The Idiot spent the first week of spring in 2017 at the fabled Siwa Oasis in Egypt’s Western Desert to consult The Oracle of Amun and get the inside scoop about Alexander the Great’s past and the future of his 20-year walk around the Mediterranean Sea.
He didn’t approach The Oracle, who met with Alexander when he paid a visit here in February 332 BC, immediately upon arrival. In fact, their long-anticipated meeting had been postponed from The Ides of March to the more auspicious first day of Spring and he was able to relax and reflect before his rendezvous at The Temple of the Oracle, located a few kilometers from central Siwa where he had a $13 room (breakfast included) at the Albabenshal guest house.
Naturally he sought the buzz about The Oracle from locals as soon as he hit the storied oasis located over 300 kilometers south of the Mediterranean Sea, where The Idiot had been MedTrekking on Egypt’s coast towards Libya with armed bodyguards.
The Idiot discussed spring activity in Siwa and The Temple of the Oracle with local guide and fixer Khaled Maraki.
The Idiot pondered his Oracular mission on the terrace of the Albabenshal guest house near the mud-brick remains of old Siwa, known as Shali.
The Idiot chilled out and read Plutarch’s “Life of Alexander” in his $13 room (breakfast included) at the Albabenshal guest house.
The Idiot took time out for a swim in a salty lake on the last day of winter before proceeding with more serious matters.
The Idiot didn’t get a look at The Temple of The Oracle until his second day at the Berber-inhabited Siwa Oasis which, located 50 kilometers from the Libya border, is 80 kilometers in length and 12 kilometers wide.
The first spring sunrise, seen from the site of an ancient viewing window at Timasirayn Temple twelve kilometers west of Siwa, impressed The Idiot when it rose over The Temple of the Oracle of Amun.
After the first spring sunrise, The Idiot was taken by Siwan Khaled Maraki to a home with a four-acre date palm garden that was last sold for just over $50,000 and…
…they enjoyed a breakfast that included fig jam, dates with almond pits, fruit off the trees and mint tea before…
…The Idiot climbed Drakur Mountain…
…to get a look at The Temple of the Oracle from the eastern side of the Siwa Oasis.
The Idiot came down Drakur Mountain at mid-morning on the first day of spring and still had time to go into the desert, swim in a salty spring and examine the ruins of the Temple of Om Obaidah before his scheduled appointment at The Temple of The Oracle.
The Idiot got a look at the Siwa Oasis from a hill in the desert…
(Photo: Monika Sleszynska)
…before taking a dip, and having a few more cups of mint tea, at a freshwater spring named after Cleopatra as he slowly strolled towards The Temple of The Oracle.
After his refreshing swim at Cleopatra Spring, The Idiot visited the ruins at the Temple of Om Obaidah, which dates from just before Alexander the Great’s visit in 332 BC.
The Idiot finally approached The Temple of The Oracle after walking through fields of date palms…
…and arrived just before his noon appointment on the first day of spring.
The Oracle was waiting for him.
To find out what happened, buy and read “The Idiot and the Odyssey III: Twenty Years Walking the Mediterranean” on amazon.com.
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