 Camel market in esch-Schalātīn | ||
| Biʾr Shalatain · بئر شلاتين Ash-Shalatin · الشلاتين | ||
| Governorate | Red Sea | |
|---|---|---|
| Residents | 6.731 (2006) | |
| height | 10 m | |
no tourist info on Wikidata:  | ||
| location | ||
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Bir Schalatein (also Bir Shalitin, Bir Shalatayn, Arabic:بئر شلاتين, Biʾr Schalātain / Schalātīn, „Source Schalātain / Schalātīn") Or Ash shalatin (Arabic:الشلاتين, asch-Schalātain / asch-Schalātīn, engl. Al Shalateen) is a former Bedouin village west of the egyptian Coast of Red sea about 250 kilometers south of Marsā ʿAlam and north of the here disputed Egyptian-Sudanese border and immediately north of the Ḥalāʾib triangle. The main attraction of the remote village is the daily camel market. The visit to the camel market is usually a day trip from Marsā ʿAlam, Ḥamāṭa or Berenike from offered.
background
| Distances | |
| Cairo | 980 km |
|---|---|
| Port Ghalib | 305 km |
| Marsā ʿAlam | 245 km |
| Ḥamāṭa | 145 km |
| Berenike | 100 km |
The place falls into two parts, both of which Not on the coast of Red sea are located. On the one hand, this is the former 1 Bedouin village(23 ° 6 ′ 23 ″ N.35 ° 33 '39 "E.), which is a good 7 kilometers from the coast and has an extension of about one and a half kilometers. The village owes its existence to a freshwater spring. It is mainly from Bedjah-Beduins (Beja) inhabited who made their living from the breeding and trading of camels Sudan deny. Further east is the 2 new administrative settlement(23 ° 8 ′ 5 ″ N.35 ° 35 ′ 30 ″ E). This settlement is a good four kilometers from the coast and four and a half kilometers from the old village and extends for about three and a half kilometers. In 2006 there were 6,731 inhabitants.[1]
The camel and goods trade with Sudan is very profitable. The mosques built in the old village are a clear sign of this. And the sheet metal and board ties in the old village are gradually being replaced by stone buildings.
The livelihood, trade with Sudan and its location north of the Ḥalāʾib triangle (Arabic:مثلث حلائب, Muthallath Ḥalāʾib), but it is also the biggest problem facing the settlement. To this day, Egypt and Sudan have not been able to agree on an exact borderline. On January 19, 1899, the international border between the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan and Egypt became the so-called Anglo-Egyptian condominium-Convention[2] set at latitude 22nd north. Since the administration of this area was made easier from Sudan, on November 4, 1902, a separate border was drawn up by the government of the United Kingdom set. The area enclosed by both borders is called the Ḥalāʾib triangle.[3]
After Sudan gained independence in 1956, the dispute over the area began. Egypt, of course, refers to the Treaty of 1899, while Sudan claims the border according to the 1902 demarcation. Until 1992 the area was de facto under Sudanese control. That changed suddenly. Because friendship ends with money and oil. On August 15, 1991, the Sudanese government concluded with the Canadian Oil company International Petroleum Corporation, Vancouver (later IPC, now Lundin), a contract for a concession to explore oil deposits between Tokar and Ḥalāʾib over an area of approximately 40,000 square kilometers.[4][5] With that the political conflict was programmed. At the beginning of April 1992 there was a border incident in which two Sudanese border police officers were killed.[6] In mid-December 1992 the number of Egyptian border guards doubled,[7] which was denied by the Egyptian side at the time.[8]
In 2000 the Sudanese withdrew from the Ḥalāʾib triangle without ever giving up their claim to this area, and it has been under the control of the Egyptian military ever since. In 2005, the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism released the Halaʾib triangle in principle for tourism.
A consequence of this border dispute was felt until recently: Until 2015 there was no more land border traffic between the two countries. It was and is accepted that Sudanese traders bring their camels across the border for sale to Schalātīn - the international border at 22nd parallel north is about 125 kilometers away. For tourists there is only the border crossing Qusṭul-Aschkeit south of Abu Simbel.
getting there
In the street
Schalātīn is via Highway 24 from Marsā ʿAlam, Ḥamāṭa or Berenike reachable from. At 1 23 ° 6 ′ 47 ″ N.35 ° 32 '17 "E A four-lane road branches off to Schalātīn to the east. At the junction you pass a military checkpoint. If you drive straight on this street, you will reach the modern settlement after about six kilometers. Less than a kilometer after the aforementioned junction, a road branches off 2 23 ° 6 '59 "N.35 ° 32 '48 "E. to the right or southeast to the old village of Schalātīn, where the camel market is located. To the east of the new settlement, the main road continues as a two-lane road just two kilometers further in a north-easterly direction to the fishing village of es-Sayadin 3 es-sayadin(23 ° 9 ′ 4 ″ N.35 ° 36 '36 "E.).
Tour groups, most of which come from Marsā ʿAlam, require a permit from the Egyptian military to visit esch-Schalātīn! But the tour operators also take care of that.
It is impossible to travel on to the Halaʾib triangle without the approval of the Egyptian military. A border crossing in the Sudan is completely impossible. The only Egyptian-Sudanese border crossing is at Qusṭul-Aschkeit south of Abu Simbel.
By bus
At irregular intervals, minibuses and service taxis run from Marsā ʿAlam after Schalātīn. The journey time is around four hours. The bus station in Schalātīn is attached to the street junction mentioned above 3 23 ° 6 '59 "N.35 ° 32 '48 "E. to the old village.
By plane
The journey can be via the 4 Marsa Alam Airport
(IATA: RMF) which can be reached from various foreign airports. The 300 km onward journey must be made by car, taxi or public transport.
mobility
The main roads in both settlements are paved. In the modern settlement, the road even has four lanes.
Tourist Attractions
Camel market
Also 1 Camel market(23 ° 6 ′ 29 ″ N.35 ° 33 '23 "E) to the west of the old village of Shalātīn there are no sights. However, it is arguably the most important camel market Egypt, if only because it is held every day. Only on Fridays will trading stop at noon. The markets in Darau in the north of Aswan and in Birqash northwest of Cairo, on the other hand, are only carried out once a week.
It makes sense to visit the market early in the morning.
Most of the camels sold here in the market are meat camels, meaning they are intended for human consumption. They were in Sudan from the Bedouin clans Bisharin and ʿAbābda, both subgroups of the Bedscha, bred and driven here along the Red Sea coast. The Southese traders and drivers are allowed to enter the market without ID or customs controls. Over tea, the Sudanese traders and Egyptian buyers agree while the camel drivers watch as they keep their herd together.
The market is loud and of course the animals smell - but not extremely. You can watch the whole trade here. Unloading, loading and driving the camels, watering and feeding the animals, bargaining for the best price. At the end, the new owner labels his camels. So that the camels do not run away, a foreleg is tied in in the knee area. The animals are not always handled very carefully. The drovers' sticks are not just fashion accessories.
So that the camels do not become too tough, they have to be sold and slaughtered at the age of two. In Schalātīn they are only sold, not slaughtered. A good camel can bring in around 500 euros.
Mosques
Due to the wealth created by trade, two new mosques have been built in the old village since around 2015:
- 1 mosque (in the south of the old village). Mosque with a tall minaret. Inside with a light dome in the middle and a surrounding corridor.(23 ° 6 ′ 18 ″ N.35 ° 33 '38 "E.)
Also in the new settlement there are several mosques. One is located north of the main street (3 23 ° 8 ′ 12 ″ N.35 ° 35 '42 "E), another west of the hospital (4 23 ° 8 ′ 21 ″ N.35 ° 36 '14 "E).
shop
In the old old village of Schalātīn there is also a market, den Sūqwhere you can buy everyday goods. Some goods are quite suitable as souvenirs.
- 2 Hamada Elatar (حمادة العطار, Ḥamada al-ʿAṭār). General store in the old village.(23 ° 6 ′ 27 ″ N.35 ° 33 '44 "E.)
kitchen
Restaurants
There are several restaurants and food stalls in the old village.
- 1 Ristorante di Shalateen (مطعم وكافيتيريا الشلاتين, Maṭʿam wa-Kāfītīriyā ash-Shalātīn) (to the north of the old village). Egyptian cuisine including meat and chicken dishes. Probably the best restaurant on site.(23 ° 6 ′ 29 ″ N.35 ° 33 '45 "E)
Cafes
- 2 Casino (الكازينو, al-Kāsīnū). Of course, it is not a casino according to western ideas. It's a café and you can smoke shisha here.(23 ° 6 ′ 26 ″ N.35 ° 33 '43 "E)
accommodation
There is a hotel on site for travelers with low demands.
- 1 El Haramin Hotel (فندق الحرمين, Funduq al-Ḥaramīn) (to the north of the old village). The hotel, which opened in 2005, is located in the new housing estate directly on Hauptstraße. Shops are located in the basement of the building, with the hotel on two floors above. The simple rooms with several, up to four, beds have a wardrobe, air conditioning and fan, bathroom with shower and toilet basin in the floor. The room costs around LE 100. No telephone.(23 ° 6 ′ 33 ″ N.35 ° 33 '42 "E.)
climate
In esch-Schalatin there is a mild to warm climate all year round.
| values | Jan | Feb | March | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean highest air temperature in ° C | 22 | 23 | 24 | 26 | 31 | 33 | 34 | 34 | 33 | 29 | 26 | 23 | O | 28.2 |
| Mean lowest air temperature in ° C | 10 | 14 | 14 | 17 | 22 | 25 | 27 | 27 | 25 | 21 | 16 | 14 | O | 19.3 |
security
The area of Schalātīn is guarded by police.
Even simple things like camping are not possible without permission from the police.
A permit from the Egyptian military is required to visit the settlement.
respect
Tourists are quite rare here. That is why it is more important here than in the holiday resorts to adhere to stricter dress codes and the absolute ban on alcohol. Women in particular should be fully clothed and only be present in the presence of male family members.
health
There is a public one to the east of the new settlement 1 hospital(23 ° 8 ′ 21 ″ N.35 ° 36 ′ 20 ″ E).
Practical advice
administration
The 2 Management of the Elba National Park(23 ° 7 ′ 45 ″ N.35 ° 34 '50 "E) is located in the new settlement south of the main road. Further east, north of the main road is the 3 Ministry of Tourism Office(23 ° 7 ′ 45 ″ N.35 ° 34 '50 "E).
Gas station
A 5 Gas station(23 ° 7 '55 "N.35 ° 35 '12 "E) is located in the new settlement near the western entrance to the town, south of the main road.
Post office
The 4 Post office(23 ° 7 '53 "N.35 ° 34 '55 "E), Tel .: 20 (0) 65 330 5380, is located in the new settlement north of the main road.
trips
A visit to Schalātīn can be combined with a visit to the Gebel ʿElba nature reserve (also Gebel ʿIlba, English Gebel Elba Protected Area GEPA) and the Ḥalāʾib triangle. For both goals you need a permit from the military!
Web links
- Amr El Beleidy and Pakinam Amer open Egypt Independent published a series of articles about her visit to Schalātīn. The articles belong to the series Married to tradition in Shalateen from April 14, 2010, Shalateen: Growing up between a rock and a hard place from April 21, 2010, Shalateen: The long drive down from April 28, 2010, Shalateen: The hunt for truths in a far-off town from May 5, 2010, Swords, shields and a whip: A Beja wedding night from May 12, 2010, Henna art, Beja-style from May 12, 2010, Saying farewell to the south from May 19, 2010 and Jabana: Patience in a cup of coffee from May 19, 2012.
- Some of the articles are also available in German translation Shalateen - the unknown southeast of Egypt in front.
Individual evidence
- ↑Population according to the 2006 Egyptian census, accessed June 4, 2014.
- ↑Condominium means jointly exercised rule. Until Sudan's independence, the country was administered from both Egypt and the United Kingdom.
- ↑Sudan - Egypt (United Arab Republic) Boundary, International Boundary Study No. 18, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, United States Department of State, July 27, 1962.
- ↑International petroleum reaches agreement, Message from Business Wire from Friday August 16, 1991.
- ↑Oil Effort in the Sudan, Message in the New York Times dated February 10, 1992.
- ↑Sudan Police Die in Border Clash, Message in The Guardian (London), Tuesday April 7, 1992, Section: Foreign, p. 6.
- ↑Egypt Doubles Border Posts Along Border with Sudan, Message from Associated Press of Sunday December 13, 1992.
- ↑Egypt denies sending troop reinforcements to the border area with Sudan, AFP message dated Tuesday, December 15, 1992.
