To a desert paradise
4 Comments Published by Tom Gara on Monday, January 24 at Monday, January 24, 2005.
We had a close to perfect weekend over Eid, heading out to Bahirriya, the desert oasis town. The town itself wasn't amazing, but man, thats one hell of a desert they have out there. The desert in Siwa was more like an endless sand ocean, rolling hills of sand dunes going out as far as you can see. In Bahirriya, the desert is a surreal landscape of purple, white and black sand and rocks, mountains, rock pillars and bizarre natural formations.
A highlight of the trip was our awesome Bedouin guides - the first ones I have come across who were completely conversant in English. It was great being able to have real conversations with these people about their culture and their amazing landscape, and to be able to ask questions and get interesting answers. The highlight of the trip for me was sitting around a fire in the desert one night, with the four Bedouin guys singing old songs and playing their drums - it felt as timeless as you could get. Until, that is, one of started showing us all videos that he had taken on his mobile phone during the Eid feast the day before. That mobile phones are now commonly being used to shoot and store video is indeed a cool thing. To be shown such videos by a Bedouin guide around a campfire in the middle of the Sahara desert is, in my opinion, a perfect representation of the possibilities of modern existence.
The possibilities of modern existence? "Shut up Tom", I hear you saying. Fine then. On with the photographs:
I actually went to a place called "Crystal Mountain", and it did not involve video games, fantasy novels or illegal drugs. Its just your stock standard mountain. MADE OF CRYSTAL:
The crystal mountain was quickly upstaged in weirdness stakes by the natural rock formation that happened to have a spooky resemblance to a chicken eating a giant mushroom. To repeat, this does not involve illegal drugs...:
This cow, on a farm in the oasis, enjoys a better standard of living than 2 billion of the worlds poor. I think Jesus would have been born somewhere like this:
Hanging out with some Bahariyya locals in the big tent:
Sunsets rarely feel this sweet:
When ladies start carrying water on their heads while children play in the dust, you know you are somewhere interesting:
And finally - although this isnt of Baharriya, I thought this Pyramid photo might interest some people. There classic image of the pyramids is that they sit in the middle of the desert. They do, if you take the photo from one particularly creative and misleading angle. However, from any other angle, they are in the middle of the city - they are a significant traffic obstacle....:
A highlight of the trip was our awesome Bedouin guides - the first ones I have come across who were completely conversant in English. It was great being able to have real conversations with these people about their culture and their amazing landscape, and to be able to ask questions and get interesting answers. The highlight of the trip for me was sitting around a fire in the desert one night, with the four Bedouin guys singing old songs and playing their drums - it felt as timeless as you could get. Until, that is, one of started showing us all videos that he had taken on his mobile phone during the Eid feast the day before. That mobile phones are now commonly being used to shoot and store video is indeed a cool thing. To be shown such videos by a Bedouin guide around a campfire in the middle of the Sahara desert is, in my opinion, a perfect representation of the possibilities of modern existence.
The possibilities of modern existence? "Shut up Tom", I hear you saying. Fine then. On with the photographs:
I actually went to a place called "Crystal Mountain", and it did not involve video games, fantasy novels or illegal drugs. Its just your stock standard mountain. MADE OF CRYSTAL:
The crystal mountain was quickly upstaged in weirdness stakes by the natural rock formation that happened to have a spooky resemblance to a chicken eating a giant mushroom. To repeat, this does not involve illegal drugs...:
This cow, on a farm in the oasis, enjoys a better standard of living than 2 billion of the worlds poor. I think Jesus would have been born somewhere like this:
Hanging out with some Bahariyya locals in the big tent:
Sunsets rarely feel this sweet:
When ladies start carrying water on their heads while children play in the dust, you know you are somewhere interesting:
And finally - although this isnt of Baharriya, I thought this Pyramid photo might interest some people. There classic image of the pyramids is that they sit in the middle of the desert. They do, if you take the photo from one particularly creative and misleading angle. However, from any other angle, they are in the middle of the city - they are a significant traffic obstacle....:
Counting down the days till I am there :)
love the pics. And the stories. What camera do you use?
Very cool. My new goal: sit around a campfire in the sahara desert. Videophone or no videophone.
Bedouin desert documentarys, their life in the desert in 2005, with a digital phone - fascinating. Must be a market for that somewhere.....
Madge