A Stroll Through the Oasis of Siwa

The village of Siwa in the western Egyptian desert is not only the site of the medieval city of Shali. It is also situated by a large oasis. For us, the oasis was the place where we went to shelter from the sun during the heat of the day. After getting up early to photograph Shali at dawn and eating breakfast at the hotel, we went to the palm groves. We took wide-angle lenses, tripods, and flashes, because, oddly, it is very dark under the trees. We would walk for miles without a set route or plan. We followed streams and wandered from one garden to another, savoring our time in this earthly paradise.

We went to meet the date cutters who climb barefoot up trees over 24 feet tall to harvest the huge clusters of dates at the top. The height frightened us, but they were in their element, attacking the treetops with ease. Plastic tarps were spread on the ground under the trees to catch the falling fruit.

Collectors were working hard to recover the fruit as it fell. They were so proud of being photographed that they offered us dates. We accepted. The dates were delicious, sweet and succulent. We had little to offer them in return, but we showed them the pictures we had taken and offered them a few Egyptian pounds, saying that it was for their children. We had learned that Egyptians will refuse money for themselves, but accept it with pleasure if it is for their children. They are very proud people and will not accept alms. We had to be respectful in our offers of help.

Dates are not the only thing which grows by the oasis. The many streams that crisscross the gardens allow the cultivation of a plant used to feed donkeys. We do not know its name, and when we asked about it, we could not translate the Arabic name into English. The grass is harvested and sold in the market in Siwa. The buyers use it to feed the donkeys that pull their carts.

During these daily walks, we tried to show the daily life of the Egyptians who depend completely on the oasis which provides water for the date-palm trees and the gardens where zucchini, pumpkins, carrots and tomatoes grow.

Taking pictures by the oasis was not always easy because the of the powerful contrast between the bright sunlight and the deep shadow under the trees. We had to use a flash.

But we were happy there. We felt that nothing had changed for centuries and the time was passing slowly and quietly without stress.

We took the time to enjoy the wonderful moments that were offered to us.

Stroll through the oasis of Siwa.

An Ordinary Day in Siwa.

While we stayed in Siwa, Egypt, we spent our days in search of light. We woke up at 5:30 to prepare our cameras. We usually prefer not to get up early, but in Egypt, everyone does, and despite the unusual hours, we were not tired. After a shower, we left our hotel with our camera bag and tripod.

We went to the old city of Shali to photograph the houses at dawn. At that hour, the streets are deserted and the shutters are closed. The city is silent. It's a magical moment that we treasured because we knew that in an hour, the day would start and the city would be bustling with donkeys, bicycles and taxis.

Outside the old city, we decided where we should go to take advantage of the light from the rising sun. That day, we chose to climb up above the city. The last two mornings had not been successful. We had not taken a single interesting photograph, because the sun was hidden behind mist and clouds of sand and dust. The sun had not yet begun to warm the air, and, despite our keffiyehs, we felt the cold creep under our clothes. The village of Siwa and the city of Shali were bathed in soft light, but there was no contrast.

We set up all of our gear. We had to be ready, because we only had fifteen minutes to take the pictures we wanted. The magical moment never lasts long. That was part of why we went to the same place every morning.

The sun rose, and the light was beautiful. The contrasts in the city were brilliant, and the stone glowed. Everything was perfect, and we were in high spirits. We always enjoy unique moments like this. We simply have to take pictures. We said nothing, silently relishing the beauty of this unrepeatable, magical moment.

After 30 minutes, we decided to go back to our hotel for breakfast. We finally had the pictures we wanted.

The village began to stir. Shopkeepers opened their shutters and prepared their stalls for the day. Trucks brought goods to grocery stores. The hum and turmoil of daily life was beginning. After breakfast we walked through the dusty streets, looking for scenes from daily life. I went to the southeast quarter and Isabelle chose the northern district. The day before, we had noticed women leaving a house, and guessed that they met there every day, away from prying eyes. We were right. We took some beautiful photos of them. After we split up, we also found some delightful scenes. Overall, it had already been a very successful morning.

After a siesta in the early afternoon, we decided to continue the series on daily life. We sat on a wall in the central square, equipped with telephoto lenses so that we could take our photos remotely and avoid disturbing the people.

Life in Siwa exemplifies the calm, serene spirit of Egyptian villages. Time passes slowly there, for those who savor the moment.