Alexandria, Egypt

Alexandria is actually a beautiful port city-much smaller and more quaint than crazy Cairo...and the largest port in Egypt...so lots of beaches and history here...
Yesterday, I decided to jump on the best of Alexandria tour and figured I would jump off when I was bored...
We first headed to the Catacombs of Shaeqafa, an extensive 3 level funerary complex dating back to the 2nd centuryCE. Unfortunately no pictures were allowed here, so you will have to check it out on discovery channel-some pics of findings inside on the outside here...then to the National Museum, which was housed in the old American embassy building as the actual museum is being renovated-amazing relics from this region, along with a mummy in the cool basement of the building...check it out...also went to the Montaza Gardens where the summer residence of ex king Farouk is situated-but again, we were not allowed in and only have exterior shots of most places we went today. But the beaches were beautiful inside these gates!
We had lunch right on the waters of the meditteranean in a greek restaurant and from there went to the famous Bibliotheca Alexandrina, built on the same site where the famour Library of Alexandria that was established by Ptolemy in 288 BCE but today is the most unique and unusual architectural structure in the world. It was 10 stories long in this unusual open structure! We stopped the Qait Bey Fort, build on the original site of the Pharos, Alexandria's ancient lighthouse which was one of the 7 wonders of the Ancient World. At this point I was done for the day and my stomach was starting to rattle from something I ate in Cairo, so headed back to the ship for some R& R...good thing as I finally was plagued with my first strain of Egypt belly...lots of students were now on board, experiencing similar strains, as we all headed to the clinic for some relief-I went for crackers, they for drugs...I figured I had enough drugs in me that I would take some pepto and call it a day for Alexandria. I was also on duty and kept getting calls all day, so much easier to be on the ship dealing with issues there...
Although I feel a little more stable today, I think I will only venture out for a couple of hours to see if I am "missing" anything else in Alexandria, but I think I am been there done Egypt...we only have 2 days until we are in Istanbul and I am looking forward to having Steve here now for the next 12 days! I hear from my relatives that it is snowing in Istanbul and lots of flooding in different regions-no more warm weather-pull out the coats and hats!

So with that I say salbolaguz...good bye in Tatarcha...
much love, ro