Grateful for Whiskey

Our first day in Egypt was unbelievable--we enjoyed amazing views on our way to the top of Mount Sinai. The experience was altogether incredible, but what made it even more fun was that our ascent to the summit was atop camels!! My camel's name was Whiskey, and Jacob named his Lady because the guide told us she was female. The views along the way were amazing, but especially from the top. It was also really cool to be there, where Moses received the 10 commandments. (well, probably--it's impossible to know absolutely for sure) I also really love the account in 1 Kings 19: 8-12 that took place at Sinai.

You can tell from the next photo that the mountain was really steep at times. We marveled at how the camels made the treacherous climb, knowing where to step and how to traverse the terrain.
The camels took us within a few hundred feet of the summit. But those last 700ish stairs to the top were pretty rough--the air was thin, and it was straight up. I was SO GRATEFUL to have ridden Whiskey! The hike down (no camels) was crazy--we took the steeper route. I'm still a little sore from the trek, but it was so worth it!

Walk like an Egyptian

After Sinai we spent time in Cairo and saw the pyramids! First we stopped at the Egyptian Museum to see, among other things, the contents of King Tutankhamun's tomb. Photography wasn't allowed in the museum, but here's a wikipedia photo of the amazing mask. We also learned the Ancient Egyptians' view of the afterlife. It's a really cool story that climaxes in the deceased's heart being weighed against a feather--you pass the test if the heart is lighter.

It's difficult to photograph the pyramids in a way that shows how massive they are. In the next photo Jacob is standing at the bottom layer of stones (look for his red shirt). As you can see, each stone basically meets his shoulders; the Great Pyramid of Cheops (the biggest one) has 2.3 million limestone blocks.

We did enter one of the pyramids, and it cured us of any desire to climb into the others. The passages are super-narrow, as you can see from the below photo. The next photo is Jacob standing in the actual burial chamber: small, but not as claustrophobic as the passages.

In the next photo you can see the smallest of the 3 major pyramids; next to that pyramid are 3 additional pyramids (for the women in that Pharaoh's life). You can also see the Cairo skyline in the background. The pyramids really are basically in the city.

Cairo

Cairo is a city that seems to belong to a different universe. It's not just dirty; there are literal mountains of trash everywhere. Frankly, it was a bit scary. We did see some beautiful mosques, and the next photo is the oldest Christian church in Cairo, called the Hanging Church. We witnessed some sort of baby christening with lots of incense and chant-like singing.

Also pictured: a donkey-pulled cart carrying cauliflower (such "vehicles" share the busy city roads with regular traffic); a lady carrying a massive bag of something on her head; the Nile (from the riverboat we ate lunch on); a great t-shirt; another pyramid photo (I couldn't resist); the bazaar where we shopped--lots of fascinating and sometimes cool stuff; and a picture of a huge, beautiful mosque.