EGYPTIAN SPLENDOR
Globus tour QE 10 days
October 7-15, 2005
October 7-15, 2005
Day 9: OLD CAIRO
On our final day in Egypt, we disembarked the Oberoi Shehrayar and flew back to Cairo, and then before going to the hotel had the optional Old Cairo tour. We took the bus around the city and saw many interesting sights that are more modern than the antiquities we had been visiting. A highlight of this tour was a visit to two adjoining mosques that are open to non-Muslims. They are both towering buildings of great beauty.
The first is the one known as the Alabaster Mosque. It is full of beautiful articles such as this lamp, and much amazing stone work. It also contains the grave of Shah Pahlavi of Iran who was accepted by Egypt after the Revolution which dethroned him.
Next door is the Hassan mosque which was in full use. We saw many worshippers making their individual prayers but there was not a large organized prayer service while we were there. This is the stunning main chamber of the mosque.
Ahmed spoke to this imam, and he was very happy to chant some verses of the Koran for us. At Ahmed's request he chanted the verse from El Bakkara that we had purchased on papyrus. Trained from the age of 3, he knows every single verse of the Koran from memory and can chant any verse if given just a few words. It is a wonderful experience to hear the imam's trained voice ringing out through that great building.
In the front of the main prayer area is this very ornate door and staircase. There is one in every mosque, and it is always oriented directly toward Mecca to permit the faithful to know which way to face for their prayers.
We were greatly privileged to have Ahmed gather us around him in the mosque and give us a basic orientation to the faith of Islam. He taught us the Five Pillars of Islam, which are:
1. Belief in the One God and his prophets.
2. Daily prayers
3. The Fast of the month of Ramadan
4. Giving charity
5. The Pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime
Ahmed said that most Muslims are very anxious to have Westerners learn about their faith because of the bad interpretation of it that a few fanatics have given.
As it had been all through the trip, our bus was tightly guarded by the Tourist Police. Tourism is a major business in Egypt and the government does not want any incidents to happen.
Next we drove past the original quarry from which the stone to build the pyramids was taken.
It was getting close to sundown, when the fast of Ramadan ends. Across from the bazaar these huge tents were set up, and catering trucks of all descriptions were working. It is the custom in Islam for rich people to feed the poor during Ramadan, thus fulfilling one of the Pillars of Islam. As soon as the sun set, thousands of the poor of Cairo would be fed in these tents.
The Khan el-Khalili, Egypt's Most Famous Market provided one last chance to shop! There were many beautiful items, along with much cheap tourist junk. Renée admired these vases but thankfully there was no possible way to get them home!
The next morning, our airport genie appeared to escort us to the airport and get us on our flight for Casablanca to begin our Morrocan Adventure Globus tour QM.
NEXT - ACCOMODATIONS ON THIS TOUR
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| On our final day in Egypt, we disembarked the Oberoi Shehrayar and flew back to Cairo, and then before going to the hotel had the optional Old Cairo tour. We took the bus around the city and saw many interesting sights that are more modern than the antiquities we had been visiting. A highlight of this tour was a visit to two adjoining mosques that are open to non-Muslims. They are both towering buildings of great beauty.
| The first is the one known as the Alabaster Mosque. It is full of beautiful articles such as this lamp, and much amazing stone work. It also contains the grave of Shah Pahlavi of Iran who was accepted by Egypt after the Revolution which dethroned him.
| Next door is the Hassan mosque which was in full use. We saw many worshippers making their individual prayers but there was not a large organized prayer service while we were there. This is the stunning main chamber of the mosque.
| Ahmed spoke to this imam, and he was very happy to chant some verses of the Koran for us. At Ahmed's request he chanted the verse from El Bakkara that we had purchased on papyrus. Trained from the age of 3, he knows every single verse of the Koran from memory and can chant any verse if given just a few words. It is a wonderful experience to hear the imam's trained voice ringing out through that great building.
| In the front of the main prayer area is this very ornate door and staircase. There is one in every mosque, and it is always oriented directly toward Mecca to permit the faithful to know which way to face for their prayers.
| We were greatly privileged to have Ahmed gather us around him in the mosque and give us a basic orientation to the faith of Islam. He taught us the Five Pillars of Islam, which are: | 1. Belief in the One God and his prophets. 2. Daily prayers 3. The Fast of the month of Ramadan 4. Giving charity 5. The Pilgrimage to Mecca once in a lifetime Ahmed said that most Muslims are very anxious to have Westerners learn about their faith because of the bad interpretation of it that a few fanatics have given. As it had been all through the trip, our bus was tightly guarded by the Tourist Police. Tourism is a major business in Egypt and the government does not want any incidents to happen.
| Next we drove past the original quarry from which the stone to build the pyramids was taken.
| It was getting close to sundown, when the fast of Ramadan ends. Across from the bazaar these huge tents were set up, and catering trucks of all descriptions were working. It is the custom in Islam for rich people to feed the poor during Ramadan, thus fulfilling one of the Pillars of Islam. As soon as the sun set, thousands of the poor of Cairo would be fed in these tents.
| The Khan el-Khalili, Egypt's Most Famous Market provided one last chance to shop! There were many beautiful items, along with much cheap tourist junk. Renée admired these vases but thankfully there was no possible way to get them home!
| The next morning, our airport genie appeared to escort us to the airport and get us on our flight for Casablanca to begin our Morrocan Adventure Globus tour QM.
| |
NEXT - ACCOMODATIONS ON THIS TOUR