This deserves its own post. I took this photo hoping something interesting would come out, I had no idea what my camera could see because I was holding it right over the glass floor, a foot and a half away from my face. This area, located in one of the churches of the monastery, had a glass floor over an underground chamber. The monk spoke to us about the history and use of the ancient chamber as we all stood over it barefoot.

A Walk through the Monastery

I really liked this early morning trip to St. Anthony's monastery in the middle of the desert in Ain Suhkna. This place dates back to 361 A.D. when followers of St. Anthony built the monastery on the grounds he lived on as a hermit. The oasis her kept the monk alive then and is keeping monks alive now.

Religion is so interesting and the extent of faith is baffling. One devote man was able to draw faithful followers into a very remote area of the Eastern Desert. These monks stay for long periods of time, many stay for life. They live this life of solitude and prayer in the name of righteousness. That is both respectable and unfathomable. I see religions practiced in varying degrees, some are extremely relaxed and others are the absolute extreme. Either way, I believe in loving your faith.

 

The Entrance to St. Anthony's Monastery in Ain Suhkna

Within the tombs and the surrounding area of Pompay's Pillar



Pompay's Pillar

A weekend later and I am back in Alexandria.

This trip was much more educational than the first. Our guide is an Art History professor at the American University in Cairo and she is absolutely brilliant. She knows the facts, stories, and local lengends like the back of her hand.

The pillar is in a really interesting area. The structure is surrounded by a wall, but right outside is the street with modern buildings and cars. This juxtaposition was very fun for me, I wish I could hang glide over the place to get a veiw of it all at once.