Library of Celsus, Ephesus

Originally commissioned by the Consul Julius Aquila as a mausoleum for his father, Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, the Library of Celsus is one of the most beautiful and recognized buildings in Ephesus. After its construction between 110 and 135 AD, Celsus was buried in a niche in the back wall. When a fire destroyed the reading room and an earthquake collapsed the facade in the 10th Century, the library was resurrected to its beautiful state between 1970 and 1978 by the Austrian archaeologists.

Odeion, Ephesus

Also known as the Small Theater, the Odeion was a semi-circular structure used for performances. Like other theaters, the Odeion contained three main sections: the cavea (auditorium), the orchestra (place of action for the actors), and the skene (stage building). It had a capacity to seat 1,400 spectators and was probably covered in a wooden roof due to the absence of rainwater gutters.

Starbucks Series 4... Alexandria

My Starbucks Series idea fizzled after only three videos in Korea, but was spontaneously resurrected one afternoon in Alexandria, Egypt.

This time, Andrea and I brought friends and the randomness continued...

Luxor Temple

King Ramesses II

Constructed by King Amenhotep III who reigned 1390-1353 BC, the Temple of Luxor was dedicated to the gods Amun-Re, Mut, and Khons. Additions and completions were made by Ramesses II, Tutankhamun, and Horemheb. Used continuously as a place of worship, even for the Christian church at one time, the temple was eventually buried beneath the city for thousands of years. During this time, a Muslim mosque was built on top of the structure and when the Luxor Temple was finally uncovered, the mosque was left in place where it still remains today.

Nana, our tour guide the previous day, highly recommended we save the Luxor Temple for after dark when it comes to life under hundreds of spotlights. She was right. It was magnificent...

Outer entrance constructed by King Ramesses II and flanked with his statues.

photo by Andrea

My favorite area, the Sun Court of Amenhotep III, is an enchanting room bordered by huge romantic columns.

photo by Andrea

The avenue of sphinxes, still being uncovered, link the Luxor Temple with the Karnak Temple.

Now, I know the song I used for the video below isn't what you might initially think of, but the beauty of the lit-up temple cast a spell on me.

Egypt vs. Algeria

Tension mounted as team spirit swelled on November 14, 2009 when Egypt hosted Algeria in the World Cup qualifying game in Cairo. American friends were strongly advised against attending the match, and the U.S. embassy warned its citizens to stay off the streets that night. Ever since 1989's World Cup qualifying win by Egypt drove an Algerian player to gouge out the eye of an Egyptian team doctor, the two teams have been at each other's throats.

Even before the game began on the 14th, Egyptian fans attacked Algeria's bus with rocks and bricks as it transported the team from the airport to their hotel. Four players were injured and required stitches. Concerned officials, fans, and players questioned the safety of the team and demanded answers from FIFA but none were given. On the day of the game, Egyptians were in high spirits as they waved flags throughout the city and performed an ongoing symphony with their car horns.

How else would you get a flag to secure to the hood of your car?

A 2-0 win over Algeria sent fans racing to the streets as Egypt moved one step closer to World Cup victory. Car horns blared instantly as the winning goal was made and within moments, firecrackers screamed and popped throughout the night air. It was later reported that dozens of people were injured during late night skirmishes and Algerian fans demolished an Egypt Air office in Algiers by setting furniture on fire. From the safety of our friends' balcony, we listened to the chaos ensue down the road and yelled our congratulations to passersby.

The 2-0 win placed Egypt and Algeria neck and neck, and a rematch was scheduled on neutral territory, in Sudan, to settle the tie. On November 18, the day of the rematch, we waited to board our plane for Istanbul and ended up sharing a gate with a flight heading to Sudan. A sea of red engulfed the waiting area as loads of excited fans waited anxiously and chanted for their beloved home team. Several eager airport employees whispered rumors of a Sudan-bound man named, Ehab Tawfik—a famous Egyptian singer—who was on his way to the gate. Minutes later, we found ourselves posing for a picture with him, per his request. Famous Egyptian singer or four American girls... I guess fame is in the eye of the beholder. In the end, Algeria beat out Egypt in a 1-0 win and secured a spot in the highly coveted World Cup match in South Africa, summer 2010.

The famous Ehab Tawfik, and apparently equally famous four American girls. Although the picture is off-center, it's quite an accomplishment considering the previous attempts found the photographer holding the camera backwards. An up-close photo of his iris would not have been the same.

......................

Egyptian pride overflowed onto the highways in Cairo the day of the first World Cup qualifying match. Check out the video for a dose of team spirit:

Cave Church

At the end of Garbage City's winding unmarked roads, tucked away in the Muqattam Hills, is a series of caves containing seven churches and chapels of the Monastery of St. Simon the Tanner. Carved directly from the rock, the Coptic Christian churches are a unique example of the faith and dedication of the zabaleen people.

Virgin Mary and St. Simon Cathedral

The main cave in the monastery, Virgin Mary and St. Simon Cathedral, is dedicated to the story of Simon the Tanner and the Muqattam Mountain. According to Coptic sayings, in 979 A.D. a dispute between Pope Abram and a Jew named Jacob Ibn Killis erupted over a well-known verse in the Bible.

"I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed,

you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move.

Nothing will be impossible for you."

-Matthew 17:20

Jacob Ibn Killis challenged Pope Abram to prove the validity of his religion using this verse. Upon hearing this, Caliph Al-Muizz (the Muslim head of state) agreed to the challenge and threatened Pope Abram's life if the task was not carried out. As the story goes, after three days of prayer and fasting by the people, the Holy Virgin appeared to Pope Abram and told him a man named Simon the Tanner would carry out the task. So, Pope Abram, with the help of Simon, cried out to God three times while making the sign of the cross, then an earthquake shook the ground and the mountain was lifted.

The outside entrance of the cathedral

Partially open to the sky above, the cave cathedral seats 5,000 people.

Church of St. Bola

Across the street, a smaller St. Bola's church bears the black-walled scars of a survivor. Named for the Pilgrim, St. Bola, the humble church was nearly destroyed after an electric spark created a fire, which engulfed the interior in 1992.

Fire damage is evident by the black ceiling and walls.

St. Simon the Tanner's Hall

The huge cave of St. Simon the Tanner's Hall was discovered full of oversized rocks in 1979. After years of clearing the rubble, the cave was designed as a meeting hall and now seats an impressive 2,000 people.

The entrance to St. Simon's Hall

Garbage City

Known as Garbage City, Manshiyat naser is an area of Cairo home to mostly Coptic Christians and a growing Muslim population. Each day, zabaleen (Arabic for garbage collectors) collect one-third of Cairo's garbage, about 4,500 tons, and bring it back to their homes in Garbage City where it is sorted by men, women, and children. The remainder of the city's trash is dumped in the streets, alleyways, and building corners where dogs, cats, and goats scavenge it for food.

After sorting the trash, recyclables such as glass, aluminum, and paper are sold to small factories that prepare the items to be reused or resold again. Food waste was once fed to pigs, which were then sold for their meat—a way of living that ostracized the Christian zabaleen from their Muslim neighbors. However, after the outbreak of H1N1, Egypt ordered the mandatory slaughter of all pigs in an effort to prevent the disease within national borders; which created a hard blow to the already miniscule income of Garbage City's residents.

Despite the health risks, laborious work, and lack of governmental support, the zabaleen recycle 85% of the trash they collect—a high rate by any standards, but even more impressive considering their simplistic methods.

"They have created what is arguably one of the world's most efficient resource-recovery and waste recycling-systems."

-Wael Salah Fahmi,

Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at Helwan University in Cairo

Petra

Petra, meaning rock, lies at the slope of Mt. Hor south of Amman on the outskirts of Wadi Musa, Valley of Moses. Established in the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataeans, it is currently the most visited site in Jordan and became one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, in addition to its claim as a World Heritage site in 1985.

If that doesn't jog your memory, think of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Remember how Harrison Ford found the Holy Grail inside that huge building carved out of a rock? Yep, that's the Treasury, part of the ancient city of Petra. Aside from Indiana Jones, Moses also visited the area with the Israelites and it is there where he struck a rock with his staff to extract water. His brother, Aaron, is also buried atop Mount Hor.

Entering Petra from the Eastern side is the most popular and rewarding option. A half-mile hike, or donkey ride, leads you to the entrance of the Siq—probably the most theatrical gorge in the world. Formed after tectonic forces split the rock in half, the sandstone Siq gained its character from the waters and wind of Wadi Musa, which blew through the gap and rounded the rocky corners. As you gain ground on the one mile walk through the Siq, the rock walls push in and out, contracting like a lung. Vibrant hues of red and brown intensify with each ray of sunlight as the path opens up and deepen in the shadows when corners close in. Bracing at each turn, you know something special is near. Just when your intrigue peaks, you catch a glimpse of something bright as if someone has turned on a spotlight. The shadows are banned from going any farther and you know it's here.... the Treasury.

The half-mile before the Siq

Entering the mile long Siq

A glimpse of something spectacular

The Treasury

Forty meters high and carved entirely from the rock face, the Treasury rewards each visitor after their hike through the Siq—just as the Nabataeans intended. Although its purpose is unknown, most archaeologists believe it was used as a temple or tomb. Due to its misnomer, however, many Bedouins believed the urn at the top to be full of treasure; and in an effort to release the valuables, they pumped it full of bullets. Unfortunately, no treasure was found and the bullet holes, clearly visible from the ground, add an unnecessary modern-day touch.

Although astonishing, the Treasury is far from the end of Petra. Beyond the impressive carving, the cliffs open up to allow expansive views of the surrounding mountainsides. Cave dwellings are clearly visible at different levels and the image of life among the rocks is better understood.

Once living within Petra, the Bedouin tribes today reside in government assisted homes just outside the enchanting ruins in a semi-controversial effort to preserve it. However, they still spend most of their time within Petra in order to make a living guiding tours, giving camel or donkey rides, and selling souvenirs. Referring to their animals as air-conditioned taxis, it's easy to see most of them love spending time with tourists and simply working among one of the most spectacular sites in the world.

Cave homes

Beautiful stone

Air-conditioned taxis

Over an hour hike from the Treasury stands the almost equally impressive Monastery. Larger in size but lacking in the ornamentation of the Treasury, the Monastery was most likely used by the Nabataeans as a temple. Climbing the steep path to the left of the Monastery is unadvisable, but local kids enjoy playing on the steep carving, even hopping from one peak to the next—probably not a good idea.

Petra's immense size offers new discoveries the more one visits, but the heat and dry air quickly deflated our urge to continue on much longer. Before turning back, there was just one more thing we had to see—the view of the end of the world, according to the sign.

Hiking toward the Monastery

The Monastery

Overlooking the end of the world with a conspicuous nod to Keen.

After several hours of exploration, hiking, photographing, and sweating; we decided to call it a day and head back. But, in the interest of time, entertainment, and just because we could; we hitched a ride on one of the Bedouin's air-conditioned taxis...

Jerash, Jordan

Located 30 miles north of Amman, near Syria, is the ancient Greco-Roman city of Jerash—often referred to as the "Pompeii of the Middle East" for its level of preservation, immense size, and extent of excavation. However, unlike Pompeii, Jerash was not buried beneath the ash of a volcanic eruption. As one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Near East, it was once part of the Decapolis and inhabited as early as the Bronze Age in 3200-1200 BC.

After conquering by Rome in 63 BC, Jerash flourished through the 1st and 2nd centuries AD while enjoying peace and security. In the 3rd century it was reborn as a Christian city under Byzantine rule and the addition of 7 churches rounded out its cityscape. However, Persian invasion in 614 AD and Muslim capture in 635 ignited a rapid decline, which put the city to rest after an earthquake in 749 AD destroyed much of what was left.

Since 1920, the ancient city of Jerash has been continuously excavated and restored leading to an impressive site rich with history and the remnants of a past life.

Hadrian's Arch, south side entrance

Hippodrome—home to chariot races and sporting events

South Gate—part of the 4th century AD city wall

Inside the Oval Plaza

The Oval Plaza measures 90 x 80 meters and is surrounded by 1st-century Ionic columns

The stage in the amphitheater near the Temple of Zeus

Seating within the amphitheater

A random performance of Amazing Grace

Old Jerash meets New Jerash

Pieces of old columns stack up precariously to create a new one

The column and broken stone graveyard