Today was the official start of my Egypt 2 Tour with Archaeological Paths.
Breakfast items under glass 
Hutch full of tempting treats 
Honeycomb 
Stained glass window in the restaurant
After a great breakfast, we had a quick logistics meeting and met our Tour Guide Amr, Tour Leader Max, and Tour Logistics Manager Mohamed and all the team in Egypt working to make this trip possible. As soon as the meeting was over, we off to start our great adventure.
Our transportation: great a/c, comfortable seats, and clean bathroom
First Stop: Coptic Museum
“The Museum’s founder wished to bring together all the material necessary to study Christian history in Egypt. Thanks to his enthusiasm for Coptic antiquity, he succeeded in his project to create this Museum, which links Pharaonic, Greco-Roman, and Islamic antiquity. The Museum is located within the walls of the fortress of Babylon, part of the old city walls built by Emperor Trajan in 98 A.D., which also houses the old churches of Cairo: St. Sergius and St. Barbara of the 4th century and the Hanging Church “El Muallaqa” of the 6th century.” http://www.coptic-cairo.com/museum/about/about.html
While at the museum, we saw a man pruning date trees. It was quite a sight to see.
Second Stop: Maimonides Synagogue
I am enclosing a link that has a lengthy article on the project plus shows it also shows a picture of the temple before it was restored.
“In 2009, Dr. Zahi Hawass, then head of the Supreme Directorate of Antiquities, (and now Honorary Chairman of the Antiquities Coalition Advisory Council) began an 18-month restoration of the Maimonides synagogue in Cairo’s Old Jewish Quarter, utilizing Egyptian government financing of an estimated $2 million. The restoration was described as detailed, well-constructed, and quite spectacular.” https://culturalpropertynews.org/now-that-jews-are-gone-egypt-says-it-will-restore-sites/
After lunch, we visited two Mosques.
Third stop: Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan
“Considered one of the largest mosques in the world, the Mosque-Madrassa of Sultan Hassan is a historical and architectural landmark not to be missed. It was built during the Mamluk Islamic era (14th century) by Sultan Hassan, famous for his lavish spending. The landmark acted as a Madrassa (school), too, besides being a site of worship. There are teaching areas in the inner courtyard for the four main schools of Sunni Islamic theology: Hanafi, Malaki, Hanbali, and Shafi’i.” https://theculturetrip.com/africa/egypt/articles/the-most-beautiful-mosques-in-cairo/
Fourth Stop: Al-Rifa’i Mosque
“Right next to Sultan Hassan Mosque lies the beautiful Al-Rifa’i Mosque. It was built over 40 years, between 1869 and 1912, by the famous Egyptian engineer Hussein Fahmy Pasha. The mosque was commissioned by Khushyar Hanim, mother of Khedive Ismail Pasha, to expand the preexisting shrine of Islamic sanit Ahmed Al-Rifa’i. The mosque is home to Al-Rifa’i’s tomb, as well as many royal family members. Prayer takes place inside the mosque, despite the fact that it is against Islamic rules to pray in a mosque with tombs.” https://theculturetrip.com/africa/egypt/articles/the-most-beautiful-mosques-in-cairo/
Fifth Stop: Egyptian Textile Museum
King Tut’s Loincloth
While I enjoyed visiting all the historic places, my favorite part of the day was being taken down all the little streets and alleys in the marketplace. Anything and everything was for sale. I love people watching and I enjoyed taking in the smells, sights, and flavor of this colorful gathering place.
Amr asked us if we wanted some time to shop on our own. I spoke up and said no. In 2017, I ran amuck on my own in the marketplace, got very lost, and only made it back to the bus with five minutes to spare. I did not want to try my luck again. Here are a few pics of some of the beautiful people in this city.
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