Last Cairo Sunset

Farewell: I'm looking at the last sunset over the Cairene skyline that I'll see for awhile. I don't see the pyramids as in the photo; but the two huge picture windows on the west side of my apartment do face toward the Nile and give me a chance to view the sun setting whenever I'm home. Like so many Egyptians and others, I had such hope for the country and the region during the Arab spring. Egyptians were much more somber and pensive during the first round of voting on the constitutional referendum this Saturday (Dec. 15) than when they approved constitutional amendments in March of 2011 in a joyful and upbeat manner. There's much more concern about where the country is heading and what the nature of Egypt's identity will be. I can't help but have some fears. The last piece of the sun is showing out from behind a building. I leave for the airport at midnight. Soon, I'll watch the country's events from afar over the internet and television programs. I have some wistfulness about leaving but would not look forward to the continued turmoil many are predicting to continue after the vote finishes on December 22.

Poll Splitting Egyptians

First Stage of the Vote on Constitution: Many Egyptians turned out to vote in the ten governorates where it occurred yesterday. The others will vote next Saturday. Unofficial reports announce that a majority of voters voted "yes;" however the National Salvation Front is already declaring the process rigged. I like this post by Steve Gregg to an opinion piece on Al-Ahram Online today: "Unfortunately, the Muslim Brotherhood's ascent to power in Egypt repeats the history of liberal revolutions in that the revolutionaries are more violent and authoritarian than the despots they overthrow.

The French revolutionaries who overthrew King Louis XVI instituted the Reign of Terror. The Russian revolutionaries who overthrew Nicholas II instituted a regime which killed twenty million Russians. When the Kymer Rouge overthrew King Sihanouk, they instituted a regime which executed two million Cambodians. The Muslim Brotherhood is likely to make Egyptians pine for the despotism of Mubarak. I fear the worst is yet to come as they consolidate their rule. Then, Egypt will be lost for generations before it can find its way back to freedom and self-rule." Of course, in Egypt's case, the "real" revolutionaries got hijacked by the Muslim Brotherhood who were better organized. They didn't get a chance to show whether they would be more open to discourse or not. Thomas Friedman's editorial in today's New York Times is well worth reading.

Advent in Cairo

Christmas: There aren't many signs of Christmas around Cairo; but here's the advent wreath and the altar flowers from St. Andrew's Church, where I attend. Today, there were decorations during fellowship hour in Guild Hall, since one of the seminary's teachers, who is a member of the church, and often serves as guest preacher is returning to the United States. They also made it a send off for me because I'm also returning in two days. The church is intimate and like a small family, especially given the drop of visitors to Egypt. The pastor said I was also like a ministry to them. What a compliment. There were racks and racks of clothes in the streets outside the stores in the intersection and streets close to the church. Evidently, this is because Egyptians expect taxes and costs to skyrocket after the referendum on the constitution, when the country's agreement with the IMF goes into effect. People are stocking up now.

Last Minute "Adventure"

Leak: Ibrahim Abd El-Hafez came to inspect my apartment so I will get a deposit refund. He wasn't concerned about any issues and didn't actually do an inspection. He did ask me if there were any problems, so I mentioned that I had turned the hot water to the kitchen off, since the hose coupling leaked. So he decided to fix it. In the process, Ibrahim got sprayed with water and the small bathroom, where the water heater is, flooded. He had to go out to get the replacement for the upper portion of the hose. Did I need this three days before I'm leaving the country? The hot water heater is not adjustable so has two options: cold or scalding. I don't have that many dishes and had been washing them with lots of soap in cold water. The bathroom sink is available as a backup. I'm glad I didn't tell him about the leak under the kitchen sink or in the big bathroom. Overall, I've been lucky. I have a nice, large apartment on the 14th floor and a handyman available when something goes wrong. I've had a good situation.

Drifting Toward a Storm: I liked these editorial comments from the Daily Star (Dec. 13). "Egypt is a ship without a captain, sailing in uncharted waters. None of its supposed leaders seem to have a road map or a plan for the direction the country is taking." "A clear plan eludes even the opposition, which flits between positions on the upcoming referendum and lacks a clear leader. This lack of direction will take its toll on the country, both politically and in terms of unity, but also economically and socially." "Egypt cannot carry on unmanned for much longer before it drifts into a storm."

Sequoia

Farewell: In five days I'll be leaving Cairo, so it was nice to have been invited to lunch at the Sequoia with the Fulbright staff (director and administrative associates) and a few other Fulbrighters at 2:00 PM today. We had a plentiful mezza, a selection of small dishes, that included: tabouleh, fattoush, hommos Beiruti, muhammara (hot pepper dip), ta'amia, tomeya (garlic dip), baba ghanouj, vine leaves, grilled halloum cheese,

sambousek, spinach fatayer, chicken liver, fried calamari, hawawshi (meat minced and spiced with onions and pepper, parsley and sometimes hot peppers, chilis, placed between two circular layers of dough, then baked in the oven or grilled in a panini press), Alex-style liver, mini shawerma (chicken), spiced cubed chicken in individual small pitas, Arabic bread. The hawawshi was my favorite; I'd not had them before. Afterwards was dessert; the creme brulée was the real thing. Tomorrow my apartment gets inspected so that I can get my deposit refunded. Also, have to close my Egyptian bank account. Will see how that goes.

Good News: Egypt's opposition announced today that it would support voting in the upcoming referendum on the constitution, ending speculation that the fractious coalition would boycott it. The vote will take place over the next two Saturdays. The leading opposition party, the National Salvation Front, asked that the vote be postponed for a month, but said supporters should turn out to vote against it if the referendum proceeds as scheduled.

Khan al-Khalili

Bazaar: Khan el-Khalili (خان الخليلي‎) is a major market (suq) in the Islamic quarter of Cairo. It's notorious for its aggressive merchants; but I hazarded forth. My time is running short in Egypt; and I wanted a few souvenirs. It's a mistake to confront their hyperactive vendors when you actually want to buy something; but that's the stage I was in. I walked around awhile, getting lost in its outer perimeters which are not touristic and are where Egyptians actually buy items at a lower price. There, sweet potatoes are baked in an oven on a cart and sold on the street, tea vendors sell the drink from large aluminum or glass urns carried at their sides, boys pedal through the lanes on bicycles balancing pallets of 'aysh (Arabic bread) on their heads, men hoist heavy sacks of goods on their backs, while others wear the traditional galabiyya–a long cotton robe that comes down to the ankles, bear turbans on their heads, and have scarves wrapped around their necks due to the cold. Many of these scenes look like souvenir photos out of an old album–a main difference being that many of the products in the shops cater to modern needs and styles.

I finally settled into my task and sat down in a café in the sun for some ta'miyya, 'aysh, hummus, and hot qarqaday (hibiscus tea). A scarf seller was directly across the lane. If you want an easy Arabic to learn, here's one: "shal" means shawl. I could decide which of his wares I wanted while an assistant brought me various dolls to choose from. I looked in the area for some cartouche necklaces but couldn't find what I wanted. By this time, the selling was getting very pushy; and I decided I'd better escape while I retained a bit of equanimity. Several men came up to me with brushes wanted to shine my shoes, the last one saying: "Please, there are no tourists, for only one pound ($.16)."

Smart Move: In a smart move and probably deft political maneuver, Muhammad Morsi, Egypt’s Islamist president, has scrapped tax increases hours after they were announced in a noticeable bid to persuade the electorate ahead of Saturday’s controversial referendum on a new constitution. The ordinary people of Egypt are desperate for political stability and an upturn in their nation's economy. New taxes were certain to be unpopular in a country where poverty has increased over the past two years of political turmoil. The tax increases aimed at reducing the deficit and increasing government revenues in line with Egypt’s commitments to secure a loan from the IMF. The imposition of taxes and their quick revocation point to the difficulties the Islamist authorities are likely to encounter implementing an economic programme negotiated with the International Monetary Fund during the political transition.Wind The wind is especially strong today, howling around my towering building and rattling the windows. Temperature is 70°. Writing a Constitution: While the current constitutional draft doesn't directly impose any more Islamic restrictions than Egypt's last constitution, opponents think it leaves the way for later amendment and change that could do so. It is evident that a country's constitutional process reflects its political culture; and western constitutional values will only take or be adopted as far as these have taken root in the culture. An exquisite balance of powers might be present on paper but become a farce in actual practice. Egypt's constitutional assembly did not take a long time and attempt to establish consensus (minority members withdrew) and did not examine the examples and experience of other countries. Egypt’s constitution-writing assembly, rushed by President Morsi’s Islamist majority, has generated a mess of boycotts, street clashes and confusion where consensus and legitimacy are desperately needed. Egypt has a strong sense of geographic coherence but a weak concept of nationhood, no common sense of purpose or responsibility. Instead of Egyptians, people see themselves as Sunnis, Shiites, and Copts compounded by secularism versus Islamism.

Sweet Potato Street Vendor. Interesting comments from the International Crisis Group: "Morsi’s decision (constitutional declaration which has since been rescinded [my clarification]) arguably enjoys broad support from a citizenry yearning for stability. Opposition calls to rally in Tahrir Square belong more to the realm of nostalgia than to that of effective politics: the revolutionary zeal of 2011 has long exhausted itself, and any violence likely would rally a majority to the president’s side. Without meaningful grassroots popular backing, the non-Islamist opposition typically has resorted to obstructionist politics rather than formulate a positive agenda. Its demand for a complete rescinding of the declaration is unrealistic, as Morsi has staked much of his political capital on this move." "Efforts in the coming days should focus on remedying the fundamental flaws that have plagued the transition from the day President Mubarak was ousted: the absence of an agreed-upon set of principles and a political roadmap that sets the final destination and a safe pathway for getting there. The onus lies not on the president alone, but equally on an opposition that must prove itself a serious and responsible political actor (www.crisisgroup.org, 11/26/12)."

Islamic Cairo.

Old Cairo.

An old lock leading to a caravanserai like the one founding the market, built in 1382 by the Emir Djaharks al-Khalili in the heart of the Fatimid City. A caravanserai is a resthouse built of storage rooms for trade goods around a courtyard to stable animals; it includes bedrooms on the upper floors for merchants.

In the khan.

Heat On

Return from Aswan: Turned heat on in my apartment in Garden City, Cairo, upon my return from Aswan. Saw the pyramids out the plane window on the left; always an experience felt deeply. Hard to believe that less than a month ago it was so hot in the city. In Aswan, 589 miles to the south, it had started to be chilly in the morning. The southernmost Egyptian Temple just outside Aswan–Philae, is situated more or less at the Tropic of Cancer. The Tropic of Cancer is the circle of latitude on the earth that marks the most northerly position at which the sun may appear directly overhead at its zenith. This event occurs once per year at the time of the June solstice. Heat in Egypt: Politically, the temperature in Egypt has been rising as crowds, supporters and opponents of the president, form, pull back, and react to the maneuverings of President Morsi. Fortunately for me, although tensions near the presidential palace and in Tahrir Square are running high, most of Cairo is proceeding normally and with business as usual. Apartment Across from Me: In my building, there are two apartments on each floor. I had never seen anyone coming out of the other apartment on my floor. Now, I know why. With the weather cooler, the place is getting a complete overhaul. Supplies are coming up on the elevator; and a large pile of sand and a stack of ripped up flooring sit on the sidewalk immediately in front of the complex. I hear a lot of hammering during the day. The workers can be really noisy; sometimes I hear a crash–a construction item dropped. December 9: Fighter jets flying and roaring over the area today. Wonder why?

Aswan: Nile at its Prettiest

Aswan: Aswan is a strategic location which currently houses a garrison of the Egyptian army, but which has also seen ancient Egyptian garrisons, as well as that of General Kitchener, Turkish troops of the Ottoman empire, and the Romans. In Aswan, the Nile flows through granite rocks and around emerald islands covered in palm groves and tropical plants. People since ancient times have visited the city; and many have considered it a favorite winter destination. I got carried away taking pictures of the Nile in this fabulous location.

Hometown of Al-Aqqad: The famous Egyptian writer, Abbas Mahmoud al-Aqqad (1889-1964) was born in Aswan. Poet, literary critic, and politician, he was one of the most important modernist writers and thinkers of the liberal era in modern Egypt. Beginning in the early 1950s, Al-Aqqad established a salon in his home that met every Friday. Its participants, who included some of the leading Egyptian intellectuals and artists of the day, discussed literature, philosophy, science, history, and other subjects. One of the most contentious topics of the salon was the role of Muslim women in society. Al-Aqqad, who reportedly had great respect for women, wrote three books on the subject, insisting in each of them that women should have the right to participate fully in society, as opposed to the severely restricted role they were relegated to orthodox Islam. He argued that women should enjoy freedom of thought as well. Women: Women do have some freedom of movement in Aswan. I have seen them walking singly or in groups unaccompanied by males; women sell garden products and doves in the markets.

Nubian Village on Elephantine Island.

Edfu (إدفو)

Edfu:The temple of Edfu is the largest temple dedicated to Horus and Hathor of Dendera. It was the center of several festivals sacred to Horus. Each year, Hathor traveled south from her temple at Dendera to visit Horus at Edfu; and this event marking their sacred marriage was the occasion of a great festival and pilgrimage. A front chapel on the east is the Chapel of the New Year, a sun court like that at Dendera. Here, a depiction on the ceiling shows the voyage of the solar barque through the twelve hours of the day, with an inspiring image of the goddess, Nut. The statue of Horus would be taken from here up a flight of stairs to the roof terrace where it would be recharged by the sun during the Festival of the New Year. The walls of the stairs located in the outer anti-chamber depict this ritual. Note: A shēn ring is a circle with a line tangential to it, which represented eternal protection. In its elongated form the shēn ring became the cartouche which enclosed and protected a royal name.

Statue of Horus as falcon enclosing image of a Roman emperor.

Statues of Horus as falcon before inner wall of temple. Common people were only allowed into an outer ceremonial hall of temples not inner portions or sanctuaries.

Capital of temple column.

Temple relief.

The Sanctuary of Horus, the holiest part of the temple. The sanctuary centers on a black-granite shrine that once contained the gilded wooden cult image of Horus. Next to the shrine is an offering table and the ceremonial barque (barge) on which Horus was carried during festivals.

Inscriptions covering the walls of the Temple of Edfu are among the most important sources on Ptolemaic Egypt. They offer a wealth of information about religion, political history, administration, and other topics.

A Ptolemy presenting offerings to the gods.

Perfume offerings.

The site of ancient Djeba (Coptic Etbo, Arabic Edfu) was the traditional location of the mythological battle between the gods Horus and Seth. The inner walls of the temple tell the story of how Horus was conceived from parts of his father, Osiris, god of the underworld. Seth chopped Osiris up into little pieces and cast his parts into the Nile. Isis used her magic to restore Osiris to life only to have Seth do the same again. The second time Isis was unable to restore Osiris, so she used the parts to conceive Horus. Horus later slays Seth (now in the form of a miniature hippo) but loses an eye in the battle. The eye of Horus is an important religious symbol in ancient Egyptian mythology.

The sycamore tree was one of the trees considered significant in Egyptian mythology.

Relief of sycamore tree at Edfu.

Relief at Temple of Horus at Edfu displaying the dual patron deities of the unified country of Lower and Upper Egypt crowning the king with its new crown. The goddess Wadjet or Uto (left) is represented as a cobra joined by the goddess Nekhbet (right), represented as a white vulture, as they confer a new crown that combines their respective previous crowns.

Statue of Horus as falcon.

Horus as falcon wearing the double crown of lower and upper Egypt.

A Ptolemy slaying his enemies.

Kom Ombo (كوم أمبو), Edfu

Guide: I enjoyed Kasem as the guide for all my trips. He was very knowledgeable, polite, and ready to answer questions. He was a great conversationalist; and I learned so much about local Egyptian culture and life. He did have his opinions, such as Mubarak was good, a military ruler could answer some of Egypt's problems, Morsi didn't cause all of the current problems, a preference for males, etc. He had a dark prayer scar, zabiba (raisin in Arabic), and took his religion seriously. He is from the Hadeed tribe in Esna, although all of his present family, 9 brothers and sisters and himself, now live in Kom Ombu. His ancestors came from Saudi Arabia. He mentioned that tribes are still very important in Upper Egypt; and his tribe came to his defense when he ran into problems in Abu Simbel. He hopes to be getting married in April, although he gave all of his money to help his brother get married before the revolution thinking he could make a lot more; and the economy (especially the tourist trade) is suffering in Egypt right now. His fiancé is from Esna. He has wanted to be a tour guide since he was a child and watched guides take tourists around the monuments in his hometown of Kom Ombo. He mentioned that at birth, a verse from the Qur'an is recited in each ear of the newborn, usually by the mother's father-in-law. The Sebou (meaning the seventh) is one of Egypt's oldest and most cherished celebrations. The family gathers a week after the birth of a baby of either sex. On the seventh day, the Sebou celebration starts with the baby taking a bath and then getting dressed in a new outfit. The mother and the women of the family are responsible for preparing a feast. In Kasem's area, this seems to involve the preparation of many, many doves to last the family a long time. Certain rituals are performed for this happy and joyous occasion.

Kom Ombo: Kom Ombo is an agricultural town, thirty miles north of Aswan in the Aswan governorate with irrigated sugar cane and corn making up most of the agricultural industry. It has a huge sugar factory and refinery. The town itself officially has a population of 60,000, but is part of a much larger metropolitan area. Kasem showed me the area where the family of former King Idris of Libya (who are descendants of the Prophet Muhammad) currently live and the alley leading to his family home. The Temple of Kom Ombo, built on a high dune on the west bank of the Nile with beautiful views, is an unusual "paired" temple built during the Ptolemaic dynasty with some additions during Roman times. The structure has a dual design meaning that there were courts, halls, sanctuaries and rooms duplicated for two sets of gods. The southern half of the temple was dedicated to the crocodile god Sobek. The northern part of the temple was dedicated to the falcon god Haroeris, also known as Horus the Elder. The temple is unique since all features are perfectly symmetrical along the main axis.

Edfu: Edfu, on the west bank of the Nile, is 33 miles from Kom Ombo. The Nile is much wider here than in in Kom Ombo. The Temple of Edfu is one of the best preserved temples in Egypt. Edfu was one of several temples built during the Ptolemaic period, including Dendera, Esna, Kom Ombo and Philae. Dedicated to the falcon god Horus, building of the temple from sandstone blocks took place in the Ptolemaic period between 237 and 57 BCE. The temple of Edfu fell into disuse as a religious monument following Theodosius I's edict banning non-Christian worship within the Roman Empire in 391 CE. As elsewhere, many of the temple's carved reliefs were razed by followers of the Christian faith which came to dominate Egypt. The blackened ceiling of the hypostyle hall, visible today, is believed to be the result of arson intended to destroy religious imagery that was then considered pagan. Long Trip: The trip to see the temples at Kom Ombo and Edfu took 8 hours. We left the hotel at 7:00 AM and returned a little after 3:00 PM. It was a beautiful trip, much of it along the Nile by irrigated land and fields of palms, mangos, etc.. Crossing the bridge at Edfu, I could see how wide the Nile becomes at that point. At Kom Ombo, the river runs between steep and narrow banks of sandstone and in antiquity deposited little of its fertilizing silt on the barren shores.

Sobek at the Temple of Kom Ombo.

Neos Dionysos (Ptolemy XII [81-50 BC], the father of Cleopatra) is shown being purified by Thoth and Horus.

Woman giving birth relief in Temple of Kom Ombo.

One of the rooms for patients seeking treatment. The temple became a sanctuary for the ill who were seeking help by priests.

Medicinal eye of Horus.

Medical instruments relief at the Temple of Kom Ombo thought to be the first representation of medical instruments for performing surgery, including scalpels, curettes, forceps, dilator, scissors and medicine bottles dating from the days of Roman Egypt.

Temple relief.

Relief at Temple of Horus (Kom Ombo).

Columns of the Outer Hypostyle Hall.

A huge round vertical column with a staircase serving as a Nilometer lies near a well connected to this drainage system which provides water to Cleopatra's bath.

According to my guide, Cleopatra III used this bath surrounded by mirrors to treat a skin disease.

Relief at Kom Ombo.

Mummified crocodiles in Kom Ombo Museum, A few of the three hundred crocodile mummies discovered in the vicinity. The crocodile was held in honor by the people of Ombos (Greek name).

Mummified crocodile eggs in museum.

Mummified crocodiles found near Fayyum in museum.

Glass crocodile in museum.

Temple visitors.

Visitors.

Temple overseer.