Feeling the winter chill and overdue a change of scene, I booked my very first trip to Egypt.
I didn’t choose the Pyramids or a Nile Cruise, but the upmarket sun-kissed Red Sea resort of El Gouna.
But I craved a taste of real Egypt and booked a day trip to the nearby city of Hurghada.
Was this an eye-opening contrast to the beach and sun loungers? READ MORE BELOW
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My day was spent in the company of tour guide Mostafa, an enthusiastic and friendly young guy with a detailed knowledge of his home city.
We visited the city’s impressive waterside mosque, but this was Friday and time for prayers – the biggest event of the week.
Sitting with a throng of male worshippers, carefully following their every move and listening in awe to the Imam’s sermon was a great privilege, thanks to Mostafa.
We moved from one part of Egyptian life to the nearby fish market, bedecked with seafood and locals carefully selecting their catch of the day.
Mike and guide Mostafa taking in the sights
The marina area has been redeveloped for the tourist trade, with a slew of restaurants where Westerners would certainly feel at home.
I asked to head away from here and we went to an ordinary neighbourhood distant from the seafront, with a busy outdoor market and a colourful array of shops and cafes.
It was filled with a hotch-potch of architecture, with some buildings in need of some TLC. But this area of Hurghada felt authentically unmanicured.
A stop for a refreshing sugar cane juice and then mint tea at a sprawling street cafe – the domain of Egyptian men – added a further sense of authenticity to this experience.
My El Gouna base seemed much smoother around the edges but lacking that fizz of excitement when I returned – I’m glad I had this brush with real Egypt.
