Away from Sharm El-Sheikh, El-Gouna and other similar places, “Egypt Rediscovered provides an intriguing guide to places around the country you may have never known existed. The must-have book sums up Egypt’s natural heritage and gives an array of choices that are not only spectacular, but so close to home.
With camera in hand, talented writer/photographer Mohamed El-Hebeishy embarked on a two-year adventure, taking stunning pictures of scenery, monuments and animals found at the nation’s rich landscapes. Instead of relying on words to tell his story, he let his photos do the job. They say a picture is worth a thousands words, and it’s never been more true.
The journey starts in El Gilf El Kibir -“a gigantic plateau the size of Switzerland, as he describes it – located in the much ignored southwestern side of the country. The area is filled with prehistoric carvings and wall drawings in valleys and caves, of cattle and human figures performing various activities. The area also stands witness to modern times, with remains of World War II trucks and carcasses of Barbary sheep.
In the Great Sand Sea, another fascinating location, El-Hebeishy’s pictures capture sand dunes, palm trees and the unique rare silica glass.
Moving to Alexandria, the photographs reveal how much more the city has to offer than popular attractions such as the Bibliotheca, the catacombs or its numerous seafood restaurants. One of El-Hebeishy’s most captivating photos is of an ancient defense tower originally built by the Romans and later used in the Islamic era, uniting both of Alexandria’s civilizations.
Surprisingly, some of Egypt’s hidden treasures that the book unveils are right here in Cairo. El Tabataba shrine, a natural water spring, and El Khalawati Mosque, built in ruins hanging off the Mokatam cliffs, are just samples of ancient history tucked in random corners around the city.
In between Alexandria and Cairo, Wadi El Natrun is home to a natural spring called El Hamra. What makes this spring exceptionally special is its reddish color – hence the name. In the summer heat, the water disappears, revealing an icy-like bright pink ground. In the winter, when it is filled with water, the color of the spring turns blood red.
El-Hebeishy then traces the Sinai Pilgrimage Route, the historic road taken by Muslims from Africa on their way to Mecca. In one notable photo, El-Hebeishy shows an engraved rock, with an Islamic verse left behind centuries ago.
Sinai is also home to the Blue Desert, the product of Belgian artist Jean Verame’s effort to commemorate the peace treaty signed by Egypt and Israel in the late 1970s. With 10 tons of blue paint donated from the UN, and permission from late president Anwar Sadat, Verame painted six and a half kilometers and nine-meter high boulders, making what is also referred to as “Line of Peace.
El-Hebeishy also captures the natural water spring, which is known as Moses’ Bath. Located in Sinai’s El Tur city, this ‘hamam’ is enclosed in a building made of rocks.
Moving to the other side of the Red Sea, a protected marine park reflecting the rich diversity of our ecosystems stands out. Located on Wadi El Gemal Island, Hamata National Park is filled with a variety of creatures like hermits, gulls and corals.
This is just a little taste of the more detailed and aesthetic presentations in the book that is a must-have for anyone interested in discovering the lesser-known gems of Egypt.
Egypt RediscoveredBook Signing Wednesday, April 16Diwan105, Abu Bakr El Siddiq St., Heliopolis, Cairo 7 pm-8 pm Tel: (02) 2736 2578
