Alexandria, Egypt, Wednesday, April 25 the day dawned bright
and crisp as we entered the harbor and remained a cool day with the high
temperature of approximately 80 degrees.
Alexandria was founded around a small pharaonic town circa
331 BC by Alexander the Great, although he never lived in Alexandria, his body
was brought back there for burial. It
remained Egypt’s capital for nearly a thousand years, until the Muslim conquest
of Egypt in AD 641. Alexandria was known
because of its Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World, its library and the Catacombs.
The city is also the gateway to the last existing Wonders of the Ancient
World – the Pyramids of Giza.
Most passengers departed the ship shortly after docking for
the 3 ½ hour drive to Cairo and the iconic Great Pyramids. Some tours took in the Egyptian Museum of
Antiquities and a delicious luncheon on a Nile River Cruise. Those choosing to stay in Alexandria had their
choice of the Library, visiting medieval Fort Qaitbey built on the ruins of the
Pharos lighthouse, or touring the roman Amphitheater. Dating back to the 1st century AD,
some people toured the Roman Catacombs, the ancient burial grounds 115 deep in
solid rock. Or a nice walk along the
Corniche provided views of the blue Mediterranean, street markets, a plethora
of mosques and local people.
All told, Alexandria provided a stark contrast between the
“modern” day living and the “old” city.
The next two days we will be at sea enroute to Dubrovnik,
Croatia.
