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Entry from: Alexandria, Egypt
Entry Title: Alexandria..Finally.
Entry:
we leave later than expected around 10 am to start our trip to Alexandria.
Since being a child, Alexandria has been one of those places in northern Africa that has just amazed me. a port that was so huge at one point in time that it would out any current major city to shame.
the diversity, and the beauty that surrounds Alex is breathtaking. I can only imagine what kind of image it would have personified before the starbucks and McDonalds overtook the main strip.
it was roughly 4 hours driving from central Cairo and the scenery itself was rather boring. i remember driving to hurghada and seeing windfarms and unique sights in the distance. i even remember driving around 2 am and seeing a huge fire on the red sea about a mile off the coast. just burning on top of the water. apparently it was quite common for oil companies to do this sort of thing, but it was a first to me.
there was no fire or any cool sights. just poverty and pollution.
we enter Alexandria around 2:30 to a **** storm of traffic. eventually we find a parking lot and head to a sea food place that peter absolutely adores. Personally i was not a fan, but the others enjoyed it, so i went with the flow. i was more anxious to make our way to a decent bed in a decent hostel so i can flop down for a few minutes and figure out where to go next.
right behind the sofitel there is a hotel called The new Capri Hotel. this was only 110 pounds per night = $25 usd roughly. the sofitel wanted $250 usd a night per room.
pssshhh we chose the Capri and went to check in..
it hit my first problem of the trip. i can not find my passport.anywhere.. its not in my equipment bag or in my backpack. i am freaking.
LUCKILY, i never travel without a photocopy of my passport, license,birth certificate and social security card all on one copy.. and luckily that was sufficient to stay there. no i know its going to be hard to concentrate while being in Alex knowing my passport is in limbo. Im convinced its either at the flat in Cairo, or i got pick pocketed at the khan.
*The room itself was a typical backpacking room. two very used beds. locks that were barely working and shower with no curtain or toiletries of any sort. there were no bugs though, and we did get cable tv in a super scrambled form. but it was like 5 channels repeated in like 50 languages. all in all, i felt safe, and i slept well. and the view was amazing.
Eff me. We get situated and unpack a few things..then we grab our daypacks and head towards the alleyways and street vendors. lots of shops and lots of people, none of which compare the insanity of Cairo.but amusing and time consuming none the less.
we find a nice little restaurant with a great menu and go to town.service is slow and seeing as how we are the only customers in there,its a little confusing. and its getting late, so we know they are trying to jet.
all B.S. aside, the food showed up after about 45 minutes. and it was better than expected. i ordered some spaghetti, while peter ordered pigeon and Lexy stuck with appetizers.
a long, but uneventful day. excited about roaming the streets tomorrow and seeing some things Ive been waiting 26 years to see.
as i sit in the balcony at our hotel and peer out 7 stories above the city, i watch trolleys cause near fatal traffic accidents every 5minutes as they putt between busy intersections like snails on an expressway.
time to sleep.
Read and see more at: http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/christopherkrum/1/1246339045/tpod.html
Photos from this trip:
1. I dont know..
2. WELCOME!!! to traffic
3. Where we begin to walk
4. Driving into alexandria
5. From the shores on the Mediterranean!
6. ..
7. Tasty beverage what is it?
8. Another bridge into alex
9. Library of Alexandria
10. Consumerism
11. Even worst
12. Pizza.
13. A random stone art piece.
14. Gorgeous sunset on the Mediterranean
15. Cute homeless cat.
16. Such a cute kitty
17. Appetizers at dinner
18. A fried pigeon
19. Table of calories.
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Duration : 0:2:12
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