Dahab the Paradise on Earth

If you’re searching for relaxation, comfort and pleasure, then look no further than the Red Sea town of Dahab.

Dahab is one of the most beautiful cities in the world with its moderate climate and gushing waves that crawl gently to the shore. People in Dahab are also often described as cheerful and hospitable.

In Dahab, you will find all that you need, ranging from delightful food options to plenty of lifestyle activities. This is complemented by Dahab’s relaxing and comfortable nature which takes you away from the hustle and bustle of major cities such as Cairo.

Below, I look at some of the things I recommend you do in Dahab during your visit.

Must Do Activities in Dahab

Water Sports

Dahab is an ideal place for an aquaphile. From snorkeling and scuba diving, to windsurfing, kitesurfing and much more, water sports and activities are abundantly available across the town.

For those who aren’t so fond of the water, there are many other options available. You can participate in yoga classes, cycling, and even hiking nearby mountains where you can drink special blends of hot tea from traditional Bedouins.

This isn’t all you can do though! There are many other exciting activities you can participate in, like riding camels and beach buggies amidst the beauty of the Sinai desert.

Places You Must Visit

Blue Hole

The Blue Hole is a beautiful place for people fond of scuba diving, free diving, and snorkeling. Here, you will find colorful and exotic types of fish. You might even spot ‘Nemo’ the clownfish swimming around!

Personally, one of the most amazing types of fish I ever witnessed while at the Blue Hole was the Lionfish. But be careful if you see one, as a sting from the lionfish can be extremely painful, if not fatal.

It’s also difficult to ignore the breathtaking coral reefs in Dahab which transport you to a completely different world.

Laguna

While not quite as amazing as the Blue Hole, Laguna is still beautiful. Here, coral reefs are not near the shore, requiring you to swim a little in order to see them. The place is also suitable for people who don’t like water activities. You can go there to relax and enjoy the excellent taste of Bedouin tea.

Light House

At Light House, you will be able to practice scuba diving and snorkeling. This place is perfect for anyone wanting to see some coral reefs as the reefs are close to the shore. The place is excellent and suitable for people who can’t swim because the coral is near to the shore, so you don’t have to swim to see the coral and the amazing fish. Also, for people who want to try diving for the first time, the Light House is suitable for them.  Simply put, the place is easy to access and suitable for all types of water activities and for people with different skill levels.

The Canyon

Personally my favorite place, the Canyon offers a diverse range of fish and coral. This place is suitable for scuba diving and snorkeling.

I prefer this place because I saw different kinds of fish and corals there that I hadn’t see in any other place. Not only are the fish and corals distinct in this location, but also the diving is different as a result of it. The Canyon is a unique place to dive in and offers a different underwater experience.

Abu Galum

Abu Galum is a calm location you can visit by boat or camel. Located just 20 minutes from the Blue Hole, Abu Galum is great for snorkeling and scuba diving. Even better, you can enjoy tasty Bedouin delicacies here!

Blue Lagoon

Blue Lagoon is one of the most calm and relaxed places in Dahab. Here you can enjoy Kitesurfing or simply soak up the sun while reading a book

#FreeSpeechStories #France accused of 'double standards'

Tens of thousands of fans of the French comic Dieudonne - often criticised as anti-Semitic - are making claims of hypocrisy and double standards after French authorities opened up dozens of cases against people accused of justifying terrorism.

Fans of the controversial comedian reacted angrily after he was arrested and charged with condoning terrorism for a remark on his a Facebook page: "je me sens Charlie Coulibaly" ("I feel like Charlie Coulibaly").

The remark, which has since been taken down, was a mash-up of the#JeSuisCharlie tag and the name of Amedy Coulibaly, the man who killed a policewoman near a Jewish school and four people at a Jewish supermarket in Paris. Dieudonne later defended the remark by saying he felt like he was being persecuted by authorities as if he were a terror suspect.

"Freedom of expression is dead, but its funeral on Sunday was pretty!!" said one of the comedian's Facebook fans, referring to the enormous march through Paris in support of Charlie Hebdo.

"WHAT HYPOCRISY!!!!!" shouted another commentator. "You can legally caricature and insult the prophet and the Muslim world: the oligarchy calls this freedom of expression ... We are in a pseudo-democratic dictatorship."

Dieudonne is a comedian with a history of making crude jokes about the Holocaust (and occasionally getting into legal trouble). He has a huge following on social media including more than 900,000 Facebook fans. Most of the comments on his page were in support of the comedian, and his name was trending briefly on Twitter earlier in the week, but there were a few fans who thought Dieudonne had crossed a line.

"There is a big difference between freedom of expression and incitement to hatred," said one fan. "He knew what to expect ... Charlie Hebdo made caricatures of the prophet that I haven't agreed with, it has made a mockery of the prophet, made some laugh, shocked others, but there was no incentive to hatred and this is a big difference."

The arrest of Dieudonne was just one of dozens of cases - up to 100according to one estimate - opened by the French authorities since the attacks. Some people have even been jailed already under fast-track legislation that was passed last year.

In a typical year, only one or two people are arrested for speaking out in favour of terrorism, said Emmanuel Pierrat, a French media lawyer and member of PEN International, which supports free expression.

Pierrat told BBC Trending that free speech is an idea at the core of the French nation, but one that in his view has been eroded over the years by exceptions for things including hate speech.

"We have weakened the principle of freedom of speech, for good intentions, but without thinking about the consequences. We need to think about how we can recover the idea of freedom of speech after an event that is so emotional, like the one in Paris (last week)," he said.

He cautioned however, that Dieudonne's statements could not be directly compared with the Charlie Hebdo cartoons showing the Prophet Muhammad.

"One thing is for sure, in France you can make drawings or speeches against ideology or against religion. The French revolution of 1789 abolished the crime of blasphemy" and courts have consistently upheld the legality of speech directed at religions or historical religious figures, he says.

Pierrat, who represented Michel Houellebecq when the author wascleared of charges of religious hate speech against Muslims in 2002, says the Dieudonne case will be difficult to judge given the ambiguity of the comedian's outburst. But he says he believes the authorities are made a mistake by arresting him. A trial is scheduled for next month.

"If Dieudonne wins, he will be like a hero," Pierrat says. "It will gives a lot of young people the idea that he is a champion of Muslims or immigrants ... he's no longer a comedian or an actor, but instead his audiences are far-right sympathisers."

"What makes me somewhat afraid is that French justice is speeding up when it comes to these questions," he says. "Like Americans after 11 September, the worry is that judgments are coming too quickly, and influenced by a very emotional event."

Blog by Mike Wendling

#JE SUIS MOAMED Prophet (pbuh) Why I’m NOT Charlie - #Muslim Response #ISLAM ‪#‎WholsMuhammad‬

من هو رسول الله محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم ؟
He is the one who defended the rights of all humanity 1400 years ago.
هو الذي دافع عن حقوق كل البشر منذ 1400 عام.
He defended men's, women's and children rights
حفظ حقوق الرجال وحقوق النساء وحقوق الصغار
He commanded and fostered the love between relatives and neighbors
أمر بالحب والود بين الأقارب والجيران
He established a coexistence relationship between Muslims and Non-Muslims
وأسس علاقة تعايش بين المسلمين وغير المسلمين
He organized the relationship between the members of the family putting duties on sons and daughters towards the parents
ونظم العلاقات الأسرية التي تضمن للأب وللأم حقوق كبيرة وعظيمة على أبنائهم
He fought injustice, called for justice, love, unity and cooperation for the good.
منع الظلم ودعا للعدل و المحبة والتكاتف والتعاون للخير
He called for helping the needy, visiting the patients, love and exchanging advises between people.
دعا لمساعدة المحتاج وزيارة المريض والمحبة والتناصح بين الناس
He prohibited (by orders from God) bad manners such as stealing, lying, torturing and murdering.
منع على المسلمين المعاملات السيئة مثل السرقة والغش والقتل والظلم
He is the one who changed our lives and manners to be better.
إنه من غير حياتنا وطباعنا السيئة إلى حسنة
A Muslim doesn't steal
المسلم .. لا يسرق
A Muslim doesn't lie
المسلم لا يكذب
A Muslim doesn't drink alcohol.
المسلم لا يشرب الخمر
A Muslim doesn't commit adultery
المسلم لا يزنى
A Muslim doesn't cheat
المسلم لا يغش
A Muslim doesn't kill innocent people
المسلم لا يقتل الأبرياء
A Muslim doesn't harm his neighbors
المسلم لا يؤذي جارة
A Muslim obeys his parents and helps them
المسلم يبر بوالديه و يخدمهما
A Muslim is kind to young and elderly people, to women and to weak people.
المسلم يعطف على الصغار وعلى النساء وعلى الضعفاء وكبار السن
A Muslim doesn't torture humans or even animals, and does not harm trees
المسلم لا يعذب البشر ولا الحيوانات ولا يؤذي الأشجار
A Muslim loves his wife and takes care of his children and show mercy towards them until the last day of his life.
المسلم يرحم ويحب زوجته ويهتم و يعطف عل أبناءه حتى آخر يوم من عمره
A Muslim's relationship towards his children never stops even when they become adults
المسلم لا تنتهي علاقته بأولاده بعد سن الرشد أبدا
He is Muhammad (PBUH)
إنه محمد رسول الله صل الله عليه وسلم
Did you know why all Muslims love Muhammad (PBUH)?
هل عرفتم لماذا يحب كل المسلمون محمد صل الله عليه وسلم؟
Did you know what does Muhammad mean for Muslims?
هل عرفتم ماذا يعنى محمد صل الله عليه وسلم للمسلمين؟
Every Muslim loves Muhammad (peace be upon him) more than himself and more than everything in his life.
كل مسلم يحب محمد صل الله عليه وسلم أكثر من كل شئ
Before judging a Muslim be fair and:
قبل أن تحكم علي أي مسلم كن محايد:
1-Listen to this person, and watch his doings.
1- أسمع منه هو شخصياً ، أستمع الي أفكاره ومعتقداته ولاحظ أفعله.
2-Compare his ideas and teachings with what is Islam and Prophet Mohammad PBUH ordered.
2-قم بمقارنة أفكاره ومعتقداته بما دعا له الإسلام.
3-If you think that his thoughts are typical to that of Islam and Prophet Mohammad PBUH, and then compare them with his doings; is he applying these teachings?
3- إذا تطابقت أفكاره ومعتقداته مع ما دعا له الإسلام فأنظر إلي أفعاله، هل هي متطابقة مع أفكاره ومعتقداته؟
4-If he is applying these teachings and sayings, so for sure represents Islam, if not then he calls himself a Muslim but doesn't represent Islam.
4- إذا كانت أفعاله تطابق أفكاره ومعتقداته فهو يمثل الإسلام، إذا كانت تتناقض فهو يدعي أنه مسلم ولكن لا يمثل الإسلام
Hint: Prophet Mohammad is the best Muslim, no Muslim can be as perfect as he was, Muslims try their best to be the typical Muslim like Prophet Mohammad PBUH but sometimes they disobey God and Prophet Mohammad PBUH as they are normal humans who are subject to do wrong but the repent and get back to the right path.

‪#‎WholsMuhammad‬

Why I’m NOT Charlie - Muslim Response

The hypocrisy of freedom of speech and how to properly defend the honour of our Prophet.

Must watch and share.

Post by Onepath Network.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Beware of suspicion, for suspicion is the worst of false tales." #ProphetMuhammad pic.twitter.com/hFA2EEtK7k
— ▲Samy قائد☥ (@samy_qaid) January 14, 2015

#ProphetMuhammad Tweets

As #Egypt 's Tourism Industry Crumbles, Business Owners Look To Military General To Restore Security

When Egyptians rose up against their government three years ago, it wasn’t just dictator Hosni Mubarak’s reign that crumbled. The mass protests, political instability, and now, increasingly frequent terrorist attacks, have devastated Egypt’s once-thriving tourism sector.

For many Egyptians still working in the industry today, there is only one answer to their problems: Gen. Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who is gearing up for a likely presidential bid and is seen as a leader who will bring back security to businesses.

"Sissi is the only man who can solve Egypt’s problems," said Emad Nour, a third-generation shopkeeper in Cairo’s sprawling Khan el-Khalili bazaar, where tourists used to flock before the unrest began. "He can fix the security problem here."

Nour once made a decent living making intricate tables, traditional lamps and other handmade items that often attract tourists. But nowadays he, like many other vendors, has barely anyone coming to his shop.

"We depend on tourism," he said with dismay. "If there are no tourists, our lives are not good." Lots of stores around him have closed down, he said, adding that many shop owners have given up and changed professions entirely.

At Cairo’s ancient Giza Pyramids, which used to be swarming with foreigners, desperate vendors and guides with skinny horses now harass the occasional straggling tourists. Buses carrying tourists from the capital to resort towns along the Red Sea now travel in armed convoys through the restive Sinai, where hardline militants have launched a campaign against security forces. Once bustling hotels and youth hostels are eerily quiet.

From 2009 to 2010, before the revolution, Egypt took in $11.6 billion from tourism,according to Reuters. But 2012 to 2013 were marked by a devastating dip in tourism, with Egypt only earning $9.75 billion from the industry. Following the military's ouster of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi last year, tourism fell by a whopping 45 percent, Tourism Minister Hisham Zaazou told Reuters.

Under the military-backed government, unrest has surged. In recent weeks alone,gunmen assassinated a top government figure, a jihadist group targeted security forces in Cairo with four bombs, and dozens of anti-government protesters have been killed in clashes with police.

On Jan. 29, the U.S. Embassy in Cairo urged its citizens to "limit their movements to the near vicinity of their neighborhoods," warning against traveling outside of Egypt’s cities by car. And many governments, like the United States and the United Kingdom, have issued travel alerts for Egypt.

Thousands of dissidents have been imprisoned, and rights groups and critics have slammed the interim government as repressive and increasingly authoritarian. Yet despite a heavy-handed crackdown on what the state has labeled a "war on terrorism," many Egyptians, especially those working in tourism, say forceful rule is the only way to restore security.

"We need a man who can stabilize everything," said Abdel Rahman Aly, a tourism company owner. "I’m against a man with a military background, but there is no one else."

In Egypt, Sissi is portrayed as a national hero. Posters bearing his face are plastered everywhere. Pro-government protesters who rallied on Jan. 25, the three-year anniversary of the revolution, didn’t chant revolutionary slogans of "bread, freedom, and social justice." Instead, they wore Sissi masks and praised the military leader for cracking down on violence.

"This man is an idol," Aly said. "If that works for everyone else, that works for me."

Aly says the only reason his company is still afloat is because he has started coordinating international trips for Egyptians, having largely given up on foreigners coming to the country. But with military checkpoints everywhere and a very real fear of terrorist attacks, the success of even this venture seems improbable.

Unlike Aly, some have their doubts that Sissi can up live to the expectations of his cult-like followers.

"The notion that Sissi can curb terrorist attacks is odd in my view," said Shadi Hamid, a Middle East analyst and fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Saban Center. "Under Sissi, over the last seven months, terrorist attacks have increased significantly. Brute force seems to be his approach to dealing with things -- but that’s not how you defeat terrorism."

Dr. Kareem Eltamamy, the owner of Dahab Hostel, a once bustling youth hostel just a short walk from Tahrir Square, agrees with that sentiment.

"If Sissi became president, the Muslim Brotherhood or whoever is making these explosions will just become more angry," he said, mirroring popular consensus that the Islamist group is behind the attacks, even though a Sinai-based jihadist group has claimed responsibility for most of the recent terrorist attacks across Egypt.

Eltamamy said his hostel, which is widely known among backpackers and budget travelers in Egypt, doesn't come close to reaching capacity on a good day. He describes the past few months in a single word: "hell." Unlike many Egyptians who wholly believe in Sissi’s promise to quell the violence, he doesn’t think the current security situation, or the tourism sector, will turn around anytime soon.

But after three years of tumult, he said he doesn’t know how it could get much worse.

Eltamamy recently poured money into remodeling his hostel, hoping to draw in tourists from the "adventurous" crowd he says now occasionally comes through. But so far, it hasn’t helped.

"Nobody wants to go to a country that is exploding," he said with a sigh.