Getting to Know Cairo

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A good night sleep and I was ready to go this morning . Last night "Shiny" the desk manager sat and talked with me listing my ideas and his for how I would spend this time before the tour begins. He made several suggestions regarding drivers and guides ... a bit expensive but within the realm of possible...

Anyway today I had a driver and guide to tour around Cairo for @ 5 hours. It really is a large and a diverse city .It is also very dusty/smoggy . We drove to the top of a mountain to look down on the sprawl and unfortunately the view was limited. The ares was very nice though. Obviously a lot of wealth in that area.Quite a contrast to the next stop The Saladin Citadel which was built to protect the citizenry from the Crusaders...those pillaging Christians!! There is little left of the 1st fortifications but the complex grew over the years with the Turks ,the French and then the British using it for their needs.

Next it was on to the City of the Dead...the HUGE graveyard where somewhere between 50,000 and 10x that actually live . In keeping with the Pharaonic way of thinking Mausoleums were places to socialize and had a courtyard for that. They also had a room for overnight guests who wished to stay near their loved ones. The wealthy hired guardians to stay and that practice had continued for centuries. In the last century the poor have taken to living there as well. VERY poor and VERY conservative. The guide did not think it was advisable for me to walk in the area so I caught only glimpses of what appeared to be a poor village life..We are blessed .

Lastly we visited the Coptic area which has existed here forever . There is a church built over the cave that ia said to have sheltered the holy family for 3yrs and 3 months after they escaped form Herod . It is interesting that it is next door to a Synagogue built at the site where it is believed that the Pharoh's daughter discovered the child Moses...

What a city!!

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Comments

[Dorina]

Wow, so much history
We are sitting in the airport waiting for our flight to Dallas. Not nearly as exciting but we do look forward to our week with Grace. Jack says he remembers the City of the Dead; I will look forward to seeing your pictures this summer.

[anonymous]

Sounds like an interesting time! I look forward to reading about your journey.

[Sarah Grismer]

Very Interesting!
Hi Pam, Glad to hear that your flight went with out any major issues, and the tour sounded very neat! I like the idea that people live in the city of the dead.... There is certain poetic not justice but perhaps beauty in that.... Take care, Sarah

[Joanne M]

Oh, Lapamba!
Well, isn't this fun! I'm so enjoying this trip of yours! and I wish I could say I'd remember all this history. I'm going to print these as I get them and in the meantime, keep well and see you when you get back. Joanne