Adventures in Cairo

Most of you know that we spent our Christmas vacation in Egypt.
After a few weeks back in Ethiopia, we've reflected enough to finally
tell a little about our time in Egypt. However, if you've been there,
you'll agree that writing about Egypt is futile—words fail to capture
the magnificence, history, and beauty of Egypt.

We went to Egypt planning to be awed by the Great Pyramids of Giza.
With the largest Pyramid standing fifty stories tall, we certainly
were awed. While riding horses through the desert around the
pyramids, we were stunned by the size, perfection, and workmanship on
display. Nearly 5000 years ago, how was man able to do such a thing?
Not just how, but why?

Despite the incredible pyramids, they represent only a fraction of the
splendor of Egypt. In south Egypt (upper, as they say), Luxor was one
of the highlights of our trip. Just as striking as the Pyramids,
Karnak Temple in Luxor is still nearly 4000 years old and just as
impressive. We were most impressed by Hypostyle Hall, one of its many
halls. Inside the Hypostyle Hall are 116 massive columns, some 20
meters high and 15 meters around. 116! All are carved with 360
degree hieroglyphics, once in bright colors. The hall feel endless,
with light and shadows cutting around the columns as if walking
through an ancient and perfect forest. While we were there I tried
taking countless pictures, bending down to the ground in homes of
getting a full column in the frame. But it never quite worked. Even
video failed to capture the place. And while Karnak is the most
impressive of the ancient temples, we saw five others, all amazing and
ancient.

Also in Luxor is the Valley of the Kings, home of the tombs of the
Pharaohs of Egypt…some of them. Imagine this: cut down and into the
side of a rock mountain, a hallway (hallway fails…more like large
driveway) leads over 100 meters down into the rock. Every surface is
perfectly flat, squared, smooth, and covered in brightly colored and
raised hieroglyphics. After over 350 feet, you enter into a massive
room, at the center of which is a sarcophagus the size of a truck,
carved from a single piece of granite. Imagine building this over
3000 years ago, the effort and skill required to do it, and then
imagine closing it up in hopes that nobody will ever find it. That is
the Valley of the Kings, or rather one of 62 tombs found there.
Clearly I could spend pages describing what we saw in Egypt. Even
after pages, I would feel frustrated that my words don't adequately
convey what awesome treasures are there. In order to grasp the scope
of human history and ability, everyone should see Egypt once. As an
American, it helped put into perspective the newness of our society
and nation.

Egypt was full of other highlights for us. We took a wonderful and
relaxing cruise down the Nile, watching the most important river in
history flow slowly by. We enjoyed some taste of modernism and
technology—high speed Internet, air conditioning, and even the taste
of home at McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, and even On the Border. All of
this spoiled us and made for a memorable vacation and escape from life
in Ethiopia.

Nobody warned us about how hard it would be to come back. When you go
on vacation, you always go home at the end. I think our minds were
expecting home…really home. Instead we came back to Ethiopia, only
partially home, and so vastly removed from even the amenities of
Egypt. At first we were bitter, annoyed by everything from loud
churches to beggars. Other expats tell us this is normal, which is
comforting considering the guilt I later feel after shooing away a
starving child. Now after a little more time, we're finding a
healthier balance with life in Ethiopia and our calling for being
here. Overall, our vacation helped provide needed rest, time
together, and some wonderful memories to share.