Life and Death

It’s been fairly evident there is a huge cultural gap between Israel and Egypt, even though the two share stories, roots and history. When we crossed the border two days ago, we were told to stay together, go in groups, do not go out alone. Joanna and I especially were told to make sure we keep our kids right by our sides. Now that we’ve been the capital city for a day, there are other ways this has become evident as well.

One of those ways is in the approach to life and death. For the Jew/Hebrew, life is about pleasing God and doing what God wants. The Jews in Jerusalem are buried in simple graves, facing the Temple Mount if possible, so that when the Messiah comes, he will bring them back to life. This is a deeply rooted cultural story. Here in Egypt, with centuries of history, death is a means to get to the afterlife and the afterlife seems to be only a continuation of life here...which is why they built elaborate tombs and pyramids for their rulers, filling it with their most treasured possessions. And pharaohs started planning their tombs from the moment they become king.

Today we began in Memphis (not Tennessee—no Elvis here), the original capital of Egypt. There we saw a huge statue (nearly 66 feet tall) of Ramses II (the pharaoh of the Exodus), as well as many findings that celebrated his reign and his success in war. He ruled Egypt for 72 years, and he wore two crowns, one for the north and one for the south. From there, we traveled to Shankara, a necropolis (place of the dead), where the earliest pyramid and tombs have been found. The Step Pyramid, as it is called, is an early attempt at a royal burial chamber. We walked inside a couple of tombs, marveling that some of the painted color is still on the walls after thousands of years. These tombs were to be the gateway to the afterlife, and were filled with many things for the leaders to take with them. Unfortunately, tomb robbers were also a part of Egypt’s early history, and so most of the tombs, when discovered, were empty (which is what made King Tut’s tomb, full of treasures, such a remarkable find).

We made a brief stop at an Egyptian rug school, where they pass on the time-honored tradition of making each rug by hand. The women and men who do the work are simply amazing. The speed with which they work is mind-boggling. Then it was off to lunch—a four-course meal with barbecue chicken as the main course. It may have been the first time we ate in an air-conditioned restaurant while in the Middle East.

Our final stop of the day was at the Great Pyramids of Giza. Another cultural difference—I’ve always thought the street merchants in Israel were aggressive, but they have nothing on the hustlers here in Egypt. They are everywhere, they corner you, they lie to you, they even take your camera out of your hand if you’re not careful so they can charge you for taking your picture. Some wanted to charge us for being able to touch the pyramids (which we could actually do for free). One man asked for money for opening a gate for me. It was unbelievable.

Standing in front of the pyramids, however, made all the hassle worth it. These are majestic buildings, worn down by time (and robbers) but not defeated. They stand proudly as a witness to Egypt’s power in the past, and to their beliefs about life and death, to the pharaoh’s desire to be remembered. Rachel wanted to come and see the pyramids, and she was all smiles. We also stopped briefly to see the Sphinx, which was made out of a leftover stone from the building of one of the three Giza pyramids. Our guide asked if we knew why the Sphinx was facing the way it was facing. When we said no, he smiled and said, “Because that way is KFC.” Sure enough, right in front of the Sphinx was a KFC/Pizza Hut. He also told us that, in Egypt, KFC stands for “Kentucky Fried Camel.” (He’s very funny!) Still no Starbucks…

The way people live here is fascinating. From what we have seen, many live in conditions we would find deplorable. Trash is everywhere, and people spend a lot of time out in the streets. We saw VW bus after VW bus full of young Arab men just seeming to roam the streets. The side sliding door is always open because they might stop and everyone jump out for no apparent reason. Cairo is a dirty, noisy, bustling city that combines modern technology with people who are riding horses and donkeys down the middle of the street. People set up stands to sell things actually on the roadway. Medians are full of tables, chairs and people having picnics amidst the trash. I have no way to know if this is the normal way of life or if things are extra-chaotic because of the recent elections and revolutionary spirit.

Tonight, because of the ongoing celebrations surrounding the presidential elections, we got to go to the Giza Pyramids Sound and Light Show for free. It’s a huge production, using music and lasers and lights, to tell the history of Egypt with the Sphinx and pyramids as a background. Then, a late dinner and off to bed.