The first time I was in Egypt was when I won a free cruise of the Mediterranean from the Orient Cruise Company. My Greek Friend Nini worked as a Tour Guide and she was able to get a free trip as well so we share a Cabin.
Nini’s Company arranged for a private taxi to take us on a short tour of Alexandria and then drive us to Cairo and for one free night at the Sheraton Hotel in Cairo.
I was a little worried about how we would get back to meet our Ship the next day but Nini said she had a Friend who would give us a tour of Cairo and arrange for us to take a taxi to Port Said.
~O ALEXANDRIA O~
It took us a long time to dock in Alexandra because there were so many Cargo Ships that we had to pass between.After an hour our Ship final moored at Alexandria. When we disembarked there was a Man holding up a sign with Nini’s name on it.
We had arrived on Friday and I wanted to see the Synagogue before sunset. At one time Alexandria had a lot of Synagogues but now there was only one.
The Synagogue was closed when we arrived but it was being guarded by six Men from the Egyptian Navy. Our Driver arranged for us to walk around the grounds so I could take some pictures.
Our next stop was at the Lighthouse. This is one of the ’’7 Wonders of the Ancient World’’.We had to cross a bridge to reach it because it is on an Island called Pharos. At the time it was built is was the tallest building in the World. We went to see a strange mirror that can reflect more that 50 km off-shore. Today that might not seem that far but in those days it was amazing that anyone would know how to make it.
We saw Pompey’s Pillar with the sand stone Lion guarding it. Then we went to see the Catacombs of Kom al-Shoqafa. This is a Roman Cemetery. We had to climb down three levels of rock to see it. We passed by the Roman Amphitheater but did not stop.
We were driven thought the Streets of Alexandria and our Driver pointed out a few things. We arrived at the last stop we would make in Alexandria. It was the Drivers House!
He had been given this job at the last minute and because the telephones are great in Egypt he could not tell his Wife that he would be Home very late.
~O ON THE ROAD TO CAIRO O~
Alexandria is between the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mariut. To reach Cairo we had to travel about 140 km to reach Cairo.
We took the highway that followed the Railroad Tracks through the Nile Valley. It took us 3 hours for him to drive the 140 km to Cairo because the highway only had two lanes.
As we drove along the road Trains and inter-City Buses passed us. They were all crammed full of people and had people laying on top and hanging onto the open widows, (from the out side).
The Nile Delta is very fertile so we pass by the Farms and Villages of the Fellaheen, (Farmers). We reached Cairo just after sunset.
~O IN CAIRO O~
We stayed at the Nile Sheraton. When we walked into the lobby we were given the V.I.P. treatment. The Assistant Manger was waiting for us and checked us in a private desk. He escorted us to our rooms.
Nini tried to phone Nesma Sadiq. A young Child kept answering. She either didn’t speak Arabic or didn’t understand Nini’s. After four attempts she stopped answering the phone. By now we were starving so we went down to the Lobby.
The Assistant Manger was at his desk so I walked up and explained our problem. He told us to give him the Sadiq’s phone number and we should take a look at the Shops in the Lobby while he would try to find out where they were.
They had some wonderful Stores but Nini said everything was overpriced and I should wait until the morning. We browsed through them for about 15 minutes and went back to see the Assistant Manager.
I got the shock of my life when he told us about who was answering the phone. Apparently in Egypt young Children, (this one was 9 years old), work as babysitters. The Sadiqu’s had a six Month old Baby and I think Child who is nine is too young to take care of a Baby. He told us the Sadiu’s were out grocery shopping and would be home in about a half an hour. He suggested we go to the Coffee Shop and have dinner and he would keep calling the House until he reached them.
To reach the Coffee Shop we had to climb a long flight of stairs. We ordered our meals and just as we they arrived the Assistant Manger arrived to tell Nini he had her Friend on the phone.
The next morning Nesma picked us up and showed me Cairo, (I described this in my Cairo review). She lives in an area called Mohandiseen. This is a residential area that has a lot of Apartments or Condos. She had a taxi arranged to pick us up at her Condo.
We were late in arriving and the Taxi was waiting. She ran upstairs to bring us each a bottle of ice cold bottled water.
~O ON THE ROAD AGAIN O~
From Cairo to Port Said we had to travel over 200 km. This two lane highway was quite different than the one we took to get to Cairo. It is endless miles of a straight road that had a few rice fields, some old towns and a stark landscape. One can get bored with seeing a lot of sand dunes.
I had been to Kenetra after the Six Day War. It is on the other side of the Nile and is a bombed out City. I had flown there from Tel Aviv but thought it was near to Port Said. It was a very hot day and each of us had finish 3/4 of our water by the time we were across from Kenetra.
I made a huge mistake and told Nini we could finish our water. Then I remembered we still had an hours drive before we reached Port Said. She screamed at me and we were barely talking by the time we reached the Canal.
Port Said is on the Mediterranean where you enter the Suez Canal. It was so small I can’t imagine any big Ship going through it.
~O PORT SAID O~
Nini wanted to visit the National Museum so we had our taxi take us to our Ship and left our overnight bags in our Cabin and walked into the City.
The Museum is on one floor and this is where I saw my first Mummie, (they had a few on display). The displays were artifacts and statues that showed Coptic & Islamic coins, manuscripts and cotton material.
It is a very old City and quite sleazy. There are Egyptian Police and Military everywhere. They were Navy personal from around the World.
All of the Shops in Port Said are Duty Free. Most of the Shops sold electronic goods and a few sold Jewelry, Ladies and Mens clothing.
I bought a bottle of Beef Eater Gin and an silver Arab Amber necklace, (the Amber doesn’t look like Russian Amber). Nini and I still weren’t talking much. We saw a Ladies Shop and just as we were about to walk in my ’’period’ started.
I was in a light yellow dress and the blood was gushing. I ran back to the ship without saying good-bye to Nini.
When she returned she said she was sorry for getting mad at me and gave me a gift of a light cotton kaftan with different colored tulips hand embroidered on it.
~O SOME THOUGHTS O~
I won’t be going back to Egypt so I won’t be doing this trip again. However if you are on a Cruise Ship that offers a side trip to see Alexandria, Cairo and Port Said I hope you will take it because you will be traveling on an air-conditioned Coach.
©LL2002