Mosques with Mel and Co.

A friend of mine who I met on the Internet and who has very kindly been giving me Arabic lesson over the net since then offered me to take me on a tour of the mosques around Cairo. She brought her sister and a friend from Syria in case I should be dangerous, and I brough Melanie with me for protection. Fortunately though, we all got along just fine and had a great day together. They asked me not to put their photos on my blog, which of course I will respect, but I have furnished some extra nice photos of myself and Melanie instead to compensate for that. ;-)


"I have to go save Gandalf and Aragorn before the orchs take them!" Melanie forgot her head scarf and was to say the least not so happy with the fashionable robe the kind men at the Abr Ibn al-Aas mosque doned her. :-D


It is so nice with the open mosques, where the noise from the outside is shielded off but you can still see the sky and the birds flying around in there...


I even stayed inside during the prayer for the first time and of course couldn't resist discreetly taking a few photos. Before I have always snuck out when they start to not disturb. But I have to say it seems a lot more attractive to spend 5-10 minutes 4-5 times a day praying in a way where you actually move, instead of parking your ass on hard wooden benches in a boring church listening to a mumbling fool for 2 hours.


The majestic view of the Citadel.


Another one of these fountains where the ritual washing before the prayer takes place. Though I am not so sure this one was still in use.


In the wind it is not so hard to see that I still haven't dared to go to one of the Cairene hair dressers. :-)


Inside the Mohammed Ali mosque of the Saladin citadel.


Amazing architecture in here...


Part of the Cairo skyline from the Citadel. Note the impressive silhouettes of the pyramids barely visible in the distance...


The minarets of the Citadel and a flying bird caught in mid-air. It reminds me of an old Egyptian saying: "He is so rich that he can stop a bird in mid-air and milk it." Meaning that if you just have money you can do anything... Normally it is just shortened to "bird's milk" though.


Full view of the Citadel on our way to another mosque...


Inside of Sultan Hassan.


These hanging lamps were cool..


I never really understood what this pedestal was for..