After flying back to Cairo this morning and… new day!

Today we had a fairly easy day. A small group of us boarded buses and went across town to the Coptic neighborhood to visit the synagogue and the Coptic church. The synagogue was important because baby Moses was thought to have been found in a river there. The site was eventually turned into a synagogue and is no longer in use. Some of the wood inside is 500 years old, and the ornate fixtures are exquisite.

The Coptic church is famous because Mary and Joseph were thought to have hidden near here on the flight into Egypt. It was right next to the synagogue — imagine the coincidence— and full of ancient detail and a beautiful wooden dome. There was even a crypt.

Next door was the Coptic Museum. It was full of pieces of stone carvings that possibly fell off of buildings bits of churches from around lots of icons. It was a fun little place.

Back at the hotel, we rested a bit, shopped a bit, and then got ready for our last dinner together. Some will be flying home and others will be flying off to Jordan. Our wake-up call is at 2 AM for a 3:15 AM trip to the airport and 6 AM departure. Good night.