Last weekend I took my family to see these grand monuments of Pharaohnic Egypt. It was my parents’ thirtieth wedding anniversary and my sister had joined us from Istanbul. We ventured to Giza and found camels and horses with which to cross over to the Giza plateau, and thus come across the Pyramids from some empty desert- to taste more fully this feeling of discovery that so many have reveled within. Watching these three people I care deeply about, who were a world away in the months I lived here, now ride wide-eyed around the Wonder, to see their minds ignite in realisation of their experience and this intimate and overwhelming connection to an ancient story- this was a truly joyous and fulfilling moment and one that will live indelibly in my mind forever.

The highlight occurred when entering the embassy and venturing through the security and registration area. My notes from the evening, hastily scribbled upon parchment, read-

And Jesus was stopped by a U.S. Marine who looked at the large cross and said unto Jesus, “You know this can be used to hurt people?” Jesus responded, with head downturned in knowing pain, “Only unto Me”.

That, my friends, is a parable for the modern age.

None of the news sources, Reuters, New York Times or Al Jazeera, claim to have even seen the play or have any credible sources as to what it contains. The only factoid presented is that it was performed once two years ago by some young people. That is until it was released by some random guys on the internet and inflamed by editorials in two local papers recently- with strong suggestions of political manipulation.

I rebuke the New York Times for publishing inflammatory and uninformed perspectives like -
“No one will stop until they give a formal apology,” Mr. Abdo said, adding that he heard the play denied a central tenet of the Islamic faith – that Muhammad was God’s prophet.”"

Mr Abdo, being a local shoemaker; a profession well known for their education and objective insights into social forces. And by the way, Christianity does deny Muhammad was God’’s Prophet- that’s central to Islam being a different religion, just as Judaism denies Jesus being the son of God. NYT why are you interviewing and presenting the views of ignorance?

Then from the Christian side they present the views of a local man ““who was selling fruit on a street corner not far from the church””. I suppose they balanced the interview by finally sharing the views of one of his unnamed customers. What is this? They grabbed the first three people they could find so as not to miss lunch at the club? Shame on you NYT. Cheap, cheap high school journalism.

While people were getting themselves arrested, injured and even killed while protesting over rumors they had been spun, 30 minutes away a very different scene was taking place. 180 Egyptian university students; from Alexandria and Cairo, from public universities and private, where planting the seeds of a vision for the future of their country. As the chair for this conference, AIESEC Egypt’’s National Leadership Development Seminar, I had the opportunity to spend three days working with these young people- and the one thing that struck me was the unity. There was no divide between the religions, between the economic backgrounds, between those who had lived abroad and those who hadn’t, between the spectrum of colors that makes up the Egyptian population. They were one group facing the challenges and opportunities of one world. They worked together, ate and sang together, and never once did I see, hear or feel discrimination between those who were Coptic and those who Muslim.

These two scenes present a choice for Egypt’s future; will it be determined through manipulating the prejudices of the ignorant mob? Or will it lay with those who wish to learn from diversity, who seek peace and prosperity for all Egyptians and who dare to walk this path towards a better tomorrow?

Now I planned to return to fasting as soon as I left Dahab, but I hit another snag. Our microbus didnt get back to Cairo till 4AM, so by the time I got to the train station the following day I was dying for water. In the Koran travellers are allowed to break their fast, just one of the logistical pragmatics of Islam, so I grabbed a bottle of water. Not wanting to temp people who were fasting I hid facing the corner of a small room in the station, behind a phone box and sculled the water in no time.. But not fast enough to not get hissed at by two guys walking behind me. Again I wished I had insta-Koran knowledge and could have shouted at them the rules for travelling during Ramadan. Insta-Koran would be handy in Egypt, I would love to quote some scripture at guys on the street who hiss at women for being unveiled, or for being alone at 8pm, or being western.

One more thing before this rant ends. Egyptian guys dont wear shorts. Whats the deal? Its like 40 degrees and everyones in long pants. I say they need to get over the ol’ timey colonial days and bust out the hibiscus okanuis. I’m told that Egyptian guys consider it manly to wear pants and consider that shorts imply a lack of masculinity. This is great. Egyptian guys are generally incredibly homophobic, BUT the guys hold hands in public, not just holding it’s better described as cradling. They kiss each other hello and theres a lot of general man-man cuddling going down, but would often hiss if a man and a women greeted in such a fashion… And they think shorts aren’t masculine.

So today I’m back to fasting, still have an hour before I can drink anything and am getting a bit cranky… which is against the rules. Damn… Shorts or Pants: One Love.

And finally, so you too can chill by the Red Sea, here’s some video fotage of the scene (5 mb)

But while I sat reflecting and listening to the crash of water upon rock I met some hungry cats, so we breakfasted together on falafel and fuul. If the cats had turned into three wise men who told me to rebuild a long destroyed temple it would have been a parable.

” Fasting is an institution as old as Adam. It has been resorted to for self-purification or for some ends, noble as well as ignoble.”- Gandhi.

This week I will post some of my first musings on consciousness and meaning (with an alternative link to “animals who look like there owners” for the less philosophically inclined). I also managed a bit of work on some other projects I had planned for this sabbatical and if I can find suitable hosting I will upload the first edition of net radio show I put together, including my first attempts at a DJ mix. And all this.. absolutely free.. Which is only slightly less than the general cheapness of egypt. I just bought 2 falafel sandwiches, a bag of 5 pita breads and a small bottle of pepsi for 2.75 egyptian pounds. This is less than 40 eurocents. If I was so inclined I could go ride the tram to anywhere in Alex, drink fresh juice, and surf the net for an hour for another 3.25. With my final pound gone to purchase drinking water my singular Euro is thus spent and lifes material need superbly sated.

Ah, one day I will tell this to my children in the form of a story that begins, “when I was your age”, although time and occasional senility will cause me to forget to include the “in Egypt” part.