April 1326

 

The Nile Delta River has been a magnificent journey thus far. Visiting a city like Alexandria was simply breathtaking. Tangier was not filled with such astonishing architectural accomplishments as the Lighthouse of Alexandria will surely be considered a wonder of the world. The Lighthouse seemed to touch the sky; I predict its height at no less than 100 feet. It was crafted from light-colored “earth tone” blocks that formed a three-tiered structure. A middle, core layer was placed beneath a middle hexagonal shape which was under a larger circular spiral. The Lighthouse was surrounded by a smaller layer of buildings with a square shape. There was a certain figure atop of the Lighthouse that looked similar to a prophet reaching to Allah. The value of construction in a city such as Alexandria was marvelous to see.

 

Along the Nile Delta River was also the city of Cairo. As I visited there, I learned of the development of the Fatimid Caliphate in their creation of Cairo (Britannica). As their former capital, Cairo acted as the cultural hub for Islam as it held a large mosque that was named after the leader - al-Azhar. The columns for the grand mosque were monstrous in size as they supported the large dome under which the imam lead prayers. The two asymmetrical pillars on either side of the dome seemed as tall as the Lighthouse of Alexandria because of how they towered over the rest of the mosque. Talking to a traveler I met while exploring the city with my large caravan, a Muslim named Imad told me how the mosque was visited by thousands of people and how the large community had formed from this one building. “Travelers, such as you, have also come to stop here often” Imad explained. This sense of the scope of Dar al-Islam is what surprised me the most here.