WEBVTT

00:00:00.445 --> 00:00:03.871
Cairo is a fascinating clash between traditional and modern,

00:00:03.871 --> 00:00:06.267
religious and secular, East and West.

00:00:06.267 --> 00:00:08.891
While its chaos can be exasperating,

00:00:08.891 --> 00:00:12.878
it can also be a rewarding challenge for the adventurous traveler.

00:00:14.124 --> 00:00:17.771
Cairo's downtown is modern and can feel European.

00:00:17.771 --> 00:00:25.926
Streets, squares, and grand buildings are reminders of the country's colonial past from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

00:00:26.433 --> 00:00:31.086
The riverfront throbs with energy, stately bridges busy with traffic,

00:00:31.086 --> 00:00:33.140
fancy riverside restaurants,

NOTE Paragraph

00:00:33.140 --> 00:00:35.603
and towering apartment complexes.

00:00:36.019 --> 00:00:41.308
The Nile is still the lifeblood of the city, sprawling endlessly on both sides.

00:00:41.825 --> 00:00:44.538
The heart of Cairo is Tahrir Square.

00:00:44.538 --> 00:00:47.626
It's long been ground zero for the people's spirit.

00:00:47.626 --> 00:00:49.733
If there's a demonstration going on,

00:00:49.733 --> 00:00:52.361
and there have been massive ones in recent years,

00:00:52.361 --> 00:00:53.687
it's likely here.

00:00:54.484 --> 00:00:56.703
In addition to its political energy,

00:00:56.703 --> 00:00:59.325
the city's long been a religious capital.

00:01:03.620 --> 00:01:06.033
Ever since the forces of Islam swept across North Africa

00:01:06.100 --> 00:01:07.635
from Arabia, in the 7th century,

00:01:07.701 --> 00:01:10.404
spreading the teachings of their Prophet Muhammad,

00:01:10.471 --> 00:01:13.107
Cairo has been a leading city of the Muslim world.

00:01:15.509 --> 00:01:21.115
And, today, Cairo's known as the City of a Thousand Minarets.

00:01:21.182 --> 00:01:24.919
Stepping into Al-Hussein Mosque, like any neighborhood mosque,

00:01:24.985 --> 00:01:27.655
you'll find a worshipful tranquility.

00:01:27.721 --> 00:01:31.492
It's believed that resting here invigorates the soul.

00:01:31.559 --> 00:01:34.728
There's more intensity around the adjacent shrine,

00:01:34.795 --> 00:01:36.897
believed to contain a sacred relic,

00:01:36.964 --> 00:01:39.500
the head of Al-Husayn ibn Ali,

00:01:39.567 --> 00:01:42.403
a grandson of the prophet Muhammad.

00:01:42.469 --> 00:01:45.339
In a mosque, men and women worship separately.

00:01:45.406 --> 00:01:48.042
As praying can be physical, with lots of bending over,

00:01:48.108 --> 00:01:52.446
it's considered more respectful to allow women their own space.

00:01:52.513 --> 00:01:57.084
I find that a respectful tourist is welcome to be a part of the scene.