More about Egypt:
Probably the most amazing thing was going in the El Hussain Mosque in Cairo. Sveta and I went in the side entrance for women, and gave up our shoes. It was a big green room, everyone was staring at us of course. We went into the side room, where you can actually see the tomb - all silver and ornate - through a green glass so that the men can't see you from the other side. It was beautiful. Some women touched our arms and showed us how to pray, by lifting our open hands up under our chins and looking upwards reverantly. It was amazing, but I felt awkward and wanted to get out. An elderly woman was gesturing that too much of my neck was exposed so I beat it. It took a lot of baksheesh to get out of there, I was handing out pounds and piasters right and left. Back out in the courtyard I sat on a curb by a fence to put my shoes on and a little baby smiled at me, upside down on her mama's birka-ed lap. It was amazing and international and I felt happy. We learned afterwards that El Hussain was the son of Mohammed and this is about the second holiest site in Egypt, non-Muslims aren't supposed to go in there, it's Shite. And yet everyone was extremely gracious to us. Ben and Alex were interrogated about American views on Islam on the men's side, but not very many women speak English.