EGYPT  2001:

Our second full day in Cairo started with a tour of different old churches.  We began at St. Sergius Coptic Church.  This was the location where Mary, Joseph, and Jesus hid out in the basement to avoid prosecution.  It was a beautiful old church inside but no cameras were allowed.  We also visited an old Jewish Synagogue that was very nice.  The third location we visited was a Coptic museum.  This place was very strict about bring in cameras.  They confiscated them at the door and gave you a ticket to get them back after you were done inside.  Somehow Dr. Wahby bribed them again and was able to take pictures inside.

Next was the Step Pyramid of King Zoser.  This is the oldest or first large stone structure ever found.  This pyramid also has rooms and chambers inside but we ran out of time and could not get too close to it.  I was a little disappointed because we couldn't spend more time there.

The pictures are of the haze in Cairo at sunrise, the path and outside of some churches, the Coptic Museum, and the Step Pyramid of King Zoser.  Notice the guard resting his chin on the barrel of his machine gun.  This is another very common site.  When traveling in Egypt, be prepared to see many big guns.  I don't recommend taking pictures of them unless they do not see you doing it.  The digital camera allowed me to take pictures without putting it up to my eye, so it didn't look obvious I was taking their picture.