We disembarked at Port Said on March 13th. During our 3 hour bus ride, we noted how desolate the country was. How the people lived in such despair. There were many towers along the road with soldiers and guns manning them. We drove in a bus caravan with a jeep in front and in back with approximately 6 Egyptian Soldiers in each of them. Once we stopped and these men jumped out of the jeeps and strategically placed themselves along each side of the buses with guns in hand. Very scarey to say the least! This is something we have never seen in America!
Lots of farm land! The homes were small mud huts where families lived together along with their animals. Generations of family plus many wives, work together farming and I suspect they sleep wall to wall. In areas where there would be groups of houses, sort of like apartments, the trash was thrown from windows and it would pile up very high along side of the buildings. Rebar was sticking out of the walls above the roofs to show that they were unfinished. As long as your home was still in the building process you didn't have to pay taxes. At one point we crossed the Nile River which was less than a half mile wide. Remember the Nile? Moses; the bulrushes and Pharaoh's daughter? We arrived at Gisa, Egypt and stood in wonder.
The Pyramids stood majestically right in front of us. Pictures we have seen are much more romantic because in person you can see the disrepair and how dirty and dusty the area is. The Pyramids! What a sight! They were old but very impressive. The trek inside one of them was not easy. It consisted of a tunnel with the ceiling so low that everyone including me had to bend over. The tunnel rose upward and we climbed stairs at a 35 degree angle and was approximately 70 yards long. The room at the top was about 15 x 20 x 10 and not very impressive, except it was at the top of the Pyramid and empty. In order to reach the sacred room you had to crawl thru a space just off the landing. I stayed where I was! Jim crawled thru the small space along with everyone else. I waited for his return and quietly watched others slowly making their ascent to where I was standing.
We left this area and took the buses to where we could view the Sphinx, which was behind a wire fence to protect it from souvenir seekers. Our guide said that the nose had been 'shooted off by the French' and the eyes were showing signs of massive decay. It was not as large as I imagined. Imagine yourself standing in front of the Sphinx! Imagine the blending of history.
Not all people hate America or Americans. Many wanted my little flag pin! One young man exclaimed he should have it because he loved America; "High Ho Silver, and Howdy!" A little boy about ten years old approached Jim to sell him some book marks. "Four dollar?" The boy was ragged and poor so Jim gave him five dollars. The boy ran away and bent over a little disheveled girl who then came to Jim and took his hand. "No momma, no pappa!" She said! She kept repeating this trying to get Jim to respond. Jim tried to free his hand from hers. We walked thru the gate that was housing the buses and she got angry and more anxious. Finally she hit Jim on the bottom and ran away. So Sad! We were not sure if she wanted us to take her home with us or if she just wanted money. We noticed two men sitting on a bench watching. Were they part of this scene or were they just watching? No matter how poor America can be; we are rich!
You've heard it said that we all will face death and taxes. You've heard it said that the one with the most toys win. But then we have heard; you can't take it with you! "Do not marvel; for an hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs shall hear His voice and shall come forth; those who did the good deeds, to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds, to a resurrection of judgment." John 5:28-29 God has promised life everlasting with Him in heaven. What joy! Jesus said; "He who has ears to hear, let him hear! By Jane Ann Crenshaw 9/23/09
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