The Ritz Carlton was fantastic. The service is outstanding and the facilities really beautiful. We had a few great days to lounge by the pool and swim. Each night, we had great meals at different restaurants in the resort. One night, we attended a tradional Arab feast with entertainment. There was a belly dancer who was quite skilled in getting all of us up to try (including Peter). In addition, there was a Whirling Dervish. He was outstanding. Having never seen a Whirling Dervish before, we were thoroughly impressed. Of course, we didn't have a camera with us to capture his outstanding dance. Originally the Whirling Dervish dance, consisting of ritual spinning, was done to achieve union with God via a trance-like state. Now, many dancers perform for tourists. The food was really great too -- even if we weren't sure what we were eating.
On day 7, we took an all-day snorkeling excursion to the Ras Mohammed National Park. We made three different stops along the reefs, jumping out from the boat to follow the guides in the water. This was a first time for the girls doing deep water snorkeling and we all enjoyed it. The water is quite warm and we saw some fantastic corals and fish.
Day 8 was another pool day, relaxing before having to return back to reality. The Red Sea was the perfect way to end the trip.
