EGYPT

The minute you enter this intoxicating realm, you are transported backward in history by thousands of years. Cairo and Alexandria aside, things exist today little changed from the times of the Pharaohs. And yes, I did climb all three pyramids on the Ghiza Plateau back in 1974, but things were much different then. If one attempted to scale one of these today, you’d be shot. Too many tourists, too much crowding, overuse and abuse. Just not possible.

Why are we so drawn to Egypt? Few structures on earth epitomize so fully the concepts of power and eternal existence than the pyramids and the Sphinx. One wonders if we will ever uncover all the secrets locked within the ever-shifting sands of this alluring and perpetually mysterious place.

It has been my pleasure to know Rami Mohammed Ghaly for over 3 decades. He and his wonderful family live in El Maady near Cairo.

He is not only a genius, but more like a brother. Today, Rami holds several high positions in government. We have good reason to visit each other as much as possible.

As dusk settles over Cairo, evening prayers float out across the city like a primal wail from mosques like the Mohammed Ali. Then the city slows down and goes to sleep for another night, as it has for thousands of years.