The paved path next to the cemetery gives way to sand and rocks. Our camels move uncertainly, avoiding the rocks. The chaos and noise of Cairo seem to fall away. Everything is muted here. The dunes begin to rise on either side. The first star becomes visible. The top of the pyramids can be seen a short distance away. Black silhouettes of other horse and camel riders go past. There is a thin line delineating the dunes and the sky. Shadows exaggerate the pock marks in the sand. At the top of a nearby dune, lights beckon the weary rider.
Time slips away as we ride and ride towards the lights. Even in the dark, distance seems distorted in this place. Eventually, we arrive at the top of the dune where the lights are. There is a medium-sized area enclosed by a low stone wall. Camels and horses are tied to the wall. We dismount and enter the stone area, finding a place to sit on a worn-out carpet. M. gets us some tea. Arabic swirls around us in soft murmurs and the smell of tea surrounds us.
S.F., A.L., and I look around and take in the sights. From the crest of the dune, we can see the three pyramids on the Giza Plateau. They are illuminated by the green and white lights from “The Sound and Light Show.” The city lights of Cairo glow yellow beneath us. Millions of lives are being lived at a harried pace among those lights down there. Yet from here, in the desert, there is a sense of calm. From here, Cairo is a beautiful city, but it can’t rival the light of the stars above and the gentle desert breeze.
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