How to get to St. Anthony's monastery

[tewodros_yifredew]

Greetings

Beloved.. I am planning a trip to st anthony's in three weeks time... I have never been to egypt before. I am planning to go directly from the airport to st anthony's monastery by cab or something. Now I hear there are more than two kinds of cabs in cairo... now i need help with that .. How much should I bargain for.. I am trying to get the cheapest price so please advice me  on which type to use. And also I want to stay for a week at the monastery, will the bishop let me? what can I do to stay for a week? Please advice me on everything after landing in Cairo to safely going back home....

Thanks and God bless you+++

[Mary E]

Greetings

Beloved.. I am planning a trip to st anthony's in three weeks time... I have never been to egypt before. I am planning to go directly from the airport to st anthony's monastery by cab or something. Now I hear there are more than two kinds of cabs in cairo... now i need help with that .. How much should I bargain for.. I am trying to get the cheapest price so please advice me  on which type to use. And also I want to stay for a week at the monastery, will the bishop let me? what can I do to stay for a week? Please advice me on everything after landing in Cairo to safely going back home....

Thanks and God bless you+++

Sorry to say but i dont think it would be the best if you travelled to Egypt. Take Care.

[mabsoota]

if u do want to go to egypt, u should plan it in advance. i think the monasteries are very far from the airport, so getting a cab is not a great idea unless u are a millionaire.
also it's not always wise to get into a car with a complete stranger (cab driver) and ask him or her to take you to a monastery. if it's someone who does not like Christians, you could end up somewhere completely different to where you want to go. (eg. middle of desert with no water, different town, heaven, etc. etc.)

so u have access a computer (u have posted here) so find out where it is, what buses and trains there are to the nearby area, and take with u provisions for the journey.
it's also a good idea to take spiritual advice from your priest before leaving to check if it's God's will to do something dangerous right now. also consider whether it is safe for the monks to have foreign guests. maybe it will attract attention to them when they are trying to get on with their lives.
so ideally contact the monastery first.
may God guide u.

[tewodros_yifredew]

Thanks of the replys

The problems is that I cant speak arabic and I would really prefer to have a means of direct transportation to the monastery... and since I would be there for one week ...I want to get to the monastery as quickly as possible.
Can anybody give me a quote as to how much it will be via a driver? are there hotel drivers that wouldn't discriminate? if anybody can give me instruction like after you land at the airport take this bus or take a cab to.....
I was thinking it 300 egyptian pounds would be enough for one trip to the monastery.... but the problem I face is how do I get a cab or transportation to get back to cairo? I was thinking of getting a temporary phone to call a cab... but I think not many cab drivers would do that...

Any advice?

Also I am on a limited budget ... so how expensive is egypt -- if i am to stay at the monastery for one week i need to buy a weeks supply of food and water.

Thanks
God bless you

[mabsoota]

start here:
http://www.touregypt.net/featurestories/antony.htm

[flexmd]

do you have any family member in Egypt?...

I would suggest contacting a church or someone from a church... there are plenty of people who own cars and they will be more than willing to take you anywhere.

In my last trip to Egypt I had someone from the church and I paid 200 Egyptian pounds/day to go anywhere I want.

One last thing... no matter what, don't take a cab from the airport... it is dangerous for Egyptians to take a cab anywhere in Egypt now especially when you speak only English

[tewodros_yifredew]

Thanks for the reply guys,

I dont have family relatives in Egypt.... it is sorta my first time and I am a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. So I was wondering to stay at a hotel for a day and then ask the hotel to arrange a trip to St anthony... I know it will be very steep but I dont have any other choice. I kinda have been saving for this trip... I was wondering maybe four seasons---
I am open to any comments - (or rather I beg your suggestion brothers)

Thanks
Blessings in Christ+++

[Mary E]

Thanks for the reply guys,

I dont have family relatives in Egypt.... it is sorta my first time and I am a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. So I was wondering to stay at a hotel for a day and then ask the hotel to arrange a trip to St anthony... I know it will be very steep but I dont have any other choice. I kinda have been saving for this trip... I was wondering maybe four seasons---
I am open to any comments - (or rather I beg your suggestion brothers)

Thanks
Blessings in Christ+++

Sorry to say this again but is it possible to re think about the trip, extend because now is seriously not the best time, it is REALLY DANGEROUS
you should go on the link: http://www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Egypt
please read through it thoroughly, I just dont want anythin bad happen to anyone STAY SAFEEEEE!

[Christs' servant]

Hey Tewodros,

I think it would be safest if you go with a church bus. But since you don't know anyone there, and this is your first time to Egypt, then it'll be a bit challenging.

There are many churches that organise trips to St. Anthony monastery, i know that there in one next week. My friend knows 2 churches in Shoubra and one in Ain Shams that organise busses there, and he can ask for you the dates of the next trip, if you are interested. I think that it is also relatively more cheaper.

When do you plan on traveling?

[Mary E]

Hey Tewodros,

I think it would be safest if you go with a church bus. But since you don't know anyone there, and this is your first time to Egypt, then it'll be a bit challenging.

There are many churches that organise trips to St. Anthony monastery, i know that there in one next week. My friend knows 2 churches in Shoubra and one in Ain Shams that organise busses there, and he can ask for you the dates of the next trip, if you are interested. I think that it is also relatively more cheaper.

When do you plan on traveling?

Why is everyone recommending for him to travel IT IS DANGEROUSSSS DONT TRAVELL PLZ DONT IGNOREE ME!!! Take Care

[tewodros_yifredew]

Thanks a lot for the reply guys....

Mary E, I know that it is dangerous to go to Egypt, let alone go to the most oldest and famous monastery in the world, but what can I say... I have to go for a personal/spritual reason. And it is not like I am searching for trouble... I am just going to the monastery and going back a week later. The only problem that I see in the transportation to the monastery.... I dont know if I will be able to find a church and wait for them to go to the monastery though...
I think the best way to do it... would be to use a hotel service.... I have seen that some hotel services are cheap for a day or two - So if I stay for one night or a week at a good (may be four seasons) and use their tour/transportation service to the monastery... and use it back again... It would be bit expensive but considering how dangerous that using a cab to go to a St. Anthony's... then I would prefer the hotel service and the rates have gone down a bit due to the crisis and all.

Brothers please pray for me... a sinner and a weak one...
I hope God allows me to go there in peace.
I will remember all of you in the cave of St. Anthony....

[Mary E]

Thanks a lot for the reply guys....

Mary E, I know that it is dangerous to go to Egypt, let alone go to the most oldest and famous monastery in the world, but what can I say... I have to go for a personal/spritual reason. And it is not like I am searching for trouble... I am just going to the monastery and going back a week later. The only problem that I see in the transportation to the monastery.... I dont know if I will be able to find a church and wait for them to go to the monastery though...
I think the best way to do it... would be to use a hotel service.... I have seen that some hotel services are cheap for a day or two - So if I stay for one night or a week at a good (may be four seasons) and use their tour/transportation service to the monastery... and use it back again... It would be bit expensive but considering how dangerous that using a cab to go to a St. Anthony's... then I would prefer the hotel service and the rates have gone down a bit due to the crisis and all.

Brothers please pray for me... a sinner and a weak one...
I hope God allows me to go there in peace.
I will remember all of you in the cave of St. Anthony....

Hey,
You have my prayers with you Take Care and have a safe trip, think of me a sinner too. The Lord will guide and guard you through Egypt TAKE CARE!!! Please pray for me Mary.

Cyaaa

[sodr2]

st george church in heliopolis usually has lots of trips to monasteries around egypt (including St Anthony) which you can book but it usually lasts one day instead of a week...

if you can arrive at the monastery however you can, you can probably leave by booking ahead a seat on the bus and leave on the day it arrives

[Purity]

Thanks for the reply guys,

I dont have family relatives in Egypt.... it is sorta my first time and I am a member of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. So I was wondering to stay at a hotel for a day and then ask the hotel to arrange a trip to St anthony... I know it will be very steep but I dont have any other choice. I kinda have been saving for this trip... I was wondering maybe four seasons---
I am open to any comments - (or rather I beg your suggestion brothers)


Thanks
Blessings in Christ+++

Tenayistillin tewodros!
I am Ethiopian Orthodox as well! I wish I was going with u! Maybe we will be together in spirit. Please pray for me in St. Antony's Monastery! I have been fascinated by St. Anthony's story!
There are many holy wells in Egypt as well! Try and get to St. Mary's well; I'm sure if u have a sip, there will be smooth sailing from there on in!
God bless u and God be with u every step of the way!