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YOUR DIVING ON SPOT RED SEA
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Top Model of the World 2007 |
The Top Model of the World final at the Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Hotel |
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Hurghada is well known for having lots of pretty girls from all around the globe on its streets, but last friday, January 18, it reached to the highest level: Most beautiful girls from 41 countries came to Hurghada to present themselves to selected judges with eagle eyes, hoping for the title of Top Model of the World 2007. Steigenberger Al Dau Beach Hotel hosted the contestants as well as the event itself.
And indeed the girls did their best to keep the crowd focused and entertained. The 5 finalists from Brazil, Germany, Belarus, Egypt and Ukraine were selected based on hight requirements and criteria of the judges.
However only 3 girls could be selected as the winner trio. As the 2nd runner up Lobna Amin from Egypt was crowned. Alena Aladka, the beauty from Belarus caught the title of 1st runner up.
The excitement reached its highlight when the Top Model of the World 2007 was finally selected: Alesandra Alores from Germany made the race! With the common smile of happiness she was posing on the podium.
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New Species of Moray Eel discovered in the Red Sea |
Red Sea Environment |
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This species was discovered by Shai Einbinder during a fish course that was taking place at the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Sciences of Eilat (IUI). The specimen was fished from 200m depth near the edge of the deep coral reef. It was described by Shai and Eran Brokovich of the IUI, with the help of the fish taxonomist David Smith from the Smithsonian in Washington DC.
They named the eel Gymnothorax Baranesi in tribute to Dr. Avi Baranes, one of the few people who have dedicated their career to research of the deep bottom of the Gulf of Aqaba, and described, together with Dr. Dani Golani (Hebrew University of Jerusalem) many new species of fish.
Surprise Discovery
This finding of a new species in only 200m in a well studied area stresses the importance of deep coral reef research. The fact that the new species was collected in an area that has been well studied for many years (and in fact, directly in front of a major marine laboratory) indicates how much we still have to learn about the marine habitat.
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Egyptian win Handball African Cup |
Qualify for Bejing Olympics |
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The Egyptian national handball team on Thursday snatched the title of the African Cup of Nations after beating Tunisia 27-25 in Angola, the Egyptian official MENA news agency reported.
With winning the men's final held in the Angolan capital of Luanda, the Egyptian team is now qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, said the report.
President Hosni Mubarak sent Thursday a cable of congratulations to the Egyptian national handball team over its wining of the title for the fifth time and qualification for Beijing Olympics, said MENA.
Beijing Olympics is set to be held this August, the first time for China to host the famed international sports event.
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To all Diving Operators and Divers in the Red Sea |
Red Sea Environment |
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HEPCA would like to thank all diving operators and divers for your support
of the Œ Saving the Red Sea Wrecks‚ Campaign and our recent efforts to
establish a mooring system on the SS Thistlegorm.
We are delighted that so many of you are using the new system and that this
action is directly contributing to prolonging the life of this wreck.
However, we are disappointed by reports that some safari boats and dive
guides continue to moor on the wreck itself. Following the installation of
the new mooring system, mooring on the wreck is strictly forbidden and
violators will be prosecuted.
After a considerable consultation period with diving operators, boat
captains, divers and other specialists, the current mooring system was
chosen as the only viable solution. It is not possible at this location for
the mooring ropes to reach any further to the surface without compromising
safety. Any dive guides who cannot tie a rope at 22m should not be working
as a dive guide. Any diver who cannot swim 5m from the rope to the wreck in
a current should not be diving on this wreck. There cannot be any
compromise.
HEPCA strongly opposed a wreck management plan suggested by the Government
as it would have meant a substantial increase in fees and dramatic
limitations on diver numbers. We trusted in the conscience and commitment of
all Red Sea stakeholders to support our mooring plans as the only acceptable
solution to sustaining the wreck of the SS Thistlegorm and our ability to
continue diving her.
We urge all diving operators, safari boats and divers to comply with the new
regulations for diving the wreck of the SS Thistlegorm and use the mooring
system installed.
In total there are 32 mooring lines installed in pairs on each side of the
wreck. Sadly some of the new mooring lines have already been cut and damaged
due to misuse. The HEPCA team will revisit the SS Thistlegorm next week to
attach new shorter lines to prevent skippers dragging the lines to the other
side of the wreck.
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Egypt: From Blogs to Books |
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A blog is just a media, and its content can be news, reports, political analysis, or photographs. Some bloggers also publish their thoughts, short stories, and poems in their blogs. And now in Egypt, especially that the Cairo Book Fair will open its doors soon, many publishers are transforming some blog posts into books.
Dina El Hawary - Dido's Life - decided to write about this phenomenon:
In the first decade of the third millennium a new kind of artistic movement has emerged - a movement that wasn't known before - and it's now known as blogging. The writings in this movement took different shapes on the various blogging sites available on the web.
The movement has evolved quickly with the help of the first generation of bloggers, till the year 2008 when big publishing houses started to transform blogs into books.
They started by publishing “Rice With Milk”, by Rehab Bassam [Ar], and “This is My Story”, by Ghada Muhammad.
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| Tourism 2007 |
The tourism sector is flying high into the new year, buoyed by new hotels, global alliances and a focus on human resources |
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Back to school
The biggest entrant to the tourism industry was not, as most would expect, a hotel. It was a university. In September, the Egyptian Tourism Federation (ETF) inked an agreement with the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration to collaborate on professional development courses for hospitality professionals. The programs, aimed at people who are already working in the industry, include both Cornell’s online courses as well as classes taught by the Cornell faculty at the Red Sea resort El Gouna.
The idea of formal professional development is a dramatic change for the hotel industry. Most workers start off ‘in the kitchen,’ steadily working their way up to management. This has led to a perception that tourism jobs are low-skilled, open to anyone regardless of their educational background.
These perceptions, and the requirements of the jobs, are changing. “When one passes high school, you’re required to get certain marks. Normally those who went into tourism never got good grades,” says Garranah. “They become very successful in their careers, but the university at the time was [accepting] very low grades.” With increasing demand for tourism jobs, hospitality courses are becoming more competitive, with the result that universities and colleges are demanding higher entrance marks of applicants. “People [now] know that [the hospitality industry] is a very good opportunity,” says Garranah.
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| Inter housing Expo 2008 |
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On the 22nd January Intercontinental along with the Red Sea government is hosting Inter-housing Expo 2008.
The event has been chosen to be one of the most important events in the city, and therefor it was decided to celebrate the fair during the City festival from the 22nd to the 24th of January 2008.
The Inter-housing Expo 2008 will be packed with Real Estate agents offering great deals, and if you are looking for a new home you dont want to miss this event.
For more please click here.
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| Come for the Surgery, Stay for the Sun |
A root canal in El Gouna? How about an angioplasty in Dahab? In recent years, health tourism has become one of the strangest — and most profitable — offshoots of globalization |
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Along Nakheel Street in Mohandiseen, window displays of Italian boots mingle with chic coiffeurs and silverware merchants. Sweepers clear debris from the stoops of limousine rentals, and signs are nearly as likely to be printed in French as in Arabic.
But even in this tidy district, the Esthetica Maxillofacial and Dental Hospital stands out. With its meandering, tiled pathways, ornate landscaping and sedate pastel color scheme, the designer clinic is more evocative of a resort than a hospital. And this is exactly their aim. Over the past decade, an influx of wealthy foreigners, propelled by eroding travel costs and stratospheric prices in their home countries, have made ‘health tourism’ a lucrative trade. And with as many as one in 10 European Union patients seeking treatment outside of their borders, there has naturally been a rush to cash in.
“This is part of our dream,” says Dr. Osama El-Shahawy, one of Esthetica’s founders. “It’s well-known that the prices of treatment here are much less than in Europe, the States and even the Gulf area. At the same time, we’re giving [patients] a quality service.”
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| Chantal Chamandy's Historic Concert at The Great Sphinx in Egypt |
WLIW21 New York Public Television to Air World Premiere of Singer-Songwriter Chantal Chamandy's Historic Concert at The Great Sphinx in Egypt |
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The Montreal-based Chamandy made a long-anticipated return to her birthplace in September 2007, performing in Egypt at the base of The Pyramids on the Giza plateau. Before a capacity audience of over 5,000, Chamandy became the first person ever to be granted permission to hold and film a concert at the feet of the The Great Sphinx. One of Chamandy's many goals of the project was to show that culture and art are still an important part of the middle-eastern experience, counter-
balancing the rising tide of negative portrayals of daily life that blanket the media across the world.
"There are so many negative portrayals about the Middle East, I wanted to turn that around and show some of the good things," said Chamandy, who performed while a dazzling light show illuminated The Pyramids. "I know I can't change the entire world simply with my music, but I would like to think that every little bit helps. Music can be very powerful, and by doing what I did, I hope to play a positive role by promoting peace through culture."
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| Pyramisa Beach Resort - An investment to silence the sceptics |
Real Estate on the Red Sea Coast |
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If you’ve always dreamt of buying a property abroad but have erred on the side of caution and never actually taken the plunge - fear no more. GEM Estates is offering investors the opportunity to purchase their own freehold home as part of the stunning five-star Pyramisa Beach Resort Hotel set within Sahl Hasheesh, Hurghada, Egypt. With prices from just £39,950 and a guaranteed lifetime rental income of 7% per annum (about £2,800), you can’t go wrong.
Already open since April 2007 and enjoying occupancy rates in excess of 85%, the Pyramisa Beach Resort comprises studio and one and two bedroom suites set right on the sandy shoreline. Five restaurants, swimming pools, a beach bar and a health & beauty club are on tap for owners and guests and should your head still want to lead your heart, prospective purchasers can ‘try before they buy’ as the initial 10% payment (£3,995 for a studio) is refundable until private purchase contract.
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on, whats new |
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| Spot Local Corporate Blogging |
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Spot Local have been updating their own corporate blog which can now be viewed by clicking on the link spotblog The aim is to add interesting topics for our subscribers and to keep this updated weekly.
Topics
Living in Hurghada – let’s do the washing! ... read more
How Internet is benefit to me and my family? ... read more
We invite you the subscribers to leave your comments.
This concept as yet is an untapped source of advertising on the internet which is now gaining momentum.
The idea of blogging has been around now for a couple of years the most popular sites being Myspace, Yahoo 360, Blogger and Facebook. Now corporate companies are building blogs aimed at attracting additional advertising for low revenue expenditure.
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| Escape to Soma Bay |
| The Ultimate Resort Destination on the Red Sea. |
| Community News |
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- Award winning 18 hole Championship golf course
- 9 hole Challenge course and golf academy
- State of the art thalasso-therapy centre and spa
- Luxurious treatments at our Leading Spa of the World
- Superior diving and snorkeling at our spectacular house reef
- World class water sports including sailing, wind and kite surfing
- Pristine sandy beaches with stunning panoramic view
- A choice of 5 star hotel resorts and fine cuisine
- Day, weekend and weekly special rates for residents
Visit our oasis of tranquillity, just 45 minutes south of Hurghada
Tel: +20 65 354 2333
Email: info@somabay.com
www.somabay.com
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| Les Petites Club |
| Community News |
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Kids Activities:
• Dance, (Ballet, Modern Jazz, Belly Dance, Flamenco, Hip Hop, Yoga)
• Guitar classes
• Football
• Swimming lessons
• Homework (English/Arabic)
Mums Activities:
- Step Aerobic
- Tai Bo
- Belly Killer
- Power Step
- Yoga
- Belly Dance
• Nursery from 3 months up to three years
• Pre-School from 3 years and above
• Kids Club with after school activities and homework assistance for 4 years and above
• Language classes
• Babysitting service day and night
• Organising birthday parties and events
For further information: 012 393 4407
www.lespetiteselgouna.com
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| The 1st Annual Environmental Exhibition for Arts and Products |
| For increased attendance & participation, under the kind direction of H.E. General Bakr El Rashidi the exhibition date & venue have been changed. We look forward to seeing you there! |
| Community News |
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As an integral part of Abu Salama Society’s vision to advocate environmental awareness and to highlight those who believe and support conservation efforts in the Red Sea, we have the pleasure to announce the launching of an ‘Annual Environmental Exhibition for Arts and Products’, with the first one taking place on January 24-26th, 2008 in the Fayrouz Hall at the Hurghada Marriott Beach Resort. Exhibition visitors are welcome from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Come & enjoy the traditional whirling Dervish & Egyptian Folklore Show daily from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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| Valentines Heart Box |
Show your love with this heart-shaped Valentine's Box. Put a few pieces of chocolate treasure inside as a surprise!
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| parents & kids |
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Valentines Heart Box |
What you will need:
• Small heart box
• Paint (we used tempera paint)
• Paintbrushes
• Newspaper to protect the table
• Water and paper towels for cleanup
Optional Materials:
• Glue
• Sponge
• Fabric, ribbons, ribbon roses, small fake flowers, eyelet or lace
• Catalogs to cut pictures from, like flower catalogs
• Valentines stickers
• Small paper doiliesh
How to make it:
1. This is a very open ended project, first you need to decide how you want to decorate your box.
2. If you want to paint hearts and flowers on the box, I suggest giving the outside of the box a coat of white or light pink paint. Let the paint dry, then paint your designs over it.
3. You can also sponge paint on the box - give the box a coat of a base color, and allow that to dry. In the meantime, cut a piece of sponge into a shape, like a small heart. When the paint is dry, dip the sponge into another color of paint and stamp it on the box. The design will have some small holes in it, sort of lacy. You can probably stamp your design once more before dipping the sponge into the paint again. Experiment on a piece of scrap paper before stamping on your box.
4. Young children might be happy just painting the box one color, or painting the box one color and then decorating it with stickers once the paint is dry.
5. Instead of painting the box, you can cover it with a collage of pretty cutouts, like flowers - or even cut the flower cutouts into heart shapes before pasting them to the box.
Don't forget that you can also decorate the inside of the box, too.
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