Friday 21st
Peter and I on visiting IHH discover an interesting new thing- neither of us although we both had our applications accepted online - have been "accepted". I, the daft optimist - am sure that this will only be a slight hitch. We meet more fellow convoyers including Alex, the star of my "Cairo Hotel" youtube video.
I'm keen to get out walking but Sakir insists we get the dedicated bus to the old city. We get into the Blue Mosque as bona fide Muslims. I has taken me 40 years to get this far! The last time I walked here was as a hippy in 1968, and I was waved away from the entrance by a guy who couldn't believe I had washed my feet. Of course we do the whole schtick. The endless sermons, the beautiful musical koran stuff and the bum-in-air. Outside there is a long and deep queue of tourists waiting at the visitors' door, probably taking as long to get in as we spent praying. I finish with a tour of my old haunts as the other drift off for a taxi. My own taxi when I get one is an old-fashioned rip-off: probably had the meter running before I jumped in - but I enjoyed the ride.
Peter and I on visiting IHH discover an interesting new thing- neither of us although we both had our applications accepted online - have been "accepted". I, the daft optimist - am sure that this will only be a slight hitch. We meet more fellow convoyers including Alex, the star of my "Cairo Hotel" youtube video.
I'm keen to get out walking but Sakir insists we get the dedicated bus to the old city. We get into the Blue Mosque as bona fide Muslims. I has taken me 40 years to get this far! The last time I walked here was as a hippy in 1968, and I was waved away from the entrance by a guy who couldn't believe I had washed my feet. Of course we do the whole schtick. The endless sermons, the beautiful musical koran stuff and the bum-in-air. Outside there is a long and deep queue of tourists waiting at the visitors' door, probably taking as long to get in as we spent praying. I finish with a tour of my old haunts as the other drift off for a taxi. My own taxi when I get one is an old-fashioned rip-off: probably had the meter running before I jumped in - but I enjoyed the ride.
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