Local Viewpoint:
ISIS can’t destroy beauty of Egypt.
LUXOR, Egypt — It’s 10 p.m. Saturday. My friend Amanda Zak and I have been in Egypt for seven days, and we are having the time of our lives. Our friends back in America are suddenly bombarding us with questions whether we are safe. We have no concept of why they should ask. Of course we’re safe. We are visiting the most amazing, magnificent, ancient historical locations in the world. Our private automobile driver and master’s-educated Egyptologist guides are unlocking the fascinating stories of the pharaohs, kings and queens that have captivated us all our lives.
As we learn of the heinous murders of at least 305 Muslim worshippers in the Sinai area of Egypt on Friday, we begin to understand the concerns for our safety. But we are so far removed from that place and that mindset that our travels are not influenced by this sad and tragic event. We respond to the inquiries with reassurances of our safety, and we keep on moving to the next discovery, the next wonder.
We walk unaccompanied through bustling evening streets, teeming with cars, donkey- or horse-drawn carts, motorbikes, street vendors, children and shopkeepers attentively glued to their television screens watching a soccer game. Oh, we do draw attention. My red hair and Amanda’s blue eyes stand out in a crowd here. But we sense no threat. Life goes on for these friendly, accommodating people and for we two Americans, still having the time of our lives, despite the turmoil and heartbreak occurring many miles from us.
We dine next to the Nile River, serene and beautiful and peaceful. The calls to prayer from mosques on the opposite river bank are soothing and somehow comforting, despite their unfamiliarity to our upbringing. We are privileged to view the sunset from a felucca sailboat, being served fresh-brewed tea by the modest boat’s “first mate.”
Are we safe? We are more than safe. We are welcomed; we are celebrated; schoolchildren beg to have their “selfies” taken with the Americans. Shopkeepers are certainly happy to take our hard-earned American dollars or Egyptian pounds — whatever we are willing to part with. All of the major historical sites visited are not in militarized zones; they are agricultural areas and busy cities, and they have significant historical monuments. There are extra measures in place to keep tourists safe.
As we question our tour guide, Caled, regarding the attack, it is obvious that the local reaction is identical to ours in America.
“This has been done by people who have a thirst for blood — people who enjoy killing. Christians don’t hate Muslims and Muslims don’t hate Christians here; and true Muslims don’t kill other Muslims,” he tells us.
He hopes this is proof that these terrorist attacks are not truly based on religion. He informs us that the town in which this occurred is so small that one-third of its population has been killed in this massacre.
“We will not stop going to church. We will not allow them to change our lives,” he says.
This country has been starving since the revolution that occurred in 2011. Fear has kept the tourists away. The last two months have seen a much-needed uptick, for which the people are grateful. So am I. Without it, I might have missed the opportunity to make my childhood dreams come true.