Sunrise on Mt. Sinai

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So it's been quite a while since I've written and I have so much to say, though not much time right now to say it. We're so busy these days with briefings and class and it's hard to find time to sit down and write. Thus, this will mostly be a blog in pictures, which I hope you all don't mind!

The highlights have been seeing the pyramids and the Sphinx (very cool) and climbing Mt. Sinai in the middle of the night to watch the sun come up from the top. After sunrise, we went down the 3,750 "Steps of Penitence" through an extremely narrow ravine to come out next to St. Catherine's monastery, which is still in operation.

Sharm El Sheikh, where we stayed on the Sinai, is like the Vegas of Egypt. It's crowded with mostly European tourists. Bikinis and open displays of affection are acceptable. We went snorkeling in the Red Sea, too, and now that I've thought about it, I've been in 4 seas: Pacific, Atlantic, Med, Red. Neat! Also, the Sinai is technically part of Asia, so I've been on 4 continents! Sa-weet!

On a more sobering note, today we met with the woman who started the Forced Migration and Refugee Studies program at Oxford and AUC and we discussed the Sudanese refugees. I learned a lot and it's such a tragedy it breaks my heart. When I want to leave Africa, I can, but they're trapped here, practically, with little hope of resettlement and a fear of repatriation.

I hope everyone reading this will also check out our group blog on the Arizona Daily Star Web site.
http://regulus2.azstarnet.com/blogs/cairocalling

Other than that, I am admittedly suffering from homesickness and a longing for the familiar. We all got sick in Sharm, though I think it was a virus, and that made things difficult for a few days. I am beginning to really truly appreciate being an American. I come from a beautiful and wonderful country.

Enjoy the pictures!

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Photos

At the Sphinx
Here's my proof!

The Shadows of the Mosque
A man walks through Ibn Talun mosque, the third largest in the world.

Spirals to Heaven
The only external spiral staircase minaret in Egypt, at the Ibn Talun mosque.

The Alabaster Mosque
Built by Muhammed Ali in the 1800s, the mosque was modeled after the Hagia Sofia. It is lovely. The entire first floor, inside and out, is made of alabaster, hence its nickname.

Ceilings and chandeliers
The ceiling of Muhammed Ali mosque, as seen through the central chandelier.

Alley of the Tentmakers
In Islamic Cairo.

The Red Sea
The reefs where we went snorkeling!

Sunrise on the Sinai
The soft light of dawn filters over the Sinai mountain range, as seen from Mt. Sinai, where Moses received the 10 Commandments.

Step of Penitence
Twenty or so of the nicer, more regular steps. This was not the norm, by the way. It took us about two hours to get down.

Scary!
Believe it or not, there are stairs in this ravine, and we came down them!

Learning Arabic
I know 14 letters, numbers, and some words.

Comments

[Jordie]

Kelley your pictures are STUNNING. No really, like postcards, or brochures. Only way better. Hope your feeling a little better. -Jordie