Finding peace in Egypt

by Leonardo Alves (Brazil)

I didn't expect to find Egypt

Egypt is more than pyramids, definetly. It is true that the political situation in the region was quite troubled during the Arab Spring, a series of protests and social demands that started a decade ago, in 2010. Not quite the same as what I found in 2019. When asked about the country's situation, there was a consensus that tourism had drastically reduced, but that they expected an improvement soon. I’ve visited Sharm el-Sheikh and Cairo. Sharm el-Sheikh is an oasis on the coast of the Sinai Peninsula, a city built for tourism, with palm trees and imposing architectural buildings spread over two parts of the city: the bustling and resort-filled Naama Bay region and the Old Market region, a quieter, village-style location with a beautiful mosque, a colorful craft market and a series of cafes and lounges close to the mountainous coast that are an experience apart. Sharm el-Sheikh is located in a strategic region for tourism, it is bathed by the Red Sea and its beautiful corals, attracting tourists who escape the winter of the Northern countries and find a mild winter season, with sunny days and high temperatures during the afternoon, also those who seek to learn more about the history of this cradle of civilization, making it possible to reach Mount Sinai and Saint Catherine's Monastery in a 3 hours trip. For adventurers, it is possible to enjoy days of idyllic beaches, ATV tours in the desert, diving and snorkeling in the Red Sea and long hours of trekking to the top of Mount Sinai to be dazzled by the sunrise. The climb to Mount Sinai requires a good disposition and layers of warm clothing, as the climb takes place at night and the closer to the top, the lower the temperature. This nighttime adventure brings some surprises, like a starry sky that perhaps not even Van Gogh would do justice to when painting it, with shooting stars giving signs at all times, tearing the dark background of the sky with its incandescent glow. Egypt's third largest mountain also allows for reflective silence, providing an opportunity for personal and religious connection in the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments. The first rays of sun paint the horizon in different shades of yellow and orange, an excellent reward after the physical effort to reach the top. When you finish descending the mountain, you can enter Saint Catherine’s Monastery and discover more of this sacred site where a Catholic Church and a Muslim Mosque stand side by side. Cairo, in turn, is a well-known tourist destination. Located on the banks of the River Nile, the city has the chaotic mood of a large city, with horns echoing every second amid predominantly gray buildings. Mosques are exuberant buildings, full of life, as well as the traffic in the city, contrasting with the more grayish colors that we encounter in buildings marked by past conflicts. The Old Cairo region is a step back in time, with ancient streets like Al Moez Street, the grand Khan el Khalili Bazaar and its vibrant colors, even more beautiful at night when the Egyptian lamps are lit, also the Cairo Citadel that houses museums and the famous Muhammad Ali Mosque and Al-Azhar Mosque. In that same region, it was where I had one of the best gastronomic experiences of the trip, tasting the surprising koshary and, later, having tea at the traditional El Fishawy, considered the oldest coffee in the Middle East, founded in 1773. The pyramids are what we expect from them; there is not much to talk about something that is part of the imagination of each person when hearing the word “Egypt”. They are part of the country, the history and culture of those who live there and you can see that naturally. The Great Egyptian Museum, scheduled to open this year, is close to the pyramids to make this experience even more immersive and enriching, an attraction that aims to bring back the tourists lost during that “spring” years ago. I didn't expect to find a place to learn so much, but Egypt taught me about hope, spirituality and the importance of peace as any other place before.