Alexandria

---

Last weekend I took a quick two-day trip up to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast.

So much history, and yet...

Alexandria has a lot of history behind it. Unfortunately most of it no longer exists.

The great lighthouse (Pharos), one of the seven ancient wonders of the world? Gone, destroyed by an earthquake and replaced by a fort. (Supposedly some of the granite blocks in the fort were salvaged from the destroyed lighthouse).

The great library, once the largest of its kind in the world, and a vast storehouse of human knowledge in ancient times? Gone, though there's a new library, with very modern architecture, that attempts to recapture some of Alexandria's past glory.

The tomb of Alexander the Great, who founded the city? No one knows where it is located.

The palaces of Cleopatra and other Roman and Greek rulers? Underwater -- several have been rediscovered recently, but they're not exactly easy to get to. On the other hand, there is a Roman catacomb complex south of downtown that is about 100 feet underground and absolutely amazing -- room upon room and chamber upon chamber of spaces for the dead, with carvings on the wall combining (bizarrely) Egyptian, Roman, and Greek influences.

So while Alexandria played a huge role in ancient times, there isn't much left to show for it in the way of "sights." Nevertheless, Alexandria grabbed me instantly -- with the Mediterranean at your doorstep, a sweeping Corniche to walk along, and clean streets, Alexandria is a completely different place from Cairo. Until the revolution in the 1950s, Alexandria was home to a large foreign population, and echoes of these influences still remain in the buildings, coffeehouses and bars (yes, there are a few).

The hotel I stayed at could not have been better -- sparkling clean, cheap, and with a balcony on the sixth floor that looked right out over the harbor and Mediterranean. How nice it was to decompress for a bit and breathe (relatively) clean air...

In fact, the air may have been too clean and a shock to my system, because I came down with a cold the next morning, which I'm still fighting through.

What's next

This is my last week of classes, and if everything goes according to plan, I will leave Egypt and arrive in Amman, Jordan on Thursday evening, and then cross over into Israel/Palestine/The Occupied Territories (take your pick) on Friday, and spend 3 or 4 days in Jerusalem and Bethlehem for Christmas. Merry Christmas to you all!

Also, after I leave Egypt, I may not be on the internet for awhile since I'll be moving around a lot; future postings may have to wait until I get back to the States...

---

Comments

[Nicola Smith]

Happy Christmas
Great to hear your very entertaining accounts of crossing roads in Cairo, getting taxis and confusing the locals with your arabic!! I hope that you had a great time in Bethlehem for Christmas. I've been in Dublin and fly back to England today to go back to work and then off to a cottage in Wales for New Year with 16 friends. First time I've ever gone away for New Year! Anyway have a safe trip through Israel etc. and hope to hear from you again soon. Regards Nicola