Tour Leader’s Blog

Eleven of our group just returned from climbing to the summit of Mt. Sinai to see the sun rise. We left our hotel at 2 a.m. to drive to the base of the mountain. There we met some Bedouins who led us to our rides for the first two thirds of our journey - camels. We each got on our camel in the darkness amidst much complaining by the camels. Then the camels took us up a narrow pathway into the mountains. The stars in the sky were as bright and plentiful as I have ever seen. The air was chilly as we climbed higher and higher. We saw the shadows of our camels on the path but luckily could not see the steep drop offs beside us. Halfway up my camel got into a fight with another one which added some excitement and too many teeth for my comfort. Our camel leaders pulled them apart and calmed them down and upward we plodded.

After one and a half hours we got to the place where the camels stop. We gathered the group and began walking the 700 steps to the summit. Monks had carved these steps into the mountain.

We got to the summit as light was beginning to emerge in the east. As the light grew the rugged mountain range began also to emerge from the darkness. Nearby a priest chanted and celebrated a mass. We sat in the courtyard of the church built on this summit and watched the eastern sky brighten. The moment the sun fully shone the temperature turned from cold to warm.

In the morning sun our group walked back down the mountain. Along the way we passed St. Catherine’s Monastery.

Tradition has it that this was the summit where God revealed himself to Moses. Our group felt that God also revealed a bit of himself to us through the majesty of a sunrise over His rugged creation.

This afternoon we will meet and Paul Zehr will reflect on the meaning of the covenant.

~ Ed Epp

We have had two exciting days. Yesterday we went to Foyoom which is the place where Joseph stored the grain for the 7 years of famine. We stood amidst the date palms overlooking a mud brick pyramid that Joseph had built for Pharaoh. Here Bishop Paul Zehr read us the bible story of Joseph. We then went back to Cairo and visited Coptic Cairo. We toured the Synagogue and Church where Moses was said to have been hidden in the bulrushes.

Today we left Cairo to tour the land of Goshen. We saw the area where the Israelites lived and the place where they gathered to leave Egypt.

I am sitting on the balcony of our hotel now overlooking the Suez Canal. As the sun sets I am watching the ships sail past.

The stories of the Bible come alive as we visit these places. Tomorrow we will cross the Suez and enter the Sinai.

~ Ed Epp

We are on the road again! On Monday evening Janet and I met with TourMagination friends in the Goshen, Indiana area, hosted by John and Naomi Lederach, and last evening at a promotional event here in Walnut Creek, hosted by Dan and Mary Miller. These evening were opportunities for us to share our 2009 and 2010 tours. We were pleased for the strong interest in our upcoming program. In both communities we had alumni bring their friends to meet us.

Would you like to host an information evening in your community for TourMagination? Wilmer and Janet would be delighted to come if their schedule allows. Please call 1-800-565-0451 to extend an invitation.

~ Wilmer Martin

I am sitting on a stone overlooking the pyramid of Cheops as I type this blog. It is a beautiful day - sunny yet a cool breeze.

We began today stopping at an overlook to the three big pyramids. Then most of the group joined me on a camel trek of about 2 miles to the base of the pyramids. We had 8 camels strung together as we went down the sandy hill towards the amazing structures outlined by the blue sky. The camels were better behaved then most - a minimum of snorting, grunting, and spitting! Most of our group was equally well behaved!

After this we head for lunch along the Nile and the the Egyptian museum. Yesterday we visited Memphis and the older step pyramids. We also visited a rug school where they teach carpet and rug making to young students.

The view from my rock as I type is breathtaking. I wish you all could be here!

~ Ed Epp

Today has been a long but wonderful day. We awoke on the boat and, after breakfast, left for the Valley of the Kings. It’s good we were there early in the morning as it is very hot. We were allowed to walk into three tombs to admire the colour of the well-preserved paintings. Our morning ended with visits to the tombs of the workers and a small boat ride across the Nile.

After lunch in a cool place we went to the Karnak temples. This is the jewel of Upper Egypt and we were not disappointed. Although it was very hot, the amazing columns impressed us all.

We ended the afternoon at Luxor temple. Then we went to the airport to fly to Cairo. Tomorrow we meet the people who are joining the tour. Our plans are to visit the pyramids.

Our adventure continues.