This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Light years away from the floating cities that disfigure the landscape of many destinations, the MV The Beauty of the Adriatic advance without making too many waves. A few months a year, the slender silhouette of the small CroisiEurope ship crosses the Red Sea with a maximum of 197 passengers on board. On the program: eight days of discoveries in Egypt and Jordan.
Few places intrigue as much as these two countries in Africa and the Middle East. And for good reason: the richness of their past promises to amaze you, but also your head.
In Petra, however, we quickly understand that the site transcends the lesson of history. Entering the Siq, a 1.2 km path bordered by sandstone cliffs that leads to Al-Khazneh (whose name means “treasure”), our whole body seems to be traversed by the mystery of the Nabataean city. . Or would it rather be these walls of nearly 80 meters that embrace us to make us forget the outside world? One thing is certain, each step bringing us closer to the end of the trail makes our heart beat faster. The excitement has come to a climax.
As it gets even narrower, the passage leads to the stone-carved monument seen many times on screen. In front of us, the “Treasure of the Pharaoh” displays its superb. Did you say grand?
A little further, theater, tombs, monastery and temples take shape. We promise to come back to explore further. For the moment, other adventures await us.
On the fence
The trip began with two days in Egyptian waters from Hurghada, with a stopover in Sharm el-Sheikh, known for its crystal clear waters and the richness of its seabed. Given the size of the ship, it is easy to bond with other passengers if desired. The atmosphere is friendly.
Renovated in 2017, the MV The Beauty of the Adriatic was built for CroisiEurope in 2007 in Belgium. Between April and November, the four-deck boat sails the sea from which it takes its name. “ We built it with the same purpose of use [que pour nos autres croisières], that is to say a fairly small capacity – less than 200 passengers, which is small for the maritime industry – and with comfort on board, but without spaces reserved for other activities”, explains Michel Grimm, sales manager International of CroisiEurope. The use of the fleet is coastal. “What we are trying to do is discover the world by moving around, but always staying close to the coast since the objective is to go on excursions. This is the common thread: the discovery of the land by arriving by water, whether it is a river, a canal or the sea”, specifies Mr. Grimm.
A royal visit
Another flagship excursion of the cruise, on the west bank of the Nile, also provides great emotions: the visit to the Valley of the Kings, where the members of royalty and the nobles of the New Kingdom were buried for more than 1000 years. Three tombs are part of the visit: those of Ramses IV, Ramses Ier and Seti Ier. “As soon as the king comes to power, he begins to dig his grave,” says the French-speaking guide. He chooses his location in the Valley of the Kings. »
The deeper we go into the corridors leading to the burial chamber of Ramses IV, third pharaoh of the XXᵉ dynasty of the New Kingdom, the more our eyes widen. The colors are more vivid. “We see him represented on the sacred boat in his nocturnal journey, after death, explains the guide. He goes on board with the deities. »
The tomb of Seti Ier, who died 1279 years before our era, is undoubtedly the one of the three that leaves the strongest impression. On its walls, the works of art represent the oldest funerary texts of ancient Egypt. Scenes from book of doorswhich recounts the passage of a soul to the beyond, also adorn the imposing sarcophagus of the son of Ramses 1er and father of Ramesses II.
luxor i love it
Located at the northern end of the city of Luxor, the temple of Karnak completes this incursion into the universe of the pharaohs. The most visited site in Egypt after the Cairo pyramids, Karnak is dedicated to the god Amon. The construction of the largest religious complex of Antiquity spanned almost 2000 years. The 134 columns of the great hypostyle hall give a glimpse of the excess of Luxor (ancient Thebes) 3400 years ago.
Although it takes around four and a half hours by road to reach Luxor from the port of Hurgada, discovering the capital of the New Kingdom pharaohs is worth every mile swallowed.
Highlights at sea also include sailing the Gulf of Aqaba, bordered by Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel, other equally intriguing neighbors.
Our journalist was the guest of CroisiEurope, which had no say in this report.
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the Duty, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of Duty did not take part.