Polina's Posts (6)

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White Desert


Finally we were in the White Desert! It was our main goal. It was very white, in clear contrast with the yellow desert! You want to ask me, what it is? There are a big wind-shaped rocks from limestone, from real chalk! We couldn't believe and licked it once;) I had written the same in the school!

It is off-road area. The White Desert is big, there are different areas. The most amazing is, where the rocks look like a mushrooms and tables. Everybody think, the desert is a lonely place. This desert is tranquil, calm, peaceful but isn't peopleless! Of course this area is less explored than Red Sea, however we spotted another group in the distance and we met jeeps with tourist from Europe, Japan, India every hour. And mushroom-area was very crowded!

And it were not only people! I saw the footsteps of fox, jerboa, lizard and snake. We were lucky to see a little fox. It went to us during the dinner and ask for a biscuit.

We stay two nights out in the desert. First we wanted to sleep in a tent, but we had seen the sky full of stars and decide on a mat outside.

To be continued...)

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Crystal Mountain


OK, I want to continue my trip...)

The next day I started my way to the White Desert National Park...

We booked a four wheel car with a driver. I have to tell some words about our excellent driver! He was a great and very experienced man. Farah (this was his name) was Bedouin by birth, had a good knowledge of desert and knew the best places for camping. He could cook a lot of tasty dishes on a fire (we had a very dinner of three or four courses!!!).

After our start Farah bought different foodstuffs (It wasn't easily, because my friends don't eat meet and Farah had to think, what he could cook for us) and we weren't be low of anything!

The first stop was a Crystal Mountain. It's situated in the White Desert's North. This is a little rock made from limestone with big crystals. It's a pity, you can't see it on the photo. The crystals sparkle when the sun rays illumine it.

There is a nice arch in the center.

If you want to see it your own eyes, you should be fast, because the tourists break parts of this rock (it's horrible, it's prohibited, but it is!)

Then we went to the very white White Desert. But it will be the next story)))

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Bahariya Oasis

I want to relate about my last trip to Egypt and about the National Park White Desert. It's one of the more interesting places in the whole world. There are white rocks somewhere covered the sand.
Our trip starts in Bahariya Oasis - little town 360 km (or 4 hours) away from Cairo, where 10 years ago were found "golden mummies". This mummies are in local museum now. But you have to visit one place more. There are two real old egyptian tomb nearby! You can come down and see funeral room and very unique pictures. I'm so sorry, but shutting was strictly forbidden( You should take my word))
I spent a night in a local hotel. This hotel was nice and comfortable and there was thermal spring. We had a great time: dinner, balneum, water pipe. And in the morning I fresh as paint went to White Desert.
to be continued...))
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Ski!!!

I'm planing my future leisure. Usually I don't apply to the tour operator for the tour package. It's a very exciting process to look for an plane ticket, to choose and to book a hotel and develop a programm of the trip. I like reading information about countries and transport, and then find the best way by myself.
This time I would like to go skiing in Austria. I was in Salzburg, Innsbruck and Vienna, but I have never gone ski in this country. I hope, it will be great! Anyway there are the highest mountans, excellent slopes and delicious kitchen in Ausria!
I found a very cheap air ticket, and I'm looking for the way from airport to the ski resort. I like an idea to make overstop in Bayern for visiting pretty german castle Neuschweinstein.
And what do you prefer? Buy the tour package or develop it by yourself?
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My favorite drink

I don't like tea! It's strange, because tea (not coffee) is very popular in my country and tea-parties are the part of our culture. "He didn't give a cup of tea", this sentence was talked by old moscowites about a bad inhospitable man.
Do you think, I have never taste a good tea? Do you know, what kind of tea I have ever drunk? I try the best teas from Chine and Sri-Lanka, but I really don't understand a flavour of boiled bush and why the people enjoy it. And finally I had a courage saying myself, I don't like tea!!
I prefer other drinks. My favorite beverage is carcade or hibiscus tea. This nice red "tea" is typical for Egupt, Sudan and... Central America, where it is known as "Agua de Flor de Jamaica" (water of flower of Jamaica) and is used hot during Christmas time with ginger and sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg (good ideas, no?).
Usually I buy carcade in differenf arabian countries (IMHO, the best was from Qatar). I need a lot of this dried petals, because I like drinking it all year - cold with ice in summer and hot with honey and lemon in winter.
Carkade is rich of Vitamin C and organic asids. But you have to by careful! This drink is hypotensive. And you will not be full of beens after that!
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Koshary

I come back from Egypt. It was one of the best journey of my life! We visited Black desert, White desert, spend two nights outdoor, watched oasises, practiced windsurfing. I tasted a very delicious egyptian dish - koshary and I would like to try to prepare it at home.

Recipe of Koshary

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup white rice and fry about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup rice and 3 cups water and salt. Bring to a boil and cook until the rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Cook the macaroni (of two different tipes).

Cook 1 cup lentils in 2 cups water (15-20 minutes).

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet and fry 5 onions in the oil, stirring often, until they begin to brown, 10 to 15 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another minute. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

Mix 4 tablespoons vinegar, half of the onion, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, black pepper, salt, cumin. Simmer about 12 minutes.

Take a serving plate and serve rice, then macaroni, then the lentils and onions, and tomato sauce.

And enjoy your meal!

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