the “ancient Egyptian” style, dozens of taxi drivers were traditionally on duty waiting for passengers.
This is what the oriental bazaar looks like today.
A line of taxi drivers on an empty street
At sea, despite the ban
To be fair, it is worth noting that, despite the current situation, Egypt has not completely lost “Russian-speaking tourists.” Judging by the photographs from the beaches of the Arab Republic appearing day after day on social networks, travelers from some countries of the former CIS have not stopped flying to Egypt on vacation.
“The weather is getting worse, life is getting better. We are enjoying the empty streets... Our native Sharm is completely empty, it’s sad to see,” Instagram users argue in the comments under photos from Sharm el-Sheikh.
“Sharm El Sheikh!!! how to get there now? Through which country?” asks user vitaliya3107.
“Oh... I’ve been there twice... I really want to! From Kharkov, everyone rushed to Egypt...trip packages from $150,” writes Instagram user zebra1976.
“It’s a pity for those who couldn’t share with us the coolest season in Sharm because of political games,” says another social network user.
“As soon as they open the cordon. I can’t endure a second trip through Israel... One border crossing.. Quiet horror.. Five hours.. And this is not the limit.. So we are waiting..,” Instagram user nasty73_2010 shares his memories.
The Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh is located on the Sinai Peninsula, where it is washed by the Red Sea. Unlike the classic cities of Egypt like Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria, Sharm el-Sheikh is more reminiscent of European resorts on the Mediterranean coast. The year-round tourist season is divided into two periods: summer and winter.
Many Russian tourists often do not know how to correctly write and pronounce the name of the city - Sharm el-Sheikh or Sharm el-Sheikh. According to experts in the Arabic language, it has “solar” and “lunar” consonants, which turn the article “el” into itself. In other words, it is likened to the articulation of the consonant sound of the next word.
Thus, the correct pronunciation of the resort is Sharm el-Sheikh.
How to get there
Sharm el-Sheikh has a tropical desert climate, precipitation is extremely rare, so the weather here is dry and warm all year round. In the summer months, the air temperature reaches +40–45 degrees Celsius during the day and may well not drop below +30 at night. However, due to low air humidity and winds, such conditions are easily tolerated by numerous tourists.
In winter, the water temperature in the Red Sea never drops below +20 degrees, and in summer it can warm up to +28–30 degrees. However, the night temperature in January-February can still be around +15 degrees.
Cuisine and restaurants
To visit the Sinai Peninsula, tourists from the Russian Federation do not need to obtain a prior visa. A passport stamp allowing you to stay in Sinai for up to 15 days is placed right at the airport. The same applies to a tourist visa, which is required for travelers who want to vacation in Egypt for 30 days. The cost of instant registration at the airport is 25 USD.
There are no regular flights from Russia to Sharm el-Sheikh yet. However, tourists have the opportunity to get to the resort using a last-minute tour or buy a ticket to Alexandria or Cairo, and from there get to Sharm el-Sheikh. Direct flights from Moscow are provided by such airlines as Aeroflot, Red Wings Airlines, Ural Airlines, UTair and others. Flights with transfers are operated by Egypt Air, Turkish Airlines, SAS, Emirates, British Airways.
Ticket prices are quite affordable: a standard tour, including airfare, accommodation and meals, will cost about 20,000 RUR per person. If you take advantage of a last-minute tour, you can save a lot and relax in Sharm el-Sheikh for about 12,000 RUR - 14,000 RUR.
From Ras Nasrani International Airport you can get to the city by special tourist bus, most often for a small fee. A taxi ride will cost approximately 40 EGP - 50 EGP.
Almost all areas of Sharm el-Sheikh are located on the sea coast and are connected by a main street called Peace Road. The most developed area of Naama Bay has not only a huge number of hotels, but also cafes, restaurants, shops and nightclubs. Sharm el Maya has a sandy beach and an oriental market, as well as the historical part of the city and the harbour. In the Nabq area there is a national reserve of the same name, and in Ras Umm al-Sid Bay you can go diving and look at the luxurious coral gardens.
In addition to the traditional holiday on the sea coast, many excursion programs are organized in Sharm el-Sheikh, interesting from a historical and cultural point of view.
Among them, for example, there are popular trips to Jerusalem (Israel) or Petra (Jordan). The cost of such an excursion varies from 1,200 EGP to 5,000 EGP per person. You can also take part in a tour of Cairo, the capital of Egypt. The price of a bus ticket is 900 EGP, and a plane ticket is 3,500 EGP.
The most visited nature reserves in Egypt are the Colored Canyon and the Grand Coral Canyon. The cost of excursions to these places is 700 EGP and 1,500 EGP respectively.
You can spend your leisure time in a similar way on the islands of Ras Mohammed and Tiran. A ticket for such an excursion costs 180 EGP for children and 450 EGP for adults. In addition, you can go diving on the islands: for 1,000 EGP you can get great pleasure from exploring the underwater world.
An alternative diving option is provided by the Sea Scope bathyscaphe, a ticket for which costs 750 EGP. By boarding the ship, you can observe the underwater beauty without having to wear scuba gear.
“Grand Safari” is intended for lovers of extreme recreation. A four-wheeled motorcycle ride through the desert costs only 270 EGP.
A more peaceful pastime is offered by the Monastery of St. Catherine, a tour of which will cost approximately 500 EGP. As a rule, the program also includes a visit to the famous Mount Moses, where tourists stay overnight to watch the sunrise of indescribable beauty.
The shopping and entertainment complex “One Thousand and One Nights” is not only a concentration of various shops and boutiques, but also a unique venue for concert shows. For 700 EGP, tourists can see colorful performances of dancers, musicians and other artists.
Cuisine and restaurants
Local restaurants are replete with a variety of cuisines, from fast food and pizzerias to expensive establishments with European, Mediterranean, Lebanese, Arabic, Pan-Asian, and Egyptian cuisines. The national cuisine is very diverse: there is fish, meat and exotic fruits and vegetables. The national drink is hibiscus, a sour tea made from hibiscus flowers. You should be careful with alcohol: after all, Egypt is a Muslim country, and it is not welcome here. Of course, anything happens on the territory of hotel complexes, but it’s better not to drink in the city.
Entertainment
Naama Bay is the most “unsleeping” part of Sharm El-Sheikh. The most expensive hotels are located here and there is a long promenade with cafes, restaurants, souvenir shops and shops.
The main thing is diving schools and an unlimited number of dives per square kilometer. The cost of diving at a five-star hotel school will be much cheaper than in Indonesia (as you know, the capital of world diving), and you will get much more impressions and spectacles. The main entertainment in Sharm el-Sheikh, as in any resort city, is the beach, warmth, optional sports or excursions.
