Once upon a time in a small town, there was a young boy named Quincy. Quincy had always been fascinated by music and spent hours tinkering with different instruments. He dreamed of one day becoming a famous musician and playing in grand concert halls. One day, Quincy stumbled upon an old, dusty violin in his attic. As he held it in his hands, he felt a strange energy emanating from it. Curiosity getting the better of him, Quincy picked up the bow and began to play.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Quincy picked up the bow and began to play. To his amazement, the violin produced the most enchanting sound he had ever heard. Unbeknownst to Quincy, this violin was no ordinary instrument—it was magical.
Siwa Oasis-Magical String of Salt and Freshwater lakes in the Egyptian Western Desert
September 2021: Although I had already been to Egypt 3 times, we were so close and Paula has never been there, so it was an easy decision to return. Besides, I love Egypt-the ancient history and what isn’t there to like about mummies, tombs, curses and pyramids? Egypt embodies the childhood sense of adventure that lives within all of us.
In past trips to Egypt, I traveled up the Nile River, obtained an advanced diving certification in the Red Sea, visited the Sinai Peninsula so on this trip, I wanted to visit a new part of Egypt, the ancient oasis town of Siwa in the western desert along the Libyan border. Of course Paula would have to visit the Giza pyramids too. Since we only had three full days in Egypt, we decided to maximize our time by skipping the hotel stay on the night of our arrival. Instead we slept in the car, while our driver drove all night to Siwa. Sacrificing comfort for travel and adventure was nothing new to Paula and I so this was an easy decision.
About Siwa Oasis
Location of Siwa Oasis-a series of lakes on the edge of the great western sand sea of the Egyptian desert
Siwa Oasis is a fertile area of a series of fresh and salt water lakes bordering the edge of the Great Egyptian Sand Sea in the Western Desert along the Libyan border. It is one of the most remote human settlements in Egypt and has been inhabited for thousands of years since Pharaonic times. Alexander the Great was coronated as Emperor in Siwa, and Cleopatra is said to have visited this oasis town. More recently, World War II battles occurred between the British and Germans there.
Currently, 30,000 people mostly desert Berbers who speak a unique Siwa dialect live in Siwa. The population of Siwa was extremely isolated for many years and only a few decades ago were given electricity and asphalt roads. The Siwa people very conservative and due to the area’s isolation, few tourists make it to Siwa compared to other areas of Egypt. To get to Siwa, we had to fly into Cairo, meet our driver at the airport and drive 11 hours overnight to avoid the traffic and heat of the day. We drove north along the desert to the Mediterranean Coast and then turned inland towards the desert passing through 5 military checkpoints. A few of the checkpoints are very thorough and every personal item will be searched.
Long Overnight Drive to Siwa
Our driver and guide met us at the airport. Although Egypt is an easy country to travel independently in, a guide and pre-arranged driver was necessary since we only had three days and our plans were very ambitious. Our first order of business was to obtain a Covid test, which we needed to return home. Our guide had a doctor friend who could meet us in the street and take a PCR test from us in our vehicle. The doctor took our samples without gloves on or a mask and after a few minutes he was off. The price was steep and just about everything about the test was suspect. But in the end a few days later we received our test reports on time and the airlines accepted them.
After sorting our our testing business, we took a shortcut through Cairo by crossing the City of the Dead. Even though it was 10pm the traffic in Cairo never sleeps. The City of Dead, is one of the largest necropolis’s in the world. It is miles long with thousands of entombed souls dating back to 900AD. The area is huge and despite it’s name, large populations of the impoverished live side by side with the dead. Many are paid by the families of the dead to look after the tombs. others have moved in because they have no where else to go. The area is incredibly fascinating and many of the tombs are beautiful. There are risks to visiting however as gangs of glue sniffing youths are known to rob outsiders. This was my second time to the City of the Dead and it is one of my favorite places in Cairo. We took our time driving through and our guide requested we lock the doors and keep the windows rolled up to avoid tempting any bandits.
City of the Dead Tomb
After leaving the City of the Dead and Cairo, Paula and I fell asleep in the backseat. On occasion I would awake to take a peek outside but there was not much to see aside from an odd camel and the occasional bush. After reaching the Mediterranean we drove 7 hours through the flat featureless desert plains before reaching Siwa. The roads were mostly empty with the exception of the occasional semi-truck traveling from Libya.
Empty Desert Road to Siwa
In my travels, I have discovered that life can exist anywhere even in places where it would seem no life could exist, like the hostile Egyptian desert. But low and behold, when we pulled the car over to urinate in the desert one morning during sunrise, our guide found a chameleon sitting on top of a branch in one of the only bushes for miles in any direction. The chameleon was so blended in with his surroundings, that it took me a few minutes to find him when our guide tried to point him out to me. To the guide’s astonishment, I picked him up and carried him on my shoulder and brought him to the car to surprise Paula, still sleeping. She was not expecting to wake up to the sight of a chameleon in her face, but she did. The little guy was not pleased with me and he hissed and but me rather hard. After a few photos, I decide I ruined enough of his day, and returned him to his bush.
Chameleon we found in the desert
Chameleon we found in the desert sun basking on top of Paula’s head
After a while, the barren desert gave way to greenery and date palms. We arrived at Siwa, which is surrounded by dozens of fresh and saltwater lakes scattered here and there along towering sand dunes that extend 500 miles into Libya and the south of Egypt. The first place we visited was the Mountain of the Dead also known as Gebel al-Mawta, a mountain on the edge of town that is the site of hundreds of ancient Egyptian and Greek tombs. Most of them have already been raided by tomb raiders over the centuries, but some I was told likely remain unexplored within the mountain. The caretaker awakened from his sleep when we arrived. As is the case with much of Egypt during Covid, we had the place to ourselves.
Mountain of the Dead
After leaving the City of the Dead and Cairo, Paula and I fell asleep in the backseat. On occasion I would awake to take a peek outside but there was not much to see aside from an odd camel and the occasional bush. After reaching the Mediterranean we drove 7 hours through the flat featureless desert plains before reaching Siwa. The roads were mostly empty with the exception of the occasional semi-truck traveling from Libya.
As Quincy continued to play, he noticed that the violin's melody was not only beautiful but also had the power to transport him to different places and times. It was as if the music itself held the keys to unlocking hidden worlds. Excited by this newfound discovery, Quincy embarked on a grand adventure with his magical violin. He played melodies that took him to lush meadows filled with vibrant flowers, where he danced with butterflies and birds. Other times, the music transported him to bustling city streets, where he played for crowds of people who couldn't help but stop and listen. But Quincy's grandest adventure came when he encountered an ancient piano hidden deep within a mystical forest. As he sat down to play, the piano came alive, its keys dancing beneath his fingertips. Suddenly, the sound of a trumpet filled the air, and Quincy turned to see a tiny, mischievous creature standing beside him. The creature introduced himself as Tiny Einstein, a magical being who had been waiting for Quincy's arrival. Tiny Einstein explained that Quincy possessed a special gift—the ability to unleash the true power of music through his playing. Together, Quincy and Tiny Einstein vowed to use their magical instruments and spread the joy of music throughout the world. From that day forward, Quincy and Tiny Einstein traveled far and wide, using their magical instruments to heal hearts, inspire dreams, and unite people from all walks of life. Their performances were legendary, and soon their names became synonymous with the power of music. Quincy's dream of becoming a famous musician came true, but it was the journey he had taken with Tiny Einstein and the magical instruments that held the true meaning. It was through their musical adventures that Quincy learned the essence of music—its ability to connect, transform, and uplift the spirits of all who listen. And so, Quincy and Tiny Einstein continued to play, their magical instruments guiding them to new realms of sound and enchantment. For as long as they had their music, they knew that anything was possible, and the world would forever be filled with harmony and wonder..
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