Alex III

It's time I covered my trip to Alexandria with In-Focus last weekend.

I started the day with a 5:30 am get-up and go. The taxi missed a turn and I missed my cappuccino as a result; but no matter, our group kept us well watered, pepsi'd and snacked on the 3 hour bus ride up the Alex Desert Road.

I'd never been up the desert road before and it was an interesting experience. Not very much desert, these days. 6th of October city looked like a DC suburb with mini-malls, stylish office parks on beautifully manicured lawns, exclusive communities of villas, and coffee joints...*sigh*

Upon reaching Alex, we met up with the Alex In-Focus group and visited the first neighborhood on our adventure: a small neighborhood that definitely is off the tourist track. The tiny winding streets were full of laughing children, kindly old ladies, older gentlemen full of character, and very curious residents wondering what these 50 or so odd photographers were doing in their streets.

After about 2 hours in the first area, and some of my best pictures of the day, we moved on to the Alex I was familiar with, near the fort. Fortunately, I teamed up with some new friends (2 of whom were residents of Alexandria) and discovered some new things: the fishmarket, the boat yard, and - best of all - Fuul and Tamaya (light, fluffy version of falafal). The three of us each had 2 sandwiches; one fuul, one tamaya - and the cost of all 6 sandwiches was 78 cents (and were DEEELICIOUS!) I also, FINALLY, got a cappuccino!

I thought that was going to be the end of the day (I really must read my emails more carefully). We had finished up the second area at 4:30 and I was ready for a nap. However, we still had one more neighborhood to visit, a fishing community about 20 minutes away from the city center. This community had beautiful boats and a beach. We spent about 2 1 /2 hours between the neighborhood and the beach, and I got some nice shots; however I was tired and the slightest annoyance (even a precocious child begging and begging me to take more pictures of her) was wearing on me. By sunset there was no where I wanted to be more than home in bed.

At 8:30 / 9:00 we left for ... DINNER!

That's right, at this point, we finally headed to the restaurant back near the city center for a fish dinner. The food was incredible! Seafood Soup and Salads (tahina, etc) to start, followed by fish 2 ways (deep fried and grilled with tomatoes and onion), calamary, shrimp, and rice ... all included with our day trip! The company was excellent as well, as I sat with some of the ladies I'd been hanging out with all day. (including my friend Noura's mother who had taken me under her wing in the morning).

Finally, at 2 am, thanks to a new friend who gave me a ride from where the bus dropped us off downtown, I got home. 20 hours of photography, 200 ok pictures - about 40 that I consider "good" and loads to think and talk about. All-in-all a good day.

Alexandria, Harbor From the Desert

I've only just returned from an amazing weekend in Alexandria and want to be sure I get my thoughts down before I forget...

But how could I forget? Alexandria was once the hub of civilization on the Mediterranean. Greek, Roman, and Egyptian scholars convened at the great Library of Alexandria (one of the 7 wonders of the world, now lost to antiquity) and still bears the marks of many great civilizations. The city is at once European and Egyptian, with architecture that reminds one of Cairo, Italy, and France. I met many residents who spoke several languages, and wandered down curving streets like every small European town.


The people I encountered were some of the kindest people I have met anywhere. A very kindly old man sold me some batteries for my camera. He had to walk a block to get the batteries and come back with them (the shop sold them, but his store only had them in the window and he got them from somewhere else - this is not entirely uncommon here). He hobbled back quickly and said to me that he was very glad to meet me. "Where are you from?" he asked "Near Washington, DC" I told him. "OH! I have a very good friend lives near there - in New York! You are visiting here?" Yes, I was, I was leaving tomorrow I said. "Oh," he said with some sadness and shook my hand, "then we shall never meet again. It was good to meet you!" I don't think I've ever encountered such a sweet man in all my life, sitting in his shop all day waiting for people to stop by.

Later that day, my friends and I were heading to the catacombs and Pompeii's Pillar. The guide book map was, in effect TERRIBLE for all of Alexandria. Luckily, the men emptying trucks, sitting in cafe's and selling from their carts all immediately recognized we were tourists and lost and, as we walked through the streets, would call out "Hello! Hello! This Way!" and directed us directly to where we wanted to go without us ever asking. Little children would run beside us "Hello! Hello! What is your name?" practicing their English, and even the carriage driver (we took a horse drawn carriage instead of a taxi after dinner last night) refused our generous tip saying "No! you only need to pay me 10! We didn't go very far!" (we had no smaller change and were only too happy to part with a 50 LE note (9 USD) for what he had told us would be a 30 LE trip.)

The pillar was pretty cool, but the catacombs gave me the shivers. Even though burials there took place nearly 2000 years ago, death still felt close by and I couldn't stay very long inside. The catacombs were also fascinating - especially in the melding of Greek and Egyptian art on the walls. Hathor and Anubis next to Dionysus and Medusa - the artwork was amazing. Other amazing artwork included mosaic murals that could be found all over the city reflecting the long, bright rays of sun throughout the day.



Of course, one of the best parts of the trip, for me, was the 3 hour train ride. I LOVE a train and will ride them whenever I can - this train, with it's opulently decorated stations, tea service, and the beautiful scenery on the ride, did not disappoint!

Alexandria, too, did not disappoint. It exceeded all expectations and I cannot wait for another weekend by the sea!