Country Number 1: Egypt

Day One: 11:42pm Cairo International Airport

Despite the late hour it was a hot and sultry air that greeted me as I disembarked from my flight at Cairo International airport. Tired and a wee bit smelly from the almost 5 hour long flight, I was eager to get to my hotel to shower, sleep and start my adventure.

Well so I am imagining and it’s good to dream!

A couple of weeks ago the Egyptian Tourist Board invited the world to make virtual trips to four historic Egyptian sites. Available free of charge for the duration of lockdown. These are the Ben Ezra Synagogue, the Coptic Red Monastery, the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan and the 5,000-year-old tomb of Queen Meresankh III. These can be accessed via links in a Guardian article, https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2020/apr/15/egyptian-tomb-ancient-wonders-open-for-virtual-tour-in-lockdown or by simply adding the site name together with ‘virtual tour’ into your browser.

My first visit is to Ben Ezra Synagogue in Cairo. Let the adventure begin?

#TwoPointSixChallenge

• Ben Ezra Synagogue, Fostat (Old Cairo)

The building was transformed into a Synagogue on the site of an earlier Coptic Church. The Coptic Christians, owing taxes to the rulers of Cairo, sold the church in 882 AD to Ben Ezra in order to raise the necessary money. Ben Ezra decided to convert the building into a synagogue. Legend has it that the building stands on the spot where the infant Moses was discovered. (Source: www.egypttoursplus.com )

During a restoration in the 1890’s, a medieval Geniza (hiding place) was found, containing sacred books and worn-out scrolls of the law. These were removed in order to be preserved and studied. Whilst there is little remaining of the original structure it was well worth a quick tour. I loved the the stained glass windows and the Turkish inspired patterns of stars in red and green on ceiling and walls.

• Coptic Red Monastery, Upper Egypt

Flying from Cairo to Sohag usually takes about an hour. For me it took...well, aslong as it took me to click on a link! My next stop is in the Upper Egypt region. Sohag is about 300 miles south of Alexandria. The 4th century Church of Saints Bishai and Bigol (also known as the Red Monastery) is located about 11 kilometres west of Sohag and on the outskirts of the small village of Naga Ed Deir. An epicentre for monastic life in Egypt, it was part of a network of monasteries in the immediate area where thousands of male and female monks lived, worked and prayed.

And wow! It’s amazing!

I spent a long time here, studying the mosaics and paintings. It is one of only three remaining Byzantine architectural monuments in the world. The other two being the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna Italy and Hagia Sophia in Istanbul Turkey. According to US art historian Elizabeth Bolman,“There is no church in the world like this one in its unique condition - for a church to survive intact since the very first ages of the Byzantine world is a miracle.” (Source: madamasar.com).

Walking into the heart of the church, the large sanctuary dominates the space. Whilst I don’t normally like ornate churches, from an architectural and historical perspective it is quite breathtaking. Amongst the many interesting features is a rare icon of Jesus as a young man - with a thick black moustache! (I best not tell you what went through my mind when I fist saw it...to be fair I didn’t know at that point that the image is supposed to be a representation of Christ).

Some of the paintings appear deformed, with overlapping details. Art historians ascertain that the walls were painted over with different images more than four times, layer upon layer, more than likely between the fifth and sixth centuries. (madamasr.com). As you walk around the interior of the Sanctuary there is helpful information on the history and architecture to read. It is definitely well worth a virtual visit.

• The Tomb of Queen Meresankh III

Yep, after a quick coffee I was back on a plane, this time to Sphinx International Airport which is ideally placed for visiting the pyramids and tombs at Giza. One of the tombs, next to the pyramid of Khufu, was “excavated in 1927 by Harvard’s George Andrew Reisner. Hieroglyphs established it as that of Meresankh III, daughter of fourth dynasty Prince Kawab and Hetepheres II, granddaughter of the Great Pyramid builder Cheops.” (Source: “Five-thousand-year-old Egyptian tomb opens for virtual tour.” by James Stewart, The Guardian April 15th 2020).

“Earthy, 5,000-year-old pigments capture the tomb’s preparation. Sculptors chisel funerary monuments. Hunters net waterbirds and a line of servants bears baskets of offerings. Intended to sustain Meresankh’s soul in the afterlife, they are a snapshot of life five millennia ago.” (The Guardian: as above).

As you explore the two floors of this tomb (yes, you can even ‘virtually’ walk down the stairs!); there are circular dots to click on revealing useful information. It’s amazing to think it is 5000 years old and yet so well preserved. Definitely worth a tour!

• Mosque Madrasa of Sultan Hassan

Back in Cairo I paid only a quick visit to this venue. I was running out of time before my next flight! (I know, humour me! This will be a recurring theme!).

In total I spent 2 hours and 57 minutes touring Egypt.

59 hours and 27 minutes to go.

Next stop...Jordan.

https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/virtualtraveller

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