Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25040
text, claire hochachka _photography: norbert schiller .. E THE PYRAMIDS ON HORSEBACK wildly across the desert behind the pyramids at Giza. Sunrise and sunset are always great in the moon is perhaps the best time to ride. Moonlight reflects off the sand, illuminating the desert and casting a silver glow across the pyramids. There are a number of stables in the neighborhood behind Giza's won ders of the world. Some of the better ones allow you to ride freely on relatively well cared for horses. Try Eurostables, A&B or B&B. Take a taxi or minibus to Midan al-Haram (about 15 kilometers from downtown Cairo) then ask for the stables, or follow the trails of horse droppings on the roads. CELEBRATE A SAINT'S BIRTHDAY AND WHIRL WITH THE DERVISHES Moulids, public birthday parties for deceased Islamic saints, take place at various times and locations in Egypt year-round. They tend to attract huge crowds, including Sufis (Islamic mystics) who make pilgrim ages from the surrounding countryside to whirl in spiritual bliss under colored cloth tents. The mix of excitement in the air, haunting Koranic recitation, burning incense, and the stars overhead becomes totally intoxicating. Moulids are not always the easiest parties to crash because they take place in remote parts of town and are based on the Islamic calendar-their exact time depends on the position of the moon. Women should never attend a moulid alone. Even if accompanied by a male friend, female travelers should only stay near groups of Egyptian women. EXPLORE THE SHADIER SIDES OF THE CITY Despite Cairo's contributions to world civilization, rulers, royalty and travelers also visit to experience something a little grittier than the desert. The debauch side of Cairo is widely known and appreciated throughout the Middle East. Down on the street there is plenty of fun to be had; you just need to look a little hard- er at some of the store fronts you pass by to find a veritable underworld of low-brow drinking establishments. A "Cafeteria" sign on the door is a good indicator. Izbeckia, the area of town between downtown and Islamic Cairo, is known for its cheap bars, belly dancers, and colorful clientele from around the region and beyond. tIi BIRD WATCH AT THE FAYUUM OASIS Go bird watching around the ancient salt lake of Ourun in the fayuum. Located in the Western Desert 100 km southwest of Cairo, Fayuum looks like an ordinary oasis of date palms, but its appearance is deceiving. It is actually a branch of the Nile that dried up thousands of years ago. In monarchist Egypt, royals such as King Farouk and his entourage used to hunt fowl on the lakes around the Fayuum, but today the birds are protected and you can only go armed with a pair of binoculars. Springtime brings flocks of pink flamingoes to the shores; fall sees an assortment of raptors journeying further south into Africa for the winter. Enjoy a drink and a sheesha (water pipe) on the terrace overlooking the lake at the fan tastically shabby Auberge Hotel. which was once the King Farouk's winter palace. To get to Fayuum, catch a minibus or service taxi from Midan ai-Giza but don't get off in the town of Fayuum; ask to go to the town of Shakshuk and get 'ff ""eo '" ,eo fu""". The Coptic monasteries of St Paul and St Anthony lie about 50 dry kilometers apart in Iildle of the Eastern Desert. They are the oldest monasteries in Egypt and represent the beginning of the Christian monastic tradition. As the story goes, a 90-year-old St Anthony lived in solitude in a cave in the fourth century AD. One night he dreamed that another ascetic lived near by. Anthony awoke with this vision and began to walk across the desert. wrapped in a piece of cloth and carrying no provisions. Along the way a crow appeared and led Anthony to the entrance of a cave, and crouched inside he found St Paul, 23 years ® H his senior. You, too, can do this spiritual hike, but you should carry a compass and a reliable topographical map: there is only a rough path that takes you along the top of the craggy Gebel al-Galala al-Oibliya plateau. The terrain between the two monasteries is known locally as "devil's country, " and to hike through the wadis, cliffs and desert is not for the faint of spir it. Stock up on more water than you think you'll need for this two to three day trip-two to four liters a day is a good aver age. Check with local authorities for seasonal weather information before planning your trip as flash floods can be a problem. 5 .,i" "',i.I'it ) IKE IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF ST. ANTHONY