WHS#63

Sinai doesn't feel quite like the rest of Egypt. It's home to some beautiful rugged mountain landscapes that kept me awake through every drive. It also doesn't feel quite as congested and crazy. And it's cool. As in cold. Even in May when I experienced 47-degree temperatures in Luxor and Aswan days before, temperatures were 30 degrees lower in the nights in St. Catherine. I spent a night in a Bedouin camp nearby while on my trip through Egypt in 2018, and the views and atmosphere of the desert mountains was just magical, almost as if preparing us for the great sights to see the next day. I think that's why I wasn't so sold with St. Catherine's Monastery the next day - there was just so much anticipation for what ended up being an hour-long visit to a small courtyard, a church, and a very historic, though unimpressive, bush. I don't think my visit to the monastery really gave it justice, but does the monastery really give justice to the long drive going there? It's great, but I ended up not seeing the renowned library and mosque next to the church as those options weren't even available to me. I also regrettably didn't go up to Mt. Sinai as my family wasn't in the mood to wake up at dawn and climb hundreds of steps. All in all, it was a somewhat underwhelming experience, but I did love the mountain landscapes.

Ultimately, though, I can't take away from the site's WHS value. This was one of the first and oldest monasteries in the world, so it's amazing that it's even alive and standing now. The landscape isn't just beautiful, but it's holy to all 3 Abrahamic religions. The mosque and church, each having been built hundreds of years ago, are an early notable of example of lasting peace inreligious coexistence in this chaotic and contested part of the world. I also draw a lot of parallels between St. Catherine and Bethlehem. They were both sites of some of the most significant events in Christianity, and are both some of the most important places of pilgrimage in the world. They're both home to some amazing churches embellished with intricate Orthodox design and golden Byzantine mosaics. The Church of the Transfiguration was probably the one shining star of my visit to St. Catherine's Monastery, it's just a shame pictures aren't allowed inside. In the end, the St. Catherine Area is still undeniably significant site worthy of its WHS status, just don't expect to see world wonders in the old monastery, but instead focus on the historic significance and tranquil atmosphere of this remarkable site.