But for me, the important thing, is to find ways to enjoy the city and learn more about all the Egypt has to offer as often as possible. I make all the motions of teaching during the week while missing my family and friends (and dog) back home and the trips I plan week-to-week give me the distraction I need and footholds to set my sight on as we get closer to June. Without keeping these footholds in view I could easily slip, make a mistake, or give up entirely. Two weeks age - I had a really "Big Week" of extra curricular activities! Probably too many but . . . when else will I be able to say - I was really busy in Egypt this week.
First, my new friend Sylvia invites me on a tour of the old homes in the Khan. I cannot refuse - what a great chance to see these attractions with local people of the upper class. This is a group organized by friends of the Opera House. We all meet in the parking lot there and I am chagrined to see that I am completely underdressed. To me, the Khan means crowds and shopping and vendors on the streets that are filled with urchins of all shapes and sizes. So, I wear capris - burkenstocks and a light linen painter's jacket. The women here are dressed for an summer evening at a posh 'Sconset cocktail party - only with waaaaaaay more jewelry! Oh well, not representing America well this evening - someone mistakes me for a Russian though and I chose not to correct her so there is hope!
We drive through the city on a big bus to the old gates of Cairo. It seems this metropolis started out inside a finite walled city. From the day the last brick of the wall was put in place until now I think the work on what is Cairo has never stopped! The wall travels along one side of the street and as we turn corners the other side changes setting depending on where we are - city buildings, small shops all lined up in rows with the workers taking their tasks (sewing, fixing cars, serving tea, selling chickens) out to the front of the shops making walking on the sidewalk impossible.Some of the cafes have their tables in the street. Cars are double parked and then their is the parade of pedestrians, donkeys and one horse being led along without a cart, and somehow our big modern bus fits along them all.We pass by a stone wall and since I am so high for once I can see, for the first time, that beyond it is is a shanty town. the corrugated metal and cardboard roofs spread into the distance. I wonder what it could possibly be like in THERE!
We get off the bus and make quite a scene blocking traffic - there are many police around and I realize, of course, this group gets police protection. Horns are honking and now the horse that I saw back a block or two is making his way through our group of course. We walk through "the gate". The gate is an arched entry way through the wall which is about 30 feet high. The wall is also about 30 feet thick so the entrance through it feels like a building with a domed ceiling. You can see how there are places for people to watch from above all the comings and goings here. It is easy to imagine the desert on the outside and the awe that a country person would have entering for the first time.
This section of the Khan was worked on for 17 years to make it look as authentic as possible. Apparently it had been filled with shops and built over etc.. It is so beautiful. Stone everywhere and very majestic feeling.
We separate into groups - English, French, and Arabic and start walking along. We take off our shoes and enter the second biggest mosque in Egypt. Al Hussein Mosque. First we go into one big building and it feels as though we are entering a church but I realize it is only a pass through area to a huge plaza. You can see 1/4 in the photo above. The woman in green is Nagwa Schwaeeb and she is "the right hand" of the president's wife. I do not write her name here as I am not sure if that is a key word best to keep out of a blog. . . . Anyway - it is austere - grand - and peaceful here and a good beginning to our tour. Named for the grandson of Mohamed Ali (NOT the fighter but the prophet) it is a revered place in Egypt. I am so used to listening to Arabic and just trying my best to make sense that I start to follow the Arabic tour group and one women remarks -"I didn't know you speak Arabic!" until then I forgot I could go with the English tour and had just resigned myself to getting bits of pieces - may be this is a step towards picking up the lingo!! I make a quick beeline to the English group this night.
A sample of the feel of all the buildings we walk by in the Khan.
Another mosque further in the center of the Khan.
This is a mausoleum. The actual tomb is behind the wooden structure on the left.
Beautiful ceiling.
One of MANY patterns on the tiled walls.
Details everywhere. I have to come back in the day time so that I can appreciate the colored glass too. When there is not an ornately decorated roof there is the beautiful sky. With only an inch of rainfall a year the roof is redundant - except for providing shade.
This is the prayer part of a mosque and madrasa - the curved column area is where the leader speaks and the curve sends his voice out. This madrasa was for soldiers.
We also visit an Ottoman Turk's home - he was a wealthy merchant and this home has 150 rooms! They are decorated in stone tile and ceramic tile large cushions and rugs and there are wooden "windows" with carvings made for the women to stand behind. With the lighting just so they can see what is going on in the rooms of the house below them but the guests cannot see the women. So interesting to think of the eyes on you as you conduct your business or meet with the owner.
The rooms and hallways are a maze and we all stoop to make our way into passageways. The guide points out the "mouth of hell" a clever wind catcher sort of architectural element. One hall has a high tower like roof. One side of the roof is open to the outdoors - facing north no doubt as that is the prevailing wind direction. There is a wooden shutter to close it if needed. The wind is "caught' and sent down the tower and dispersed through the house just like the fabric wind catchers on sailboats.
Sylvia and me in front of the fountain in the madrasa. The fountains in the center gave a place to get water but also created a kind of air conditioning.
There are many big stone buildings in this area and a couple are pointed out to us as "fountains".They are not fountains as we think of fountains. They are buildings with bowed windows. Giant bowed windows. They are 15 feet tall and are at least 5 feet wide and there are at least three in the curved bow of the building. At the base of the window are many "to-go" windows in a row. This is where a thirsty person could ask for water in ancient days. In order to honor someone this is what the very wealthy and powerful would do - make "fountains" where the water was collected beneath the building and then distributed through the windows.
I finally realize that the Khan is quiet tonight because it is Sunday and almost all the shops are closed. There is virtually no one here. Sylvia and I wonder if the place has been cleared out for our group. There are many many police officers around wherever our little parade of golf carts goes. Did I say we traveled via golf cart? We visit Shagarat El Doors first husband's tomb. She is an interesting Egyptian Queen that it seems all of Egypt loves. She hid the death of her husband so that the enemies they were fighting at the time did not know he was gone and she lead the army on to victory. She then chose between two men to marry and the one she did marry cheated on her and met with an equally unpleasant end. Strong female.
The night just kept going on! We went to yet another part of the Khan and saw and Oud concert. 25 Ouds and students of all ages studying here in Cairo. Many from Iraq. The concert is amazing. Sad sound but peaceful. Like a mandolin sort of. We have a great time listening. I return home at 11pm instead of 7:30 as I thought I would - but very happy and filled with thoughts of old Cairo inside those big walls and gates - soldiers heading to the madrasa, thirsty travelers reaching for water at the fountains and the quiet eyes of Turkish women watching it all behind the wooden cut outs that are their windows on it all.
Later that week . . .I head to the Opera House . . . again! For the Argentinian ballet - Paquita Grand Pas - and for their second Act the Tango - I like both but the Tango was far superior. We see a couple women in spaghetti strap dresses!! And someone smokes in the theater during the performance. Hmmmm.
And then!!! Off to Mt. Sinai on a 100 degree evening. Meet in Tahrir Sq. drive 6 hours climb (or camel) 6 hours then drive 4 hours to get to the beach at Sharm el Sheikk!! Nice!! (touristy and crowded but nice!)
Whew! I lived to tell the tale. Had a decent week at school. Even had a visit from an American teacher's family (and thank goodness they came! They helped me get all 16 essays for mother's day done in time - we were told to do something last minute - Taban!) And had a nice weekend THIS weekend a week later (ending today) at a beach house with Mrs. Farida in Ain Soukhna. Soooo relaxing - I needed a rest!! 9 teaching days till April vacation. Yikes!!
