Alexandria "Pearl of the Mediterranean"

Monday morning saw us getting a bit later start as we did not have to be out the blue gate and over the long long bridge until 9:00. This time our driver parked the van on the other side of the busy crazy street but did walk over and we all felt like holding hands as we crossed the street with him. A policeman held up his hand for the traffic to slow down so that was good. Today there were only 10 in our group as one couple had got a bit sick the day before and were confined to their cabin for 24 hours. The ship takes great precaution to not have Gastroenteritis on the ship. If any one is suspected to be sick they are quarantined and we also have to have our hands sanitized each time we enter a restaurant or store and when we return to the ship. After Egypt they always stop anyone from serving themselves in the buffet and garden café and have lots of staff to put what we want on to our plates, pour our coffee etc. There is much grumbling by those that have not researched their trip previously, but it is only for the health of everyone. On a place as confined as the ship, if an infection of any sort breaks out it can spread like wildfire.
So it was off to pick up our guide and start our day in Alexandria, the 2nd largest city in Egypt and where the stormy relationship between Queen Cleopatra and Mark Antony took place. Our guide today was Mohammad and he was the director of a museum but now is guiding while he gets his PhD. It takes 4 years of University in Egypt to become a tour guide, (and with the thousands of years of history they must know, it seems reasonable)
The first stop was at the Roman Amphitheatre, which covers about a full city block in size and there they have uncovered hundreds of ancient artefacts. The amphitheatre is much smaller than Ephesus or Rome but the acoustics where amazing. The one thing different here from Ephesus is that the ground is still strewn with pieces of pottery and ancient stones that are not being saved, so we were able to pick up pieces and pocket them.
Ancient bath tubs and stone coffins were still just sitting in piles of rumble. Nothing is displayed or protected like other places.
Pompeii’s Pillar, which is a 25-meter-high granite column that was constructed in honour of the Emperor Diocletian in AD 297, is also here. It was always believed that Emperor Pompeii’s ashes were held at the top, but when translating some lettering they now know it was not for Pompeii at all. This magnificent tall pillar sits right in the middle of a huge area that is surrounded by old crumbling buildings and houses with laundry hanging on each balcony. Some how it takes away from its magnificence. PPPPPP
Back into the van and onto our next place which was the Catacomb Tombs of Kom el Shoquafa. Once again no cameras as they are afraid the flashes will begin to fade and destroy the wall paintings. A circular staircase leads down in to the catacombs. We started down, and down and down going by opening after opening where we could look up to the light in the top, where the body was originally lowered by rope. At points along the way we came upon rooms that were decorated with engravings and statues that would have been used as funeral banquet halls. They think these catacombs were originally just used for one family but they now know that over 1000 were buried there in the still existing openings hewed out of the rock. We continued down and down further until we reached the bottom. At many times we went into little anti rooms where there were dozens of tombs and often water on the floor where we had to walk on 2 x12 planks that were perched about 24 inches off the floor. They had 2 planks together to walk on, and often tours would come from the other direction, so we would have to hang on to the opening of the tomb and turn sideways so they could get past us. Half of our group got lost from the tour guide and yes I yelled “Help, where are you Mohammad?" We then entered another room where there were 3 sarcophagi which he said; one was for the king, the 2nd for the wife and the 3rd for the children. They were very ornately decorated with hieroglyphics and figures, and replicate statues of each of them. Next we entered a room that has been called the Hall of Caracalla, where bones of horses and humans were found together. One of the tombs was much bigger and longer and probably a horse was buried there. I guess back then, they loved their animals too.
Now remember me saying I had to balance myself on the beams, and I needed to reach over and hold onto one of the tomb opening, well upon coming out I found myself rubbing my lips and someone said, you realize Cheryl, you just ate 2 ancient Egyptian’s in dust form. Yikes! It was good to come up out of that deep abyss and sanitize our hands again, (something we did very often,)
Next we visited the Fortress of Qaytbay; this citadel which looks like a castle fortress was built in the 1480s by Sultan Qaitbey on the site of the Pharos Lighthouse, to protect the city from the crusaders who used to attack the city by sea. Others went inside and walked the hundreds of steps to the top, but we chose to sit out side and then walk up to the edge of the wall and sit and look out at the sea. It was very beautiful and we understand why a lot of people of Cairo come here for their holidays.

Our last stop was the New Library of Alexandria. Alexandria was the center of learning in the ancient world and this modern version is an eleven-story, cylindrical-shaped building that houses more than eight million books that are built on the site of the ancient library. The architecture on the inside as well as the outside is absolutely phenomenal. Every structure on the inside serves a particular function and incorporates Egyptian culture, even down to the chairs used in the reading section - they're designed to meet certain orthopaedic standards, and feel great to sit in.
We were then taken to a Greek restaurant for lunch. They called it Greek but it seemed more Egyptian. We were told we could order fish, chicken or meat. No other explanation.
Most chose chicken and a couple of brave ones chose meat. We got the plate with a quarter of chicken, a pile of rice and some French fries, and many little plates of things like roasted eggplant rings, spiced lentils, pickled potatoe cubes, and humus , all to be put on the pita squares ( we think). Not the best meal but filling (of course after eating on the ship for a week we are very spoiled.)
Here we paid for the trip and argued about prices again (which is how I assume they get more. from those that do not take along confirmation of price and deposits already paid) and we also bought a book written by our guide. Then back through the memorable traffic to the ship, tipped our two day driver very well and said goodbye to Mohammed.
At the ship there were many stalls of vendors selling thousands of souvenirs, and once again we argued and walked, or argued and bought more things that when we get home we will say, “What in the world was I thinking?” I bought a small wool rug that may be infested with camel lice, but not sure. lol