The Blue Hole...Like the Black hole but better!

In leiu of climbing Mt. Siani we bid welcome to the New Year with an
amazing experience of diving/ snorkeling the Blue Hole in Sinai. The
beautiful blue abyss is a 100 meter hole steps from the shoreline with
a stunning display of colorful and varied marine life. We didn't
notice that the mountain side was full of graves for past divers.
Beyond the Blue Hole is a 700 cliff ... maybe thats where the sharks
are, but sadly we didn't see any. There were a lot of t-shirts in
town joking about shark attacks... "It only hurts if you survive" ...
hmmm. No sharks but "Oh WOW" there's an octopus! And eels and
baracuda and needle fish and parrot fish and fighting fish and lots of
things we don't even know but were beautiful!

I really don't know how to explain the fish and sponges and crystal
clear blue water, it was unreal. There are no words. It was an
absolutely breathtaking way to ring in 2010.

PS (from Tara) - Last night the driver whose van I left my wallet in
drove 1 1/2 to return it to me! I was flabbergasted, guess I just
didn't expect that amount of valor after all the things I've heard
about haggling Egyptians and warnings of getting ripped off. We have
found Egypt (at least Sinai) to be full of wonderful giving people and
very safe.

Osama, the manager of our hotel wanted us to tell all of our friends
back home that Egyptians love Americans. That no matter politics it's
about people and that the Americans he meets he welcomes. He's good
people and he taught me to bellydance!

We are off to Cairo. Hope people are as wonderful as they are in
beautiful Dehab.

Sana saeeda (Happy New Year)!
Tara & Dwan & Geoff