My Egypt (pt. 4)
Day 3
January 6, 2017
A cycle of 40 days after the Egyptian Last Supper (November 27) and the death of Osiris was/is the Epiphany on January 6, which was later adopted in the Christian calendar.
We notice an air of celebration as we walk down the impressive stairs in our hotel in Alexandria. People are happy and take pictures in front of the massive Christmas tree in the lobby. Later our guide explains to us the importance of January 6 in their culture, and that it is almost celebrated like Christmas in the western world. Here in Egypt, people exchange gifts on this day.
We enjoy our breakfast before it’s time to say good-bye and hit the road again. Today we are driving back to Cairo.
As we drive back to Cairo I contemplate on the past events – which had been many. There is one thing I have noticed in only three days, and it might be a controversial topic. I’m just going to say it. Since we have been here, I have never felt so alive and well-treated as a woman. I have been observing Moslem men and women, and I have come to the conclusion that the Moslem man is very poignant, their emotions openly displayed. I have watched couples walking arm in arm, and fathers holding their little princess daughter proudly in their arms. I truly feel like a queen.
We arrive in Cairo a few hours later, dazzled by warm sunshine. We enjoy a quiet afternoon by the pool. I sneak out the front entrance to meet the guard/bomb dog, a 1-year-old German Shepherd female. I can’t help myself when I see a dog. It’s then I realize how much I miss our dogs.
Back at the pool, we meet a couple from Germany, and we talk for hours. Time goes by quickly when we realize we need to get ready for our evening dinner cruise on the Nile.
As the sun sets over Egypt, we enter the large boat, soon realizing that the boat is packed with Chinese, a few Egyptians and Caucasians a small percentage. We line up for the smorgasbords, and I am surprised by how rude the Chinese are, pushing and elbowing their way through to the tables stacked with food. Several even cut in line ahead of us without saying sorry. The show begins as we sit down, and we are surrounded by glittering lights and music. The first three singers on stage are quite interesting. One of them can’t sing, yet I admire their courage to stand up there and sing.
Towards the end of the evening, a hot-blooded belly dancer waltzes into the room. Suddenly all men are wide awake, as they stare at the woman like starving zombies.
Afterwards, a man appeared in front of us wearing a wide, colourful skirt. He began to spin with the music, and did not stop until the song stops – and it was a very long song. It was absolutely fascinating and it reminded me a bit of the Turkish Sufi whirling, a sort of mediation dance practiced by the Sufi Dervishes of the Mevlevi order.
After a long and very interesting evening we are chauffeured back to our beautiful hotel. Tomorrow morning, we are to meet our guide at 5 am. Too early for our taste. We are taking a small plane to Aswan. Can’t wait. Aswan, here we come.
