So.....  This is all I caught on my last fishing trip into the Sahara Desert.....
I think the camel scared most of them away.....
He looks so sad laying there in the sand.......
I bet all he really needs is just a big hug......

THE MUHAMMED ALY MOSQUE

In case you can't recognize the different ceilings of Great religious buildings of the world.....
{There are those who easily can}.......
I'm at The Muhammad Aly Mosque in The Citadel in Cairo , Egypt.......
Yes....  That's Afrika.....  May 2009....
Who wants to look around...??

So.... your probably wondering......
How a guy like me.......
Finds himself in a place like this.....
Well......  You'll just have to read my blog....

Yes......   Even after seeing The Great Cathedrals of Europe.....
I find this place quite impressive.....

Funny story.....
It turns out......
Now that I've had a chance to try it.....
I LIKE giant antique soft red carpet under my bare feet........
Who could've known...???
Nice decor around here......
Yes..... Antique Carved Alabaster and Gold Gilding.....
NOT for the weak of heart.....NOT EVEN....
Inside the Muhammad Aly Mosque.....
The Citadel in Cairo....  May 2009....

BIG AWESOME FUN

Yessiree Bob.......    I TELL YOU.....

Those Pesky American Tourists show up almost every day now......
Getting thier hands all over the Alabaster......
Perhaps a closer look at BIR YUSUF......
By the way......
Is that a Dark Red or am I turning native....
My next trip out of Cairo is ( of course).....
Through the Arabian Desert and straight into The High Sinai Desert...
I 'm not scared of no 110%..... I been to Nubia.....
Does brown come after Dark Red......
Anyone want to check the top of my head ......
See if it is done yet......
Did I lose my shoes....?
Where are my socks...??

Like I said.....
I go everywhere.....
The Alabaster Courtyard.....
The Muhammad Aly Mosque....
The Citadel.....
Cairo, Egypt....
May 2009......

Their still doing restorations...... as always at such a place as this.....
But......   Raise your hands if you think this place is The Bomb........
Yes.....  I TELL YOU......Alabaster works real well with everything around here....
BIG EGYPTIAN ALABASTER MOSQUE FUN
What more could you want.....

Yes.....   This is a sacred area of the Mosque......
That  is The Minbar.....
Fortunetly.... I go everywhere......
So you don't have to......
(I've only been kicked out of 1 Mosque in my entire life).....so far
That's it from The Alabaster Mosque.....
High atop The Citadel......
Somewhere in Cairo , Egypt.....
Northern Africa....  May 2009....

Just you wait till you see my next trick.......!!

Well.....    I guess we are not all  perfect......
Just look at my friend here.......
The Blob Fish......
He's not really all that handsome......
Must have some other qualities.....
Honest, Loyal, Realistic......
Probably make a very good friend.....
How about I give him your number.....
You know.....  Just try for one date.....
See how it goes....
Take things nice and slow.....
Just for awhile.....
See if he likes you.....

THE CITADEL

Here I am exploring  The Citadel......
Center of Cairo in Egypt.....
Lots to see....
Let's look around......
May 2009....

Somewhere at  "The Citadel"  in Cairo,  Egypt......   May 2009

That Clock Tower holds a mechanical clock given to Egypt by France....
King Louis Philippe's gesture in 1845 to say thanks for the Obelisk in Paris....
The Courtyard of The Mosque of Muhammed Ali Pasha.....1830

As Mosques go.....
This is a huge place.....
And amazing inside....

Inside is the Tomb of Mohammed Aly Pasha......
And The Minbar.....
Much newer than the other Mosques here......1830....
It is the biggest mosque built in the first 1/2 of the 19th century.....
The most visible Mosque in Cairo.....
THIS YOU GOTTA SEE.....

The Muhammad Aly Mosque is often called  "The Alabaster Mosque.....
The whole place is made of White Limestone and covered with carved Alabaster....
You must have noticed the Big White Domes on the way up here......

This is called The Alabaster Courtyard.....
A large and beautiful area.....Ornate and very old.....
Muhammad Ali Mosque...... at the Citadel....
Cairo Egypt.....  May 2009

I think this is Bir Yusuf.......  "Joesphs Well"......
This one you can probably read about ......
Hard to believe they made such beautiful momuments......
Under the weathering is Alabaster and inlay and gilding and...etc....
AWESOME EGYPTIAN FUN STUFF

Let's go see this place on the inside......
Don't forget to remove your shoes.....
And if anyone asks....your Muslim.....
Like I understand Arabic anyway....
Just smile alot.... I'll get us in....

No......  You ain't never seen nothing like this place..... never....
Yes.... The walls are antique carved Alabaster......what else..?
Yes..... That is the biggest , best and softest antique carpet that's ever seen my socks.....
I don't understand the Light Globes and huge Chandeliers arrangement yet......
Maybe I should be also looking up......WOW....
LOOK UP THERE....

O.K.....  That's it for now....
Way too much for my eyes.....
They feel like thier pulsating...
It is AWESOME in here.....
More photos soon.....
From the Alabaster Mosque.....
At the Citadel in Cairo, Egypt......
May 2009

NOW - SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT 

What...?
 What 's the problem...?
What do you mean that just ain't right.....?
This is a real photo......!
That is a real fish.....!
It is called a LUMPFISH.......
So what if he's just a bit ugly.....!
Did your parents throw you back...?
C'mon show a little compassion.....
No one's asking you to adopt him.....
No one's asking you take him home....
Unless....??
Would you like to..?
C'mon.....
Look at him....
I think he likes you.....
How can you say no...!!

THE CITADEL

So here I am in Cairo once more.....and exploring "The Citadel".....
This place is awesome......Let's all see The Citadel......
Cairo, Egypt....May 2009....

This is one tough Super Castle Royal City Garrison Religous Site......
I want one.......   Make a great Lake Castle too......
Not many lakes in Egypt..... Guess it is O.K. right here.....
Called "The Worlds Greatest Monument to Medeival Warfare"...... (that's a title)
It held back the Crusades way back in the 1100's .......
And has a great view looking down on the "Cities of the Dead".....
This is about as tough as it gets.....   Cairo.....  May 2009....

AWESOME BIG CITADEL FUN

Much of what you see of Egypt looks like this......NICE.....
This is how you know your near the river.....really.....
I could stand atop that building there and point in ANY direction....
Just beyond the city......Nothing but Sun and Sand for 1,000's of miles......
The Unforgiving Sahara Desert is always just that close or usually closer......
From somewhere inside The Citadel in Cairo.....  May 2009....

This is headquarters in Cairo for The Antiquities Police......
These guys take care of a lot.....They dress sharp in all white....
And carry the best and latest in machine guns.....
Trained to come out on top in the worst of scenerios.....
NOT....  The Tourist Police.....Who are there to help....
They make sure you (the Tourist) stay out of trouble.....
Follow the rules and have a good visit seeing the Antiquities.....
The Antiquities Police make sure you leave the Antiquities here.....
There is so much and so many tourists and the values to collectors.....
Even small things can be priceless and these guys have to prove themeselves .....
Rich European Antiquities dealers and collectors need thier toys to make money.....
So teams of armed ex-military raids of collections and sites is NO JOKE....
The Antiquities Police are world class enforcement and deterrent.....
There is one more police......The Egyptian Secret Police.....  Very Scary.....
Forget you heard that name..... Real Scary stuff.....