Alexandria, Egypt – July 25

30 degrees – HUMID

It is very apparent from the moment we step foot off of the boat that we are somewhere ‘different’.  The people look different, are dressed differently and the lettering on everything is different.  Chris and I agree that we enjoy the differentness.  Not that we are exactly part of the differentness, cloistered in the coaches as we travel thought town and even when we get off of the bus, but we welcome it nonetheless.

We have a semi-late start this morning as it takes some time for all of the passengers to go through immigration.  Each one of us doesn’t physically have to go be seen, but each and every passport has to be seen.  This is definitely a perk of being on a ship – usually immigration people go through the passports without passengers.  Israel (as we remember from last year) will certainly be a different story. 

The theme of today’s tour is Rome’s influence on Alexandria.  Our first stop is ruin site – Pompey’s Pillar. Mostly a photo stop really.  The guide explains everything on the bus and we have about 15 minutes to take photos.  It’s funny to think that the few artefacts that are here are to us something to be noticed, but in terms of all of Egypt they are quite insignificant.  Apparently of the are uncovered in Egypt only 30% are on display anywhere and most are in storage.  The government is allowing many of the pieces to be displayed in ‘open air’ museums so that more can be enjoyed.  Next we visit catacombs, followed by a visit to a Roman theatre.  

This is my kind of sight seeing day…3 or 4 hours in the morning followed by a leisurely lunch, drinks, reading, napping etc.  Tomorrow is an EARLY call of 6:30 for a 3 hour drive to Cairo!

For those of you who might have tried to get me with my CSSD email – don’t bother.  It hasn’t worked since we left Calgary.