1st Full Day in Cairo

1^st Full Day in Cairo

What an emotional and inspiring day! As our guide said today, this is a city filled with sharp contrasts. It is a modern vibrant city and yet there is no regular garbage pick-up for the residents. There are more cars than you can imagine jamming and filling the streets. But they will stop for a donkey cart or camel to cross the street. I have not seen ANY traffic light, speed limits or stop signs and cars move through the streets with no clearly discernable rules of the road. With that seeming recipe for chaos, we saw no wrecks.

And then there is the dust. There is sand and dirt everywhere and it gets into your pores. When you see the pyramids, the Sphinx and you hear the history of this wonderful region, however, you are drawn into the mystery and magic of the place. At that point all the other “stuff” just doesn’t seem so important. What a magnificent land this is!

The pyramids truly do take your breath away. Even though I have seen pictures of them my entire life, there is no way to prepare you for them. They are truly awesome. Their magnificence is made more impressive by their location in the middle of the desert. Even in the midst of all the emptiness and sheer space of the desert region, these structures still stand out, begging you to engage them.

Most of us rode camels after the pyramid viewing. It would not be my chosen mode of travel. They are even more menacing in their appearance up close. They also make eerie noises just before they spit, so at least you know it is coming. We went back to the Sphinx and Giza tonight to see and sound and light show there. We had a cool breeze and a full moon at our backs. It was a nice ending to a full day.

Tomorrow we visit the oldest mosque in Cairo, a synagogue and the Coptic church located where the Holy Family took refuge when they fled to Egypt to escape Herod. I hope you enjoy the pictures. I will try to get some more from other folks cameras.

Blessings and peace,

Robert