I visited Egypt during the celebration of Ramadan, and in Cairo, more than any of the other locations I visited, the presence of Ramadan lanterns was pervasive, and the Ramadan lantern became my personal symbol of Cairo.

During my trip, I was fortunate to receive the hospitality of an American who, before retiring, taught school in a community near my home. This lovely lady, who is teaching in the Egyptian schools, opened her doors and her heart and took me on a trek of Cairo that most tourists do not get to take.

She even took me to see the famed "Whirling Dervishes" which was a unique experience made even more significant since some years ago, while reading "Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish," by Dorothy Gilman, to my children, I became intriqued by Derivishes.

This section will encompass those treks and ones taken during the time spent on a formal tour. My guess is you will be able to tell the difference.