Page 14 - Palm City Spotlight - March '21

Page 14, Palm City Spotlight

travel

Cairo And Giza Today Cairo is two
distinct cities. Old Cairo has
Separated By The Nile … Thousands Of many fine examples of Arab
Years Apart architecture, but most of the
city stands with its mud-
By Don Kiselewski, MCC, brick tenements, which have
D.S., Palm Beach Gardens become the slums. The streets
Travel Leaders are narrow and unpaved, and
By today’s standards, transportation in this part of
Cairo is one of Egypt’s the city is by donkey or camel.
newest cities. Cairo New Cairo, on the other hand,
just celebrated its first is a modern city. Its streets are
millennium only 30 years lined with modern apartments,
ago, while other cities skyscrapers, office and
in Egypt – Thebes and government buildings, hotels The pyramids at Giza
Memphis, for example – and over two dozen museums.
have already chalked off Would-be archeologists
their third. and those who have even the
Sometimes our sense of history becomes distorted as to slightest interest in history will
what was where and when it was there. The fact is, there was find hours flying by when they
no city located at Cairo in the time of the pharaohs or in later visit the Egyptian museum.
Roman or Greek days. It was only after the Muslim armies, Collections of Byzantine and
which came from Arabia, crushed the Byzantine power of Pharaonic art and sculpture
Egypt, that the city had its beginning. Alexandria, the great fill its many exhibit halls. The
city at the western end of the Nile Delta, surrendered without museum contains the world’s
a fight. The victorious General ‘Amr ibn al-‘As wanted to largest and most impressive
make Alexandria the great seaport of his conquest. However, collection of Egyptian history
Umar I, the second Muslim caliph, quickly pointed out that with the celebrated treasures
when the Nile flooded, as it did every year, the city would of Tutankhamun as its most
be cut off from the Arabian homeland. To overcome this prominent exhibit. Gold,
problem, a city would have to be constructed on the east gold and more gold was the
bank of the Nile. subject of this lesser pharaoh’s
‘Amr made the final site selection for the city, across
the Nile from the great burial grounds of the pharaohs at Travel on page 15 Saladin Citadel in Cairo
Giza. In the centuries that followed, the Muslims continued
to war against each other in the area, and as a result, the
settlement was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The
Fatimid Caliphate founded the present city in 968 and called kidS CorNer
it al-Qahira or “The Victorious.” Al-Qahira was subsequently
altered to Cairo.
The great Muslim ruler Saladin built a citadel at Cairo
in the 12th century. For security he also began to wall in a Hey Dad … Got A Minute? rents bikes to ride the Palm Beach trail. Second, buy a tent
quarter of the city for the various people who had settled in and camp out at Johnathan Dickinson State Park. If you’re
the area. These actions set the stage for great growth and By Jim Forgan, Ph.D., not into tent camping, head to the Okeechobee KOA and
prosperity in the city. In the later Middle Ages, Cairo became School Psychologist rent a camping cabin. Third, consider a father-son or father-
the center of trade between Europe and the East and one You have a hard job: daughter weekend experience. I did this through Christ in
of the chief seats of Muslim culture. And, by the mid-14th fatherhood. It’s one of the Rockies and it was the best thing I did to galvanize my
century, Cairo had a population of 500,000 people who lived the most important jobs relationship with my son.
on the east bank of the Nile, and it had become greater than you’ll ever have and one Moms usually bring their child to work with me so I don’t
any city in Europe, Africa or Asia Minor. that is much harder than get to meet dads until we do a review meeting. When I work
As with anything of great value, Cairo became the object expected. The time you with kids I say, “I didn’t meet your dad so tell me about him.”
to be had. In 1517, Cairo became part of the Ottoman Empire spend with your children The child’s response tells me how involved a dad is. Some
when it fell to the Turks, who reduced it to a provincial will pay off immeasurable kids discuss the activities they do together whereas other kids
capital. Napoleon seized the city in 1798 in the Battle of the future dividends. I have say, “He works a lot.” I follow up and ask, “What do you
Pyramids, but Admiral Horatio Nelson destroyed his fleet. children and I’ve loved and your dad do together?” It’s unfortunate but some kids,
The French were driven out of the city three years later by being a dad since the day my first child was born. I’ve done who live in the same house with their dad, come up empty.
British and Turkish forces. The city was then handed back my best to be intentional in spending time with my children. I encourage you to fill up your child with experiences
to the Turks, although the British retained special interest in Regardless of where you are in your fatherhood journey, it’s and emotional encouragement. Fatherhood is tough and it’s
Cairo. A modern city grew up in the 19th century between not too late to start or even increase time spent with your hard to go alone. A great resource is Tony Dungy’s website
the Saladin Citadel, with its walled settlement on Mokattam child. AllProDad.com.
hill, and the Nile. One way to spend time with your child is bike riding. We evaluate children ages 4 and up for anxiety, ADHD,
Unplug from technology and rent a bike at Riverbend Park dyslexia, learning difficulty, and processing problems. Call
and ride the trails. Alternatively, the Palm Beach Bike Shop 625-4125 or visit JimForgan.com.

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with

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Mary-Beth Zipsir
A view of Cairo from across the Nile River Agent in Charge

O: (772) 233-4444
CDC COVID-19 Travel www.smartchoicepartnersfl.com
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