August 4, 2004
Thirty hours after awakening in Eugene, Oregon, we found ourselves
coming off the plane in the Cairo airport. Fortunately an expediter
from The American University in Cairo was there to meet us and shepherd
us through the mass of humanity mobbing immigration and customs. Amazingly
enough, our checked bags came through intact. The ride to the apartment
in the suburb of Maadi (about 7 miles south of downtown Cairo) was an
eye opener of heavy traffic made up of all sorts of vehicles, people, and
donkey carts. We quickly settled into the apartment, which was provisioned
with a few essentials so that we could recover from jet lag before
venturing out. Before dawn we gathered on the balcony to listen to the
prayer calls being sung over loudspeakers on the minaret of the mosque
in the next block. I think we are a long way from Oregon...
View from the apartment balcony.
