"Tres Culturas"/Three Faiths ...

In Toledo Spain, they call it "Tres Culturas" ... 3 great faiths/cultures living together, supposedly peacefully.   In Cairo today, we walked through the streets and sites of the 3 great faiths of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam in Masr al-Gadida (Old Cairo).  We began at the Hanging Church, dedicated to Mary, Mother of Jesus.  Went to a pilgrimage site for St. George (Mar Girgis), then the Church dedicated to the one-time home of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, when they escaped Herod's wrath.  Turn a corner, and we enter the Ben Ezra Synagogue, also known as the "Syrian temple", since Ben Ezra was a Jew who came to Egypt from Damascus.  The synagogue has been renovated over the past 20 years (it was a shambles in 1984, when I first visited there).  After a rest at a jewelry and "trinkets" store (bathroom break, sodas, and tea), we walked down the street to the first mosque ever built on the continent of Africa - the Amr ibn al-'As mosque (also a shambles in '84 and also now fully renovated).  This was the first time that most of our students entered a mosque.  Thus, it was indeed the start of our education about Islam, and Egypt's history moving through Pharaonic, Roman, pagan, Jewish, Christian, and Muslim cultures.  

Several students are beginning to "wane" ... stomach problems, jet lag, whatever else.  So, we're taking the day off tomorrow/Sunday.  But we will head to Abduh and Hayaam's home for a scrumptious banquet!  

The "NU-40" hit the Pyramids ...

If you believe, as I do, that a picture says a thousand words ... skip the rest of jump down the page to see our "NU-40" in front of the Sphinx and Pyramids at Giza.

(okay, so you've skipped and returned or just like to read on ... great! ... here's some more):

Around 9:30 am today, 38 camel riders and 2 who prefer horses (Joyce and Mary) set out from our favorite stable (yes, a camel stable) next to the pyramids.  We made our way through the dusty streets of the town adjacent to the pyramids, to the very beginning point of the Sahara desert, up to the "panorama" (the best point in the desert to view the "big 3" pyramids), then disembarked (what other word best describes the act of getting down from our "ships of the desert", our camels?), and took our first group shot (below), with our NU flag!

Then, we literally ran from the panorama to the pyramids themselves ... and we climbed a few rows of the smallest pyramid and generally hung out on and around one of the ancient world's "wonders".  Back to our "ships", and rode the rest of the way to the Sphinx.   The Sphinx area was absolutely mobbed with tourists - French, Spanish, Italian, German, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Americans -- including several from New York and from Boston University: our NU "Dialogue" t-shirts allowed for great conversations while we were all squeezed in between representatives from the great expanse of humanity, who all decided that today was their day, too, to share our visit to "Abul-Hool" (the Egyptian name for the Sphinx).

After we shook paws with the Sphinx, we posed (see picture below) in front of one of the most photographed sites on the planet.   Our "3-hour tour" (yes, I am "the Professor" in search of Gilligan) ended there.  Then, it was off to a wonderful papyrus shop (they call it a museum, because there is education there about how papyrus is made) - and based on the purchases of our students, I presume that many of you reading this will be recipients of some of their efforts today.  Finally, an outdoor lunch/buffet on the Sakkara Road.  

Then, 40 very tired NU "huskies" made it back to the hotel ... for much-needed showers, naps, food ... and blogging for some.

Arrived!

Our trip from Logan (Boston) to Frankfurt to Cairo was easy, on time, but not "event-free".  Arriving in Frankfurt we discovered that one student left her passport on the plane, one left his wallet ... we got the passport back but the wallet was stolen.  But no illnesses!

Landing in Cairo was great ... and thankfully, we landed on May 1 - a national holiday (Labor Day) in Egypt so there was no traffic going to our hotel!

After checking in to our hotel, we took quick showers/change of clothes, and then off for an "orientation" of Zamalek ... students needed money changed, phone cards, and food.  After dinner, we went to a local grocery store (Seoudi Market) for water, water, and water (and chocolates for at least one professor).

I collapsed around 11:15 pm ... then as expected, woke up around 3:15 am and it's now 5 am May 2 (10 pm Boston time on May 1) ... jet lag; stresses of the trip; and already planning the logistics (in my mind) of Pyramids Day.  Oh, the day is already planned and organized, but still, the details of moving 40 people (35 students plus 4 faculty/staff plus the spouse of one of our professors) around the Pyramids and Sphinx just won't let me sleep.

Next posting?  I expect it will include a great photo of Abul Huul (the Sphinx) with the "NU-40"!