Egypt Day 9: Last Day in Egypt

At the catacombs, we weren't allowed even to bring cameras onto to the site so I have no pictures of the sculpture outside, the sculpture inside the catacombs, the paintings, or the catacombs themselves. Rather frustrating. The catacombs were pretty cool with a tomb for a Roman sailor and a maze of other burial slots.

Next we went to "Pompey's Tower" which is actually a column built by Diocletian in the now destroyed Serapaeum. The column was really, really, really tall.

There was also a giant scarab sculpture on site and a Nilometer.

Next we visited Kom al-Dikka and this time we were able to get inside but I left my camera behind in the bus. It's a good thing I got pictures the day before!

We also went inside Kavafy's old house which is now a museum. A recording of Sean Connery reading some of Kavafy's poems in English translation played as we explored the various rooms.

Before lunch we drove all the way out to a former palace, drove through the gardens, got out long enough to take pictures at the gate, then drove back out. I don't think anyone was exactly sure why we took all that trouble to see a palace instead of going to the archaeology museum.

We had a lunch at a beautiful, sea-side hotel before returning to Cairo where the next morning we caught a flight back to Athens!

Egypt Day 8: Alexandria

We said our last goodbyes to the pyramids as we headed out of town toward Alexandria

where we were welcomed into the city in Greek!

Look it's the Mediterranean!! Our Athenian home is just on the other side of that water. Sort of.

Our first stop was the Library of Alexandria, the modern one anyway.

We had a guided tour around the facilities then were left free to explore for a little while. I paid the extra fee to see the manuscript room where, it was claimed, the only original papyrus from the ancient Library of Alexandria is housed.

But, when I got inside, I discovered that this wasn't exactly the case. As the sign says, this is a facsimile and it doesn't even say of what text. Hmph.

Aside from this Latin manuscript from 1482, everything else was in Arabic. 

We next stopped at a citadel where the famous lighthouse of Alexandria once stood.

After a long day of traveling and tour-taking, we headed to the hotel tired and hungry. When we arrived, however, there were not enough rooms available, despite the fact our guide had called ahead to make sure everything was in order and these reservations had been made months ago. We stood around, crowding the small lobby, burdened by our luggage for over an hour as our guide and the hotel desk clerk yelled at each other in Arabic. When arrangements were finally made, all the single women (six of us in total) had to share one room together but Rob and Katie had no room at all still. At least our room was large enough to accommodate the extra roll-away beds the hotel provided and we had a nice view from the balcony.

We decided to get some falafel and then check out an archaeological site called Kom al-Dikka on our own once we got our room but by the time we got there, it was closed. I got some good pictures through the fence, though.

We also found the famous Greek poet Kavafy's house before heading back to the hotel.