Red Sea Aggressor Trip

[mcohen1021]

I have an upcoming Red Sea Aggressor trip coming up June 9-16 (Tw Brothers)… Anyone else on this trip?

I have a few questions…

1. I have a 9 hour layover in Istanbul (was Constantinople lol)… I land at 16:15 so most sight-seeing will be shot down. My options are to get a room (way too pricey) and sleep/rest at the airport: TAV Airport Hotel. My other option is to get a tourist visa and go out to dinner (will be time for it). Anyone have a recommendation for a great restaurant with awesome falafel and kibbe? Also, is there something I can do with my luggage while I go out into town?

2. I have a 1 night stay in Marsa Alam the night before the trip. Staying at Siva Port Ghalib hotel… Any recommendations?

3. I have a 1 night stay in Hurghada Marriot the night before my return back to Texas. Any recommendations?

THANKS in advance

 

[Lorenzoid]

1. It was a few years ago, but I recall taking a taxi from the airport to a reasonably nearby--sorry this is vague--marina or something of that nature. We were thinking seafood more than middle eastern, as we had spent a good deal of time in various parts of Turkey earlier on that trip and gotten our fill of Turkish food. Chatted with someone who had sailed his boat from the US to Istanbul. I suspect we lugged our luggage with us. Obviously if you have enough time to go into the city proper, your options are unlimited. Maybe ask on a foodie website like Chowhound?

3. Marriott Hurghada was very nice--it's a pity we were only there overnight--but we didn't find much in the surrounding area that interested us. It's on a seaside tourist drag of discos and restaurants touting pizza, pasta and English pub grub. If you're after Egyptian food, there may be a section on the menu with a few items that the proprietor feels won't offend western palates, but we sure had a difficult time finding anything especially interesting. Some kebabs (maybe it was kofte), some rice, salad, and a couple of beers was what we got, and it was fine. Then again, I was too lazy to do much research or post questions as you have. We just sort of walked down and back up the street until we got tired and picked somewhere to eat.

 

[mcohen1021]

I just found a thread on TA and a link to TAV airport - they have a baggage storage facility, so that will make going offsite from the airport much easier. Now I have to find the best kibbe/falafel and maybe find a place to see the sea.

Thanks for Hurghada info…

Ya’ll keep the info coming. Thx!

 

[Sunn]

good food in Hurghada :

El Felfela (egyptian food)

Starfish (fish, of course)

any taxi driver knows them...

 

[mcohen1021]

@Sunn - THANKS!

I will need to look up "egyptian" food - I would like to find a place I can get authentic fellafel and kibbe

 

[Lorenzoid]

@Sunn - THANKS!

I will need to look up "egyptian" food - I would like to find a place I can get authentic fellafel and kibbe

To his credit, the Red Sea Aggressor's chef tries to include (optional) samples of Egyptian and Egyptian-ish food here and there in what is otherwise a solidly western/international menu. I do recall a falafel ball in one meal, as well as fool at one breakfast and shakshouka at another, some tahina, and even a tiny teaser cup of molokhia. If you bring some hot sauce or chile powder (I forgot the Arabic name of Egypt's wonderful chile powder--@Sunn help me out here) from the spice market you will be loved by many, as the food seems to be toned down for what the chef apparently perceives as timid western palates. There was a little Heinz chile sauce on each table that saw a lot of use.

 

[Sunn]

If you bring some hot sauce or chile powder (I forgot the Arabic name of Egypt's wonderful chile powder--@Sunn help me out here) from the spice market you will be loved by many, as the food seems to be toned down for what the chef apparently perceives as timid western palates.

chattah, also called chattah hamra (can't write it in arabic, sorry)

 

[mcohen1021]

All great info. Keep tips coming...

Anyone have advice on a evening in Istanbul? We land @ 16:15, so many touristy things will be closed

 

[gert7to3]

If you want to leave the airport in Istanbul you will have to purchase a tourist visa in order to exit the airport. I went through there in 2015 on the way to the Red Sea. Outbound we arrived fairly late, so we sat out our connection at the airport, though we bought into one of the lounges. It was $40 pp. They had snack type food, with local beer and wine included. Plus comfortable chairs and it was quiet. Outbound we arrived around 9:00am. Armed with our tourist visas, purchased on our outbound leg, we took the subway into the district around the Blue Mosque and traipsed around there. A lot has happened in Turkey since then. Unsure if the airport has changed. I thought they were building a new one, so it may no longer be so convenient.

 

[divezonescuba]

Are you flying Turkish Air from Houston to Istanbul?