Egypt – Holy Land
This trip was in the words of General George Patton, “a combination of the Bible and Hollywood”. Egypt is a wonderful source of ancient culture remarkably preserved and a place distinctive from everywhere else on the planet.
I had lobbied for a couple of years with Msgr to create a trip that would combine Egypt with a mini-Holy Land. He went to the Holy Land every November. I told him few of us were interested in going back for a two-week Holy Land trip, but that if he put a trip together with 2/3 Egypt and 1/3 Holy Land the bus would fill up overnight. He finally acquiesced in 2008. And the trip had a waiting list of 10-12 people when we departed with 35 pilgrims, our largest group ever.
Egypt was one terrific experience after another, set among ruins and artifacts from thousands of years ago. Camel rides to the Pyramids and the Sphinx ; three nights on a Nile cruise, including a costume night extraordinaire; the magnificent temples of Abu Simbel; a dawn balloon ride over Luxor, a chance to experience the magic of aromatherapy; viewing the artifacts of King Tut’s tomb; a sunset felucca ride on the Nile.
The balloon ride was special fun. It was captained by a rogue pilot who we dubbed the “Pirate Captain”. He was funny and flirted shamelessly with the girls. He was also talented. He brought the balloon across a sugar cane field at plant height and then landed it perfectly on a road on the other side. Then, when the balloon chase crew had bundled up the deflated balloon, they took out musical instruments, claimed our women and danced with them!
We then took our bus across the Sinai to Israel, which is very unusual. Ave got caught in customs entering Israel and was strip searched. And then the Egyptians delayed her due to some question about her passport. I stayed with Ave while all the rest went ahead and pretended to be her husband so there wouldn’t be any mischief.
Visiting the Holy Land is overwhelming and somewhat confusing. You see places and events from the bible in rapid succession and your mind tries to envision what went on 2000 years ago. It is powerfully moving to touch the places where Christ was born, carried out his ministry, was crucified, died, and was buried, and arose again. Those names and places have been just vague words until you are standing on the place on earth where it all happened.
And finally, but far from least, is the skit, “Pharoah of Buckhead”. This was more fun than a barrel of monkeys. All pre casted, with costumes and props arranged in advance. I was the intrepid CNN International religious reporter, Habibi Habibi. I cast Ed as Edfu, the Pharoah. I was to discover that night that Ed took my script as only a suggestion. Jamie became Cleopatra, who did a terrific commercial for a new aromatherapy, “Viper”. Which was demonstrated on a passer-by Arab named Ali iHop, played by Frank. And the Pharoah was protected by his chief of security, Ali Kojak, played by Ed Kvietkus. Fr. Bailey was supposed to play the usurper, Ali O’Bamy, but backed out and George Box stepped up to the part. He was suffering from cancer but did a great job. I remember one part of the skit is where Ali Kojack takes Ali O’Bamy outside to beat him up and abandon his revolt against Edfu. George Box realized before we started the skit that Ed Kvietkus was drunk. Ed was big and strong, and George was worried he would actually slam him around. Luckily, Ed just whopped the wall and George screamed. This skit was captured on video by Barbara, and we all had a great time viewing it again at our reunion party in 2018.
