We spent two days in Egypt, though the second day was a relatively quiet one sticking near the port in Alexandria where the Jade was docked. Big port though, second largest on the Mediterranean after Marseilles in France.
The first day was a long one though - up early as the boat glided into port, then onto the buses for the 3 hour drive each way to Cairo and back in an escorted convoy. Demonstrations in Tahrir Square and safety concerns as the people demanded the military regime hand back power as promised had altered a few of the excursions, but not our particular trip to the Pyramids and the Nile....though the security escort cars and one guard per bus were mandatory all the same.
The trip through the desert from Alexandria (8 million) to Cairo (20 million) was a bit of a surprise - this part of the Sahara at least was far more agricultural and less sand duney than we had expected.
Our busy day included the obligatory visit to the Pyramids of Giza and Sphinx on the fringe of ancient Cairo; the beautiful Alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali; a cruise down the Nile through modern Cairo on a river boat, complete with live music and belly dancer; and a stop at a papyrus museum and of course, a high end gift shop.
In spite of the inherent history and beauty of these places, rampant poverty was also evident. Beyond the obvious dusty feel inherent to cities in the desert, these endless mazes of unfinished buildings, garbage and unchecked humanity were entirely alien to us. Perspective is truly the greatest gift that travel can offer.
We made it back to the Jade after a 14 hour day ashore, in time for a late supper and the soothing sounds of RJ Red in the Aloha lounge, before the day's accumulated emotional and physical experience toll exacted it's dues. One must always pay the ferryman with fair coin for the journey into slumber.
We had seen the last remaining Wonder of the Ancient World at Giza, and the ship glided silently past another on the way out of port, the former site of the great Lighthouse (Pharos) of Alexandria as we headed out to sea on final time.....
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2 comments:
I appreciated reading about the contrasts you experienced in Egypt. Too often we hear the beauty of the ancient sites touted while the plight of the people remains unmentioned.
Um.
What's with the picture of the socked feet though?
Had to take our shoes off to enter the Mohamed Ali Mosque - thought I'd capture some of the travel minutiae.
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