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.

Under Bukittinggi and far above

Bukittinggi had a dark, hidden past under its town. During the war, the Japanese used local Indonesians as slave labour to build underground tunnels where they stored their ammunition. We found the bunkers disturbing, as if a cloud of pain and death still resonated off the stone walls and rushed out.

Musjid Sultan

Better known as Sultan Mosque, this place of worship seemed to dominate the Arab Quarter of Singapore. Wherever I walked, a minaret or the golden dome arose above the buildings.

The Majestic Mosque Street’s Wonder

Photo courtesy: twitter.com/aswalli

There was something stately about Mosque Street’s jamatkhana: the Islamic lattice-work on the lower balconies; the rhythm of the arches; and the clock tower overlooking the street.