There’s nothing like an impulsive excursion away from the maddening crowd in the aim of preserving one’s sanity. Naturally once you have found a place that alleviates your whims, you would not think of leaving unless you lose interest in the constant carefree and blissful vibe that you normally absorb from an inescapable paradise like Boracay.

In a case like this, the best thing to do is to get off your comfort zone and discover other naturally gifted places outside of Boracay that will pique your interest. Once you return from your getaway you will realize how precious the feeling of soft powdery white sand hugging the soles of your feet or the dynamic sunsets that heighten your day with its psychedelic shades or the picturesque sparkling water that unfailingly soothes your senses and feel that you have deserved what you had subtly taken for granted.

You do not have to look any farther. Just cast your eyes on the mainland from the white beach and imagine a scenic cross-country motorbike journey along a concrete highway encompassing raw images of carabaos munching on grass in flourishing farmlands that lead to a variety of pool resorts beside the clean Nabaoy River that supplies water to Boracay, to the virgin forests and wildlife animals of Naasug Point, to the 7 swimming basins of Jawili Falls in Tangalan, and to the cascading natural cold springs resort of Hurom-Hurom in Gibon, Nabas.

However if you take a different route from the junction in Nabas where roads leading to Kalibo and Antique meet, then why not take the latter route for a change and experience the warmth and treasure troves of Pandan in Antique.

You can charter a van or a boat or take a jeepney ride to Pandan, which from Caticlan takes about 1 ½ hours. The best thing to do though is to rent a motorbike and trail on a dirt road adventure into narrow paths and virgin forests that open up to refreshing waterfalls, crystal-forming caves, hilltops and beaches for some aqua adventures, mountain climbing and hiking.

Pandan Bay

On Antique’s South China Sea coastline, behold the glittery sand and breathtaking sunset at Pandan Bay. Here you can revel in complete serenity where you will be warmly greeted by its locals, swim with the most delicious salt water fishes like yellow-finned tuna, talakitok, tanigue, and blue marlin, and witness a variety of shells and small marbles on golden sand that glows on your skin once you get off the water.

It is quite secluded. Yet so far only one resort exists in the midst of a few native houses and lush vegetation: Phaidon Villas and Resort.

Quaint, simple and homey are the adjectives to describe this lone resort. Perfectly molded in a classic fully-furnished Mediterranean Villa by the sea, Phaidon Villas Resort provides anything that you need and everything that you want in a deserted island. They offer International cuisine, beach sports, board games, snorkeling, adventure tours throughout Antique, company seminars and retreats, family affairs, private parties and deckchairs to provide an ideal relaxation with your chosen drink in Paradise.

Bugang River

Locals say that it’s so clean it’s a shame to rinse your dirty hands in it. Well, rightfully so, especially since it has been awarded as the cleanest Inland Body of Water in the Philippines by the President for Environment. In fact, the word bugang is synonymous to “Magnificent”, which by definition is an appearance of exceptional beauty.

Thus exceptional beauty and splendor Bugang River is. It is the ultimate pride of Antique in which cool turquoise water flows 5 kilometers from the subterranean river of the well-maintained Northwest Panay Peninsula Natural Park with unique river corals, besieged by virgin forests, aquatic plants, crystal rocks, fertile mangroves, and natural filter, due only to Pandan’s strict Eco-Tourism Master Plan to uphold the river’s purity and to guarantee the community of its cleanliness for safe drinking.

Malumpati Cold Spring Headwater

If other places in the Philippines boast its respective natural resources, may it be rice farming, copra supplying, pina fibers, marine sanctuaries, beaches, flourishing hill tops, endangered species, medicinal plants, a variety of vibrant flowers, then Pandan obviously covers most of these. Another evidence of this is Malumpati Cold Spring Head Water.

Situated in Sitio Malumpati, just a few kilometers away from Pandan Bay, Malumpati Cold Springs is akin to a magical lake-river that replenishes your energy and naturally produces medicinal healing properties straight from the adjacent panoramic mountain springs.

You can swim in its 10 meters wide and 40 meters deep fresh pool and innocently surrender to its natural gifts. Alongside this, you can hike up its surrounding forest in the midst of ferns, orchids, rattan and fig trees where you can explore mystical caves and discover and sight rare butterflies and the most endangered and endemic bird species like the Visayan Writhed Hornbill or Dulungan (Aceros Waldeni) and the Visayan Tarictic Hornbill or Tirik (Penelopides Panini), Bleeding Heart Pigeon and White-throated Jungle Flycatcher.which are only found in Panay and Negros.

Malumpati Cold Springs, like Bugang River is easily accessible from the main road. Just prepare a minimal entrance fee per person and ask the locals where these famous places are and they will gladly give you its directions.

Pandan Public Market

Vegetables, fresh and dried fish, sari-sari stores, drug stores, school supplies stores, restaurants, vulcanizing shops, pawnshops, boutiques, furniture and appliance stores, recreation halls native handicraft shops, name it, this rural super market has it.

And because Pandan prides itself of its abundant natural resources, prices of beef, chicken, seafood like fish, especially Bangus and Lapu-Lapu, squids, shellfishes, prawns, native products made of pina, abaca, buri, and bariw, and crops like rice, bananas, nipa, ube, cassava, vegetables, coconuts, and unrefined muscovado sugar (complete with vitamins and minerals) are inexpensive.

At last, knowing that such a haven exists, I can truly attest that Pandan is one of the best alternative destinations away from the island that we all love and cherish that is Boracay.

Qty. for 4 people

1 kilo Beef Steak, fillets
Virgin Olive Oil ½ cup for marinade; 1 tbsp for the zucchini
1 cup Milk
7 cloves Garlic
1 kilo Zucchini
200 g. Blue Cheese
Black Pepper, crushed
A dash of Iodized Salt

1. Marinade the steak fillets in oil and 4 crushed garlic for 2 hours.

2. Meanwhile, heat 3 cloves of garlic in a pan until almost brown. Add the diced zucchini and simmer until soft on low heat, covered. This will cook from 45 to 60 minutes.

3. Add a half cup of non-fat milk and let the liquid evaporate on medium heat, uncovered.

4. Mix in the blue cheese to coat the zucchini. Add some salt to your taste. Turn off the fire and leave the pan covered so the cheese is further absorbed.

5. Heat the grill and cook the garlic marinated steak according to your preferred consistency. Set aside the garlic oil marinade for garnishing.

6. To serve, place a mound of blue cheese zucchini on the side of the plate and follow it with the steak in the center.

7. Season with salt, pepper and a dash of the garlic oil.

8. Enjoy it while it’s hot!

At the foyer is a white rectangular Fatimid Mosque and the church’s bell tower. On the surrounding of the mosque are inscriptions stating that Prince Anoshteken Al-Amer built the Mosque in 1106 for Caliph Al-Amer Be Ahkam Allah as a shelter for pilgrims journeying towards Mecca and as protection for the Monastery. While the door of the Mosque has been locked since its completion, the keys to it are nevertheless held by the Jebeleya (mountain people) Bedouins as their rightful honor, as well as to use in special occasions. It is interesting to know that not only do the Bedouins call for their own prayers, but they also ring the church bell for the Christian masses.

Immediately past the Mosque is the doorway of the Church of Transfiguration. Built by Emperor Justinian in 557 AD, the Byzantine church transmits a sense of strong devotion and faith of the Greek Orthodox monks to the Almighty for securing the church’s esteemed interior and important relics safe and preserved from obstructions of the last 15 centuries. Around its monolithic marble columns are some of the monastery’s chief icons, such as impressively carved thrones of past patriarchs and bishops, the most-prized gold-etched mosaic of The Transfiguration of Christ on the apse above the main altar, and to its right-hand side, the crowned skull and left thumb of St. Katherine of Alexandria, which were found on Mt. St. Katherine during the 9^th century.

No monks were visible inside the church yet, not until noon when all 25 of them gather in daily mass. Hoping to find a monk whom we could talk to, we exited through the southern end of the church and climbed up the wooden staircase to the Icon Collection.

At the reception area, we met Father Nilos, the monk responsible for over 2000 great treasures displayed in the Icon Collection from the 6^th to 9^th century AD. However, since he was not authorized to answer unsolicited questions, he suggested us to wait inside the church for Father Porphyrios, the Guardian of Treasures.

We retreated to the main grounds, stopping shortly in front of the Burning Bush, which is currently undergoing restoration. The site believed to be the backdrop of Moses’ historical conversation with God contains a lush bush, enclosed with a high stoned wall and a fence, also standing as a witness to the pilgrims who have prayed and written their wishes on rolled-up papers stuck through its crevices.

Back inside the Church of Transfiguration, we found Father Porphyrios surveying the precious nave with his Egyptian assistant. He approached us as we neared the nave and was kind enough to answer our questions regarding two diverse religious sites existing inside the monastery. His assistant translated his Greek reply for us, stating that “We live in harmony with the Jebeleya Bedouins who come and work with us, as well as with other Muslims visiting our monastery because of the respect we give to both religions. We also have in the Icon Collection a covenant written by the Prophet Mohamed recognizing the significant practices of both as different forms of worship to the same God.”

The kind monk then led us to an area further away from the Church. Much to our surprise, the area that we were shown into was the vault of skeletons. The Charnel House, which is now restricted to tourists, holds the skeletons of monks and bishops that have been exhumed from the cemetery. It stores each skeleton part in separate piles and the bishops apart from the monks. But its main attraction is the skeleton of a 6^th century monk, Stephanos crunched inside a vertical glass casket with a purple robe and cap and long nails sticking out from his boney fingers. He was believed to have stayed in contemplation on Mt. Sinai in the years prior to his death in 580 AD. His corpse was later found on the holy mountain preserved by Sinai’s dry cool climate.

Having accomplished our goal and meeting a friendly monk who showed us something we had only read about in books, we took off for another 2 ½ hour-scenic trip back to Sharm El Sheikh.

The Monastery is open Monday to Thursday and on Saturday from 10:00 to 11:30 am; on Friday from 10:45 to 11:45 am.  Admission is free.

Celebrate this lovely Sunday with your family and friends over this delectable dish of chicken breasts simmered in dates and spices. Top this over a heap of brown rice and you have a memorable meal to enjoy at your dining table.

4 Chicken Breasts

1 large Onion, sliced

1 tbsp. Freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tbsp. Virgin Olive Oil

¼ tsp. Nutmeg

1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon

1 tbsp. Honey

A dash of Iodized Salt

A dash of Black Pepper, crushed

2 cups Chicken Broth

250 g. Dates, pitted and halved lengthwise

½ tsp. Curry Powder

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.

2. Heat a pan with olive oil over med-high heat, brown chicken on both sides in batches. Remove chicken and set aside.

3. Add onion to pan and cook over med. heat until soft, about 10 min. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, and stock to onion in pan, and bring to a boil.

4. Add chicken to pan, reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

5. Add dates, lemon juice, and curry powder. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until slightly thickened.

6. Serve chicken with some of the sauce and dates over rice for 4 people. Adjust the ingredients to accommodate more diners. Enjoy!

Originally used as an ancient mode of transportation, kayaking is now famous as a sport for leisure and exploration.  It allows you to glide on the water with a long paddle in surrender to the beautiful scenery, in appreciation of your independence, and in building upper body strength.  The intense motion of paddling stems from your core.  You tone your shoulders and strengthen your arms while navigating your glide, thus exerting power from your abdomen and lower back. So if you paddle for an hour, you do an average of 1,500 repetitions of low-impact upper body movements, which burns up 400 calories. This is perfect for turning those love handles into a 6-pack stomach.  Take a single if you want to have full control of your momentum or a double if you want to share this rewarding experience with your loved one.

Now for toning your core all the way to your lower body, just lace up your good ol’ running shoes and walk or run along the road.  Walking or Running is a moderate intensity workout that can be done as a form of meditation or as a social event.  It clears your mind and lets you connect with your thoughts, while the endorphin that your heart releases lifts you up into doing more of this personal exploration. However, be aware of your posture; keep your head up, your shoulders relaxed, your chest lifted, your abs tight, and tightly swing your arms so you breathe easily throughout your strides. With just 30 minutes three times a week, you can yield its benefits, such as a lower blood pressure, lower risk of osteoporosis, cancer and heart disease, an improved cholesterol profile, and fat loss.Being the most accessible sport ever, walking or running can be done on the road, along the beach, on the desert and even on shallow water.  Try walking instead of taking a cab to the market when shopping for your needs.  This will keep you in shape without trying.  Just put on a hat and a sunscreen to protect your skin from harmful UV rays, and remember to carry a small bottle of low-sodium drinking water to hydrate yourself from time to time.

Last, but certainly not the least is Yoga.  Derived from the Sanskrit root word ‘yuj’, meaning ‘to yoke or to join’, yoga is an ancient system of physical and mental disciplines, practiced to attain optimum health and well-being.  It is a combination of eight asanas or poses that help in stretching and toning your body, as well as correct breathing, relaxation, diet and positive thinking through meditation.  Mahatma Ghandhi defined yoga as “the yoking of all the powers of the body, mind and soul; the disciplining of the intellect, the motions, and the will power”, which enables one to look at life in all its aspects evenly, whether it is pleasure or pain.

By practicing yoga daily, you become in tune with yourself and your energy.  Your diet,  posture, breathing, health and concentration are improved, your body is toned, you become beautiful inside out, your body and mind are relaxed, you receive inner peace and greater awareness of your body, your body becomes flexible and strong, and you become happy.  Apart from these, yoga cures asthma, improves circulation, aligns muscles and bones, purifies and strengthens the nervous system, strengthens joins, improves eyesight, gets rid of backaches and releases tension.

Practice yoga anywhere you feel the energy is right.  Wear loose comfortable clothes and carry a yoga mat to the beach or drive to a peaceful spot in the forest away from the noise or join a class.  It is best done in the early morning or at sunset when almost everything around you is still and quiet.

Generally, exercising boosts fantastic health benefits to your body, mind and spirit.  But with any form of exercise you do, always take time to stretch before and after to increase flexibility and reduce injury.  Better yet, practice a few yoga poses like Sun Salutation before and after your workout so you maximize the full rewards of your exercise.

This ancient tree undergoes four versatile stages of maturity.  The first stage or kimri produces a green and hard texture that can be used for pickles and chutney.  Afterwards is khalal, whereby the fruit changes into a yellow color, ideal for making jam, butter and compotes.  Thus, as it becomes softer and purple, the harvesting stage or rutab begins, making way for the preparation of date bars, date paste and preserves or for raw consumption. At the final stage, being tamer, the fruit transforms into a darker shade of brown or black, softer with a wrinkled exterior, and a very sweet flavor, which can be eaten fresh or sun-dried for longer shelf-life.

In this holy month of Ramadan, a gourmet of date products line all the markets African and Middle Eastern countries to provide faithful followers with the traditional “fast breaker”, as the Prophet Muhammed had done before the sunset prayer and Iftar.  Fresh and dried dates are also valuable in the banquets as ingredients in preparing meat casseroles, desserts and sweet porridges to be served to family and close friends, as well as a gift idea for the impoverished.

Whilst to improve indigestion, nutritionists recommend a few doses of dates to induce the intestinal flow.  It is not known as The Desert Fruit for nothing if it does not yield such clever results.

The best option would be in this case is to take advantage of the low season rates of hotels along White Beach.  That way every minute of one’s own holiday is spent right there where one could just walk from one end of the beach’s white sand to the other end, amid stops at preferred establishments and the calming panorama of the sea.

For those opting for inland accommodations, start your morning regimen by walking along the coast and treat yourself with a breezy breakfast on the White Beach instead.  An ideal breakfast stop would be is at Ambassador Beach Resort in the beach’s Northern end where the finest and widest expanse of white sand is found.

Starting from 6:00 to 10:30 a.m. in-house and outside guests of the 5-star resort can partake of its daily breakfast buffet.  With the delightful setup of various delectable dishes, roofed outdoor dining and see-through windbreakers, guests could actually spend their early morn relaxing, reading a book or swimming in between a series of breakfast servings.

Ambassador Beach Resort’s breakfast buffet presents fresh tropical fruits (mango, papaya, pineapple, dragon fruit, etc.), cold cuts, a counter for made-to-order pancakes, waffles and eggs, a bread slicing area, freshly baked pastries (danish, cream puff, muffins, scones, croissants, bagels, cinnamon roll, eclair, miniature cakes, etc.), assorted porridge items (cocoa flakes, corn flakes and muesli), cold milk, natural yogurt, assorted juice dispensers (orange, mango, pineapple and iced tea), and an assembly of appetizing warm dishes (crispy bacon, hotdogs, beef tapa, chicken adobo, buttered vegetables, pancit canton, french fries, soup, etc.) specially prepared by notable chef Fortune Fulgar and served by well-trained waitstaff.

Bread Baskets

Porridge and Juice Counter

Crispy Bacon with Scrambled Eggs

Chicken Adobo

Have these sumptuous staples and all-you-can-drink coffee or hot chocolate for only 550 Php per person.  What’s more is that the Ambassador Beach Resort is located at the prime spot of Boracay’s White Beach.

Check out its website: http://ambassadorinparadise.com.

Now through reliable websites and documentaries on TV, we discover that these manmade sites, like the zoos and aquariums, are mere displays of the animals’ true nature. We see videos of them from birth, to their eating patterns, to youth, to adults courting each other in the aim of copulation, to battles with other animal species, to their behavior when seeing humans visiting their natural habitats, to their inbred relation with the environment that they have been created in, and other underlying aspects that the zoos and aquariums do not have the capacity to breed.

Take, for instance the reptiles and dolphins shows.  Primarily marketed as income-generating forms of entertainment for tourists, these innocent creatures were taken away from their homes and brought to seclusion where they are subjected to scheduled training and performances as opposed to food hunting and mating,  to chemical tranquilizers as opposed to their formerly tranquil abode, to semi-fresh food as opposed to live ones, to a repeated playlist of music as opposed to a hint of sound roused by other species, to hundreds of audience as opposed to a daring few, and to caged quarters as opposed to boundless domains.

The question is, are these shows that we have been accustomed to healthy for the animals?

The Reptile Charmers

Usual crocodile shows provide tricky exhibitions of crocodiles being dragged and trampled around a shallow pool by crocodile experts.  Without verbalizing any educational information on their interesting subjects, these professional croc-tamers show off only their bravado and strange camaraderie with these reptiles by opening its mouth and boldly inserting their head and hands inside it.  During intervals, the brave charmers switch to their pet cobras to soothe them into submission, wrapping them around their neck and also inserting their head inside its mouth.

Had these wild yet God-given creatures been left free, they would still be soaking in freshwater, slickly crawling on their webbed feet and preying on fish, birds and mammals that permeate their swampy homes.

Swim With the Dolphins

Dolphins are spectacular to watch. Seeing them jump on to the surface of the water and swimming playfully in groups is a heavenly sight to behold. It gives you a profound feeling, as if you are worthy to be their lucky audience and even as their friend.

In the Red Sea, dolphins usually permeate along the straight of Tiran, in vibrant marine areas of Ras Mohamed and in the Dolphin House Protectorate where Spinner Dolphins are often spotted leaping high up in the air, blowing bubbles, slapping their tales, snapping their jaws and jumping over boats while making soft squeaks, clicks and whistles. Commonly perceived as part of their playful and curious nature, the dolphins manifest these behaviors as forms of communication with one another, whether it is an alert to possible dangers, to food or to keeping track of others in the group.

Dolphins are considered among the most intelligent animals in the world. According to National Geographic, dolphins produce high frequency clicks called Echolocation, which tells them the shape, size, speed, distance and location of an object around them. They have a sharp vision and they can hear frequencies ten times or more than the limit of humans.

So imagine how they would feel when they are separated from their group and brought in a confined artificial pool where they are forced to follow orders that is beyond their nature.  Most alarming of all is the way Bottlenose Dolphins have been reported to be captured from Taiji, Japan and brought to countries hosting dolphin shows.

In an exposé done by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, it was stated that Bottlenose Dolphins undergo extreme brutality from Japanese fishermen and trainers who are hired to capture them for international trade. The capturing process begin with the fishermen forcing the dolphins into the bay with a net. The dolphins panic and are dragged out of the water with ropes around their tails. The trainers then line-up the dolphins on the beach, lying down on hard sand, which results to the exertion of pressure on their internal organs. The dolphins flail around on the beach, accidentally hitting each other with their powerful tails. The trainers particularly look for young female dolphins. Mothers and babies call out in distress as they separated. While the mothers are often chosen for a life of captivity, the babies will eventually be slaughtered with the unqualified dolphins and later packed as canned tuna. The dolphins chosen for a life of captivity are moved on stretchers to cages next to the deafening roar of motor boats.

It needs to be underscored that animals, however dangerous they could be are like humans that deserve freedom to live according to their birthright. Over time these forces of nature that are held in captivity can backfire on their homo sapient hosts and audience, as it has already happened, and in most cases perish to death.

Animals, like us, are created uniquely. The thing that makes us more superior to them is the ability to think intelligently and to act accordingly with respect to the rest of God’s creations. Therefore it makes sense to let animals be the way they are the way we want ourselves to be: free, healthy and alive.

For further readings, visit www.seashepherd.org and www.nationalgeographic.com

Phat Wong Asian Cafe’s menu includes original edible masterpieces spurred up by its award-winning chef (notable for Lolo Dad’s Brasserie), as well as famous Asian dishes fused with ingredients that are unthinkable but are nonetheless delightful to satisfy the craving palette.

For Starters, I was able to sample Deep-Fried Shitake Mushroom Roll served with sweet and sour sauce,

savory and truly appetizing Blue Crab with Crab Fat on Lemongrass Dumpling served with creamy wasabi sauce,

perfectly combined Crispy Tofu, a mix of Smoked Bangus and salted Black Beans, and a side dip of chili sauce,

and its pride and joy, nutty Shrimps, Pomelo and Young Coconut paired with coconut milk and lime dressing, which only has to be seasoned with salt and pepper to balance the taste.

As for my main dish delights, there was the tender-juicy Grilled Chicken Jicana (singkamas) and Mango on Pako Leaves with Sesame Garlic Vinaigrette,

a double serving of chunky Deep-Fried Adobo and Menudo Pao, a filling savory of chicken and pork adobo stuffed in semi-sweet buns,

scrumptious Pad Thai Omelet, Pad Thai noodles and shrimps enveloped in egg omelet,

and one of my favorites, semi-sweet Grilled Baby Back Ribs Tocino with garlic and vinegar sauce.

Whereas among Phat Wong’s recommended dishes, I was regaled with Hainanese Fish, a wonderful ensemble of steamed whole grouper served with soup, condiments and Hainanese rice steamed in chicken broth,

and Bistek of US Rib Eye marinated in calamansi and soy sauce with sauteed onion, a dish that all Filipinos will surely love and enjoy eating a cup full of rice.

As my stomach by now has been filled with these tenderlicious dishes, my sweet tooth has yet to be satisfied.  So I did not mind at all when a tantalizing plate of Halo-Halo Moderno was served in front of me.  The taste of spiced syrup, braised beans, banana, jackfruit, tapioca and leche flan harmonizing in my mouth was delightfully refreshing.  I will definitely come back for this, especially due to the crushed coconut juice ice (and not iced water) used to mix in this desert.

And even if one delicious desert should be enough, it never is when the sight of Baked Meringue placed on top of fresh seasoned fruits, bathing in fresh Pandan cream comes to your attention.  To feel the meringue’s suppleness slowly sinking in with the sweet floral taste of the Pandan cream, taunting the softened banana slice with another bite of the meringue is simply an experience worth having.

I finally capped my meal with a gratifying glass of House Tea, another offering that is not short of Phat Wong’s discernible quality.

With all my senses focused on my satiated belly, I could only thank the talented Phat Wong team for offering such a marvelous meal.  The taste and presentation is really exceptional and well-deserving for its reasonable price.

Me (far left) with the Phat Wong Asian Cafe team

Phat Wong Asian Cafe (formerly Ricco Renzo Cafe), Ground Floor LRI Building, Nicanor Garcia (Reposo) Street, Bel Air II, Makati, Metro Manila.  Tel. Nos. 298-3573, 555-1346. Opens daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Also on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Phat-Wong-Asian-Cafe/162075053866808

There are about 8 tribes in Sinai now.  The Bedouins that we see all over Sharm El Sheikh are from a tribe called Muszeina who live to protect the nature in protected areas like Nabq and Abu Galum; from Nuweiba to Taba, there is the Tarabin tribe; in West Sinai is a small tribe called Aleigat; within the territory of El Tor to the mountainous regions of Wadi Feiran and Sarabit El Khadem are the Qararsha, Awarma and Awlad Said, which collectively compose the Sawalha tribe; from the valleys and high mountains of St. Katherine, the Gebaleya have settled since the 6^th AD as the protectors of its natural resources; and along the Gulf of Aqaba from Jordan is the Masayeed tribe.

Once the Bedouins settle in their respective territories, they begin establishing their sources for survival; planting crops, breeding animals like goat, sheep and camels, and earning income from trade. From these basic sources, they have managed to keep a healthy diet of vegetables, fruits, goats, and chicken cooked in a traditional way with herbs and olive oil.

Bedouins base their whole life with respect on traditional honor codes of hospitality, courage and purity of women.  They have a Tribal council whose authority has been passed down to him from his predecessors in order to execute the Bedouin system of justice true to these codes.

During the Israelis, the Bedouins were treated under occupation. Though they were treated well, they could not have passports, and therefore they didn’t have identity.  Whereas when Egypt recovered Sinai, the Bedouins gained their passports and identity, which opened the doors for traveling elsewhere outside of Sinai.

They are rich in traditions.  They have hospitality, poetry, music, and respect for nature.  A common man can go to the desert and find more hospitality from the Bedouins than in the town and in all the cities.  They are very peaceful. They like to meet new people, go out with them and show them around.

Their poetry is as defined as well as their systemize lifestyle.  It deals on subjects of desert life, battles, philosophy, weather, nature, love and hospitality.  It is quite difficult to understand for the common man, as the structure of such personal composition alters profoundly within the poem.

Nature is very important to them.  Whenever they settle in a territory, they ensure the conservation of its natural resources as their culture is well established on it. They also love the rain because it doesn’t happen very often.  Whenever it rains they are very happy as a lot of vegetation grows, so the animals, especially the goats get to eat fresh food instead of garbage.

Now with the climate change and the progressing development of South Sinai, their age-old heritage is being threatened to oblivion.  Thus to strengthen their hold on this, a festival, called Characters of Egypt is held every October in Marsa Alam, where 8 tribes gather from all over Egypt to unite in a showcase of culture, music, Bedouin law, food tradition, and in traditional Bedouin games.