Galleria Deserta Arabica
Rusticana as you would expect has its own resident Archaeologist. Galleria Archaeologica is Dr Michael Birrells entre with us and is widely appreciated. Not withstanding we decided to extend Rusticana s vision a little to the Western Oases of Egypt at Siwa and Bahariya and to the realms of Cambeses and Alexander the Great and the wonderful ancient rock Art in the Deep Desert at Gilf Kibir.
We have an idea to include a Google Earth or two as time permits.
This body of work flows from an exploratory trip in December 2007 to set the scene for a group of us to go down with Dr Michael in early 2009.
Dr Michael has reported his exploratory trip on :
http://www.bcarchaeology.com./tour-news.html
Do visit and read the full story. Meantime the following excerpt will serve to accompany the Galleria.
"I headed from Cairo to Siwa Oasis by bus - the trip takes you NW out of Cairo and avoids Alexandria by using a new road which connects to the Mediterranean shore near El Alamein. The trip across this stretch of desert takes you through flat, open country before you reach the sea. We proceeded to Mersa Matruh, the main settlement along this stretch of coast and then headed inland to Siwa Oasis, passing quite close to the Libyan border to the west. This flat open desert was once crossed by Alexander the Great on his way to visit the oracle of Zeus Ammon at Siwa. The appearance of the oasis and the descent into the depression is a wonderful relief!

I stayed in the Siwa Paradise Hotel, which is a very pleasant complex about 200 m from the centre of town. It was very pleasant to walk into town and watch a spectacular sunset from a restaurant in the old city. The following morning I returned to the Old City (the Shali) to explore its fascinating winding streets. One the medieval town, few people live in the crumbling ruins, but the place still resonates with a spirit of the past."

Galleriation 23rd May 2008