Siwa.
The name resonates with age. Unbelievably remote in ancient times and even now not yet on the tourist track. You can catch the bus from Cairo if you are of a mind altho it is much more comfortable in an aircon coach. Located some three hundred km from the Mediterranean in the far western Egyptian desert near to the Libyan border the Oasis is in an almost 80 km long depression and has several brackish lakes.
Once the Oasis of Jupiter Ammon, some may remember Capt. W. E Johns brought Biggles here. Ten of the best are said to have taken the hazardous journey over the Great Sand Sea accompanying Alexander the Great for an interview with the Oracle around 331 BC. He was looking for confirmation that he was son of God. Once confirmed he left his money on the fridge and went on his way to India. .
Somewhat earlier around 522 BC Cambyses fed up with the prevarications of the Oracle over his Egyptian legitimacy thought to destroy Siwa. His army was overwhelmed by the sand and may recently have been located.
Go to : http://news.discovery.com/archaeology/cambyses-army-remains-sahara.html
Dr Zahi Hawass General Secretary of the Egyptian SCA is not pleased.
Go to : http://www.drhawass.com/blog/press-release-alleged-finds-western-desert?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Drhawasscom-New+%28DrHawass.com+-+What%27s+new%3F+Feed%29
This is a long link and may playup.
The wreckage of the Oracle is still there and we are going to include a VBL panorama and a few notes for you.
As we have come to expect there is an article worth a read on Wikipdia
Go to : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siwa_Oasis
Mohamed Hemeda runs a delighful local site dedicated to Siwa. Contains maps and lots of local advice and the ability to make a contact in Siwa if you are thinking of visiting the oasis.
Go to : http://www.siwaoasis.com/

We are going to have a wander thru the Oasis in the Gallery following. Take a trip out to The Great Sand Sea, the dunes and an ancient sea bed, and then take three trucks over 400 Km of open desert to the Oasis of Bahariya and the Valley of the Golden Mummies.
Welcome to Siwa