December 22, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

Despite the heavy traffic and the early morning smoke and fog, my group’s day of sightseeing in Cairo included several memorable stops.  The Saladin Citadel.  The Muhammad Ali Mosque.  Virgin Mary Coptic Church.  The Ben Ezra Synagogue.  The Egyptian Museum.  Can you guess which one is my favorite?

The Citadel of Salah al-Din (Saladin) is imposing and dramatic as it overlooks the skyline of the city.  It was built by the Ayyubid ruler and conqueror in the Twelfth Century.  The Mosque of Muhammad Ali dominates the grounds of the citadel.   Built by Pasha Muhammad Ali in the Nineteenth Century, the enormous Ottoman-Turkish style mosque is reminiscent those in Istanbul and Edirne.