Gunga- Leaving Egypt

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I have been thinking a lot about my writiing teacher in Shelburne Falls, MA, Genie Zeiger. She passed away last December, much too young, leaving many people grieving for the loss of such a kind, generous, and talented person. She was a wonderful poet and one of her published books of poetry was entitled 'Leaving Egypt'. I'd like to dedicate this blog to her and thank her for all her loving care in nurturing me when I was a fledgling writer just coming out of my nest. she was especially present to me yesterday when we did a tour called 'Spiritual Egypt'.

Probably unknown to most people is the fact that Egypt has population that is about 20% Christian. Certainly it was a huge surprise to me to learn that there are several Jewish synagogues in Cairo. This is another wonderful by-product of traveling- it suspends a lot of sterotypes and misbeliefs. Genie was Jewish and in her last years she had become very involved with the Temple in Greenfield especially with its women's group. She decided several years ago to visit Israel. One thursday morning after our writing group she asked us to stay and pray with her and the rabbi. He had brought the holy scrolls from the synagogue. I had never seen anything like them before. He carried them tenderly and unrolled them on a table in front of him. Then he sang and prayed over Genie that she would find everything she needed to find on her trip and, of course, return home safely.

Yesterday, our tour was called 'Spiritual Cairo'. One stop was the Ben Ezra's Synagogue. It had originally been a church but has been a synagogue since 882 AD. It was beautiful with the sacred scrolls prominently displayed on a raised altar. In 1896 some documents known as " jineesah" were found in the temple. They contained some rare manuscripts and interpretations of the Old Testament, some detailing how Jews dealt with the Arab Muslim authorities. At the back of the temple, there is a very deep well, where the coffers in which the Prophet Moses as an infant was placed by his mother, was reportedly found. It could be just a story but many people choose to believe it.

Next stop was a 4th century church, St. Sergius. It was supposedly built on the spot where Mary, Joseph and the infant Christ rested at the end of their journey into Egypt. It is considered to be the oldest Christian church in Cairo. I remember in Turkey I went to the 'alleged' last home of Mary. This church gave me the same feeling of amazement and wonderment. These were real people. They walked on the same path way. They suffered in the same sun and sand. They thirsted in the same often unbearable heat. No words I could write could sum up the emotional jolt one gets when standing, seeing, and breathing living history.

A lot of yesterday reminded me of Cordoba, Spain where Muslims, Christians and Jews lived peacefully side by side until the Spanish Inquistion. If only people who rant and protest would study that history it might make things less unforgiving. Next stop on our tour was the Mohamed Ali Mosque. It was modeled after the Blue Mosque in Istanbul. it was almost all pure white alabaster. Building was started in 1830 and finished in 1857. It has a magnificient dome which is 170 feet high and two slender minerets than rise to about 270 feet. More on Mohamed Ali- not the fighter! He was born in Greece and was a soldier in troops sent to free Egypt from Napoleon's occupation. Are you following all of this? What the heck was Napoleon doing in Egypt?

We toured the Citadel, a huge complex built high on a hill- on a clear day( which never happens in Cairo because of smog and sand) you can see the Pyramids of Giza. The complex was begun in 810. It was fortified in 1176 when Saladin used it to protect against attacks by the Crusaders. ( That's a whole other story). I could go on and on but it becomes more than a bit boring as well as confusing. I guess, if one really wants to know more about it, they can look it up.

The day ended with a walk through the Khan El Khalili Bazaar. It has been a bazaar since 1382 and is one of the largest in the world. Originally it was a spice market, perhaps the one that had a monopoly on spices which encouraged the Europeans to search for new routes to the East. Hello, Columbus! Like all middle Eastern bazaars it had a bit of this and a lot of that- Colors: silver hookahs, antique brass lanterns, turquoise jewelry, red and black scarabs, orange crocheted caps with brass bells hanging down, yellow lemons piled into two foot high pyramids, dirty white wooly sheep crowded into the middle of an alley. Sounds: above mentioned sheep baaing not happily, horns constantly honking, motorscooters buzzing, little girls giggling, teenage boys pushing each other into the streets, the call to prayer from hundred of minerets all over the city, the constant patter of eager salesmen " for you madam" - or "just look- no charge to look"- or my personal favorite " I'll pay you to look, no charge to you " . Smells:- roasting meat, lemons, dirty streets, cigarette smoke everywhere, urine, incense, diesel exhaust, gasoline fumes, bread baking, sweaty people, spices. All a jumble packed densely into a too small space. A wonderful way to end our adventure in Egypt.

Tomorow we leave for 10 days in Istanbul. Val and I will be on our own exploring the mosques, Topkapi, the Bosporus Sea, the Spice market, and, oh yes, the GRAND Bazaar- over 4,000 shops all under one roof. I have been longing to get back to Turkey since my trip there in 2,000. We will take our time and savor this ancient and historical city.

Hope you all have enjoyed my trip to Egypt. I've gotten a comments from a few of you. Feel free to add a comment. It at least lets me know that someone is reading them and hopefully enjoying them.
Carolyn

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Comments

[Pat Walsh]

Spiritual Friends
Dear Carolyn, It's lovely to hear about your friend and teacher, Genie, being close to you in Egypt! It's heartening to know that no matter where we are in the world, our departed loved ones are near. I'm sure she enjoyed your "Leaving Egypt" blog entry very much...I did too! Thanks for such excellent writing/reporting, especially nice for an armchair traveler like me. Pat

[Sue Samoriski]

Love your rip blogs
I am so enjoying the ongoing commentary and graphic summaries of your travels. Hank, Betsey and I are reminsicing about recent trips to Egypt and await the Istanbul story because the grand bazaar was OMG ~ CLOSED ~ when we were there (once in a blue moon for the religious holidays, so only a few token bazaar stalls were open). Did you get claustrophobia going into the pyramids?? I am quite enthralled with the tour company's down to earth sidebar trips. Would like to look into that in the near futire. Sounds like you are having the BEST travel time ever! Amen for the Genie Z dedication. Sounds like a story for the Independent. Love and best wishes, Sue

[Martha]

Talented Traveler
How wonderfully gifted and thoughtful you are, sharing your detailed descriptive travels with your friends. To think that just about 3 weeks ago you were sitting on the banks of the Fox River here in Geneva, IL & now you've experienced the awesome splendor of the banks of the Nile. (No comparisonthere I'm sure). Love these blogs!