Going back to my (not so distant) childhood...

As a youngster, I did a lot of productive things: I ate sand; I made the best monster faces around; and I had an incredibly complicated love/hate relationship with a cat. But perhaps most importantly, I led massive hordes of Mameluke armies against invading Crusader forces.

I am, of course, referring to Age of Empires II, the greatest computer game ever made, and perhaps the most significant contribution to historical education for adolescent males ever conceived. Not only was the game fun and entertaining, it provided the user with a wealth of detailed, factually-accurate, world history, from the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs to the expansion of the Mongol empire.

AoE II also allowed me to familiarize myself with some of the various civilizations of the Middle East, including the Persians, the Turks, and the Saracens. However, of the three, I had a certain affinity for the Saracens. Maybe it was because they relied a lot on camel units that made sweet camel noises when you clicked on them, or maybe it was due to the fact that their unique unit was called the Mameluke, which is probably the coolest word ever concocted. But I think what it really was was the captivating story of the famed Saracen general Salah al-Din (or Saladin if you prefer), the brilliant tactician who was essentially responsible for driving the Crusaders out of the Holy Land. The saga of Salah al-Din and his Saracen army really drew me into the mystique and the intrigue of the Arab world, sparking a fascination in the Middle East that has led to career and academic interests in the region, as well as the fact that I currently live in Cairo.

So today, I had the opportunity to turn my childhood AoE II experiences into reality. Well, not quite...I didn't get to decapitate any Templar Knights or siege the walls of Jerusalem. Instead, I visited the Salah al-Din Citadel of Cairo, an immense fortress that once served as the base of operations for Salah al-Din himself. Constructed in 1183, the citadel sits on a cliff overlooking Cairo, occupying a key strategic point from which to defend the city against Crusader assaults.

Now a days, the walls still stand, but inside are an assortment of building that weren't there in good ol' Salah al-Din's time. Among them is the Muhammad Ali Pasha mosque, named for the authoritarian statesman who wrested Egypt from Ottoman control and established a dynasty that would last until the Free Officer's revolution of 1952. The mosque is a towering, iconic structure that catches the eye from miles around. But unbeknownst to those who never venture inside its doors, the interior of the mosque itself is truly a sight to see...which, unfortunately, you won't, because my camera is a failure.

In addition to the mosques (there was another smaller one, the Sultan al-Nasir Muhammad ibn Qala'un Mosque), the Citadel also houses Egypt's National Military Museum. We were kind of rushed through, because apparently they close for an hour at noon, but there was a lot of highly interesting exhibits and information on Egypt's military history, both referring to Salah al-Din's time as well as the modern era. Also of note, the museum is situated in what used to be Muhammad Ali Pasha's harem. You learn something fun everyday. Click on this link to check out all the pictures from inside the Citadel, including the mosque and inside the museum.

The ramparts of the fortress also provided an exceptional opportunity for me to film a panoramic view of the megatropolis that is Cairo. Although the quality isn't exceptional, you can easily get a sense of two of the city's defining characteristics: the smog and the seemingly never-ending urban sprawl that extends as far as the eye can see. It goes on and on and on and on and on...

Click the picture to the left to watch the video and see what I mean.

Well anyway, visiting Salah al-Din's Citadel was a fantastic experience that really allowed me to harken back to good ol' days of my youth (in reality, I think I last played AoE II a few months ago). However, it was really quite fitting to visit a site where the historical figure who inspired me to take up an interest in the Middle East and eventually come to Egypt actually lived and went about his business. Kind of a karma or fate or destiny or one those thing moment.

But although the day ended on a poignant and reflective note, it didn't begin that way. Prior to the Citadel, a group of us AUCers went to Souk al-Gouma (the Friday Market). This market is like nothing you've seen before. Khan al-Khalilee and the others don't even compare. I won't get into details here, because it deserves a post of its own in the near future, but the place was a mad house. Anyway, we were making our way through and seeing if things appealed to us. Cow guts- not today. Pigeons, which we could buy live and kill ourselves- maybe tomorrow. Literal piles of broken electronics that were apparently worthy of resale- I'll take a rain-check. I did, however find something of high interest, something that had been alluding my brother and I for the past week: A Club Zamalek soccer jersey. I even utilized my Arabic and got the puppy down to an exceptional price of 20 pounds (under 4 dollars!). Boy, was I stoked!

After we'd seen enough at al-souk, we hailed a cab and headed to the Citadel. Maybe it was the excitement of seeing the fortress complex or maybe it was the polluted Cairo air finally taking a toll on my well-being. But for whatever reason I left my (or maybe William's? sorry) MN State Basketball Tourney drawstring bag in the taxi, losing out on the bag, a bottle of water, and the elusive jersey I had just had in my clutches.

Oh well. The net value of the water and the jersey was under 5 dollars, and the bag, while important on a nostalgic note, can be replaced. Even better, losing the jersey gives me an excellent reason to go back next week and explore the madness that is the Friday Market...stay tuned.