Maadi-an Expat Oasis & St. Anthony's Monastary

There's a neighborhood in Cairo called Maadi. A lot Cairo's foreigners live. This of course has its pros and cons. Cons, more than it's fairshare of American fast food joints and restaurant chains. Pros more than it's fairshare of American fast food joints and restaurant chains. I'm joking. The Pros right now are the opportunity to commune with others in my situation, speak unbroken English, less staring and gawking by the Egyptians as they are more used to seeing foreigners, pubs and restaurants and even grocery stores where you can buy a beer, and pork is readily available. (Given that Egypt is like 95% Muslim who do not eat pork or drink alcohol both can be hard to find in many areas of the city like my neighborhood.)

I met some folks who live in Maadi on the desert tour, and they have provided some much needed comfort, support and entertainment. The Filipino teachers that live in my building have also connected with the Filipino community in Maadi. There are 6 Filipino teachers who live in my building and also work at the Futures Schools around the city. They have been here about 6 weeks longer that me and are that much further along in the making friends and finding their way around then I am. Thankfully they adopted me for this weekend and invited me along on a day trip to St. Anthony's Monastery. This is about 2.5 hour drive from Cairo east towards the Red Sea.

St. Anthony is considered the father of Christian monastic tradition. He lived in a cave in the Eastern Desert Mountains in the 4th century for 40 years. Today, you can climb the nearly 2,000 steps and 1,000 feet straight up the side of the mountain to see his cave. (My calves are still screaming at me for making the trip up.) You can tour the monastery which is still occupied and active. There is also the Church of St. Anthony built over the saint's tomb and containing one of Egypts most significant collections of Coptic wall paintings.

On the way home we drove the along the Red Sea. In this northern part of the sea it was rocky like the New England coastline. And the Greenies amongst you will be interested to learn that here in the land of oil there is a HUGE turbine wind farm generating energy along the sea coast.