Sunday, 17 April
Today is Easter Sunday. There were dyed eggs and bread shaped like a lamb at breakfast. Not quite sure where you find these in Egypt.
The Muslims are celebrating Ramadan. Practicing Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset from 2 April until 1 May. This means breakfast before 5:15 and dinner after 6:00 each day. Some of the resort employees occasionally look tired and this may be the reason.
Nicole and I planned to dive about 9:15. The dive center was quite busy then so we decided to delay our dive. The temperature was 90 by 9:30. We decided to go to the beach to cool off. I swam around and looked at some of the fish while Nicole did a long swim. The water which had seemed a little cool earlier this trip felt refreshing today. We kept an eye on divers entering and leaving the water and decided on a noon dive.
There was a sign over by the dive center advertising that there were numbered “Easter Eggs” in the water and at 4:00 there would be a drawing for prizes. Each diver should pick up one number. We swam out the north reef enjoying the angelfish, puffer fish and many others. We did not find any Easter Eggs but knew there were some remaining on the structure called “the garage”. We headed over to the garage and found our numbers, 54 for Nicole, 24 for me. After hot showers, it was time for coffee. Iced mocha for me today with the heat. Nicole’s usual cafe latte. It was really warm this afternoon.
The prize drawings were at 4:00. Prizes included a water bottle, hat, tee shirt, mug and the grand prize of a terrycloth poncho. I was lucky enough to win the mug. It will get some use here for my morning coffee. The coffee cups at breakfast are small so the mug will save me a few trips.
Temperature finally cooled off about a half hour before sunset. Most of the day was a bit hazy. Some combination of dust and humidity? When it is hazy the color of the sea looks gray instead of the beautiful blues when it is clear.
Tomorrow’s dive plan is for an afternoon dive. I have been challenged to a chess match in the morning and the opportunity to even my record. There is some discussion of playing for ice cream. Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer than today.
I expected something special for Easter dinner after the extras at breakfast and the Easter egg hunt. It was the regular buffet, pasta station, soups, lots of salads and desserts. The entree was beef with gravy over rice. The food always have some interesting spices that are not familiar. Always plenty and always good.
Nicole and I enjoyed drinks at the bar since it was a warm evening and tomorrow’s dive will be in the afternoon. All of the beer, wine and alcohol is made in Egypt. I had a Stella beer. This is one that probably is not found outside Egypt. Tasty.
Neil Young – “It’s better to burn out than to fade away.”