Mosques of Cairo

There wasn’t many directions I could face in Cairo without seeing the dome of a mosque arching against the sky or a minaret stretching above the city. We visited several, where we removed our shoes and covered our heads before entering the elaborate Islamic architectural wonders. It was the small details that captured my interest, like the geometric designed grill on the Al Rifai Mosque.

A haven of solitude

I passed Kyoto’s Chion-in temple before I was drawn through a quiet entrance like a hooked fish pulled in on a fishing line. Tall redwoods lined one side of a path and bamboo the other. Overhead, crows protested my intrusion, but I continued along the peaceful trail until I reached the Mausoleum of Emperor Hanazono.