28 December 2009

Nightwalking in Sinai

Amber and i left Dahab at 11 pm and arrived at St. Katherine's Monastery (bottom of Mt.Sinai) around 1:30 am. We started walking and soon realized we were under dressed. It was Cold! The walk took about two and a half hours and there was a long procession of lights before and after me as groups of 10-15 made their pilgrim's way up the mountain. What a sight. Amber said it was like fairies floatin around the mountain. It was so dark and there were millions of stars, lots of twinkling and even those showy shooting stars.

I wish i could describe the walk up the canyon better. There were stars bursting everywhere. They made the outline of the mountains, some of which were trying to blend in with the sky while the others had moon shadows defining their peaks and edges. The dancing in the sky was mixing with the gravel sounds of all our feet. It was a full night.

When we had almost reached the top, the gravel pathway ended and the "Steps of Penitence" began. Hundreds of steps put in by a monk of St. Katherine's. The sleepless night was worth the effort to see the sun rise pink and orange and red over the morning mountains.

When we climbed back down we walked around the very old monastery. There were beautiful paintings and ornaments decorating the chapel. And an enormous inlaid tortoiseshell altar. Lots of people in lots of languages saying "Ooh" and "Aah."
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Welcome Little Laylah! Happy five days old~

5 comments:

  1. worth the sleepless night?
    i bet!
    millions of twinkling stars~ ooh!
    remember Davis mountains?
    pink, orange, and red~ aah
    remember northern california?
    celeste, sounds as if your adventure
    was magnificent!
    con carino, be good

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  2. Celeste thanks for your beautiful description of your trek up the mountain and all the beautiful sights and sounds you took in along the way. Can't wait to see the pictures, but your discription was quite great in and of itself. I know you will be glad to have some days to rest back in Uganda. I am so looking forward to meeting my daughters' new best friend :) :) :)!!!!
    Much love, Gwen

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  3. FELIZ ANO NUEVO!
    wishing for you
    days beginning with thanks~
    filled with joy,
    of giving, loving, and wonder~
    ...smiles along the way,
    ending
    with peace,
    of spirit~
    and
    thanks
    to God.
    con mi amor,
    por siempre
    vive bien, con carino
    este primer dia de 2010!

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  4. okay since no one has said it yet!!! all these other posts have pictures, and you decide hmmmm neah I don't need to post a picture of fairies floating around this mountain or millions of stars twinkling!!!! Leste what is wrong with you? Im a poet, im dying inside!!! ahh slugs so much to learn.
    how are you? do you miss me the most? i love you, i love you,

    ReplyDelete
  5. no, she misses me the most, told me herself

    ReplyDelete