Rotary Friendship Mission to Egypt
and Jordon
Story & photos by PDG Paul Grub
Compiled by PP Mike Quinn
Past District Governor Paul Grub received the following letter: -
“Dear PDG Paul,
I would first like to thank you and the Rotarians for your visit to our club in the biggest event of a kind between nations supporting Peace and World Understanding. We were all very grateful and excited meeting with our new Australian friends, we really had a wonderful time, and we really benefited very much from your speech about your District and Tasmania.
Also we were delighted to host the Australian Ambassador in Egypt as our speaker during the meeting.
We are looking forward to meet with you again and I wish that you all arrived safely back in Australia.
Please keep in touch.
Kind Regards,
Nevine Badr El-Din
President Elect
Rotary Club of Cairo Royal”
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Nevine Badr El-Din President Elect Rotary Club of Cairo Royal” |
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What prompted this letter from a Rotary Club in Cairo to Tasmanian Rotarians and partners? We were to find out.
On Thursday March 4th thirty seven Rotarians and partners from District 9830 departed Hobart on a Rotary Friendship Mission to Egypt and Jordon.
Arriving in Egypt we spent time in Cairo visiting the ancient city of Memphis, the famous Step Pyramid of King Zoser, the Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx.
Following a visit to the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities where we viewed the golden treasures from Tutankhamen’s tomb and the Mohamed Ali Mosque built in 1176 we attended a meeting of the Rotary Club of Cairo Royal.
About 40 members of the Rotary Club of Cairo Royal, Ambassador of Australia Stephanie Shwabsky and District 9830 Rotarians and partners had a wonderful night of international friendship.
Leaving Cairo we spent 5 days sailing on the Nile visiting many Temples (some over 2000 years old), the magnificent tombs in the Valley of the Kings, before arriving at the High Dam of Aswan.
Our time in Aswan was highlighted by a day trip to Abu Simbel visiting the temples of Rameses II and in the evening enjoying the spice markets.
Mission members are pictured below dressed up on the cruise on the Nile.
Before departing Egypt most of the group took the opportunity to travel to Alexandria visiting the new Library, the Roman Amphitheatre and Catacombs, and lunching on the foreshore of the Mediterranean.
Arriving in Jordon we visited the ancient city of Jerash which boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back 6,500 years. This site is now acknowledged to be one of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the world.
Departing Amman we proceeded to Petra, visiting Mount Nebo, one of the most revered holy sites of Jordon and the place where Moses was buried. Mount Nebo also allowed us to take in the panorama of Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Jericho.
We soon found ourselves at the entrance to Petra we were confronted by the Siq, a narrow gorge over 1 kilometre long flanked by soaring 80 meter high cliffs which took us to Al-Khazneh the Treasury. The Treasury was one of many wonders that make up Petra and most of the group took the opportunity to explore this hidden valley.
Leaving Petra we all enjoyed a Bedouin jeep ride inside Wadi Rum witnessing 4000 year old rock drawings and partaking tea with a Bedouin family before arriving at the lowest point on earth – the Dead Sea.
Everyone enjoyed the sensation of ‘floating’ in the Dead Sea and covering themselves in Dead Sea mud - which is said to have amazing powers restoring your youth. (I am not sure if it actually worked). Before leaving the Dead Sea some of the group visited Bethany and found it a very moving experience.
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Shows the group in or on the banks of the Dead Sea, said to have healing and rejuvenating powers. |
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.This Friendship Mission is now the Districts third in recent years following trips to China and Vietnam, and like previous trips was very successful in building International Goodwill and World Understanding.
The District is now offering Rotarians and partners an opportunity to visit Africa, spending time working with Gemma Sisia at the School of St Jude followed by a safari.-
Rotarians interested in Africa in early 2011 should contact;
PDG Paul Grubb, Friendship Exchange Chairman