A Day in Alexandria

Friday morning, the entire group ventured off on a bus north to Alexandria.  The bus ride is about 3 hours long and we made a stop in a bizarre place.  It was a restaurant and zoo mixed together.  The food was pretty good, as they served a sort of honey pie dish called fatir, but the zoo was a bit troubling and bordered on the unethical for how they treated the animals.  Curt though has told me that this place was a a paradise for the animals compared to the zoo, which he described as horrific and awful.

Anyway, we left and about an hour later, at about 12, we finally made it to Alexandria.  It is extremely beautiful, as the Mediterranean greets you so warmly.  I simply love the Mediterranean, and I have now seen the other side of it.  I was stunned by its allure and the peace it gives.  As I stood by the sea, the waves completely drenched me, but I felt so liberated by the gentle breeze and the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks.  It was as mesmerizing a view as I could ask for.  I have been in Cairo for about four weeks and it is a city of traffic, constant noise, and extreme pollution.  Although I love Cairo, Alexandria proved to be a haven away from the clamor of the city.  The peacefulness of the sea was a perfectly welcome break from Cairo.

We first went to Fort Qaitbey, which sits right by the sea where the legendary lighthouse of Alexandria used to be.  The fort itself has nothing in it, but it is at a perfect location, as it has splendid views of the rest of Alexandria (including the dock and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina) and of course the Mediterranean.  A group of us went inside and went as far up as we could go in order to enjoy the best possible view.  We were there for about an hour simply enjoying staring at the sea.  You can truly get lost in its infinite beauty.  Finally we left the fort and went to eat at the fish market, where I enjoyed a delicious and fresh sea bass.  The restaurant was also by the water and enjoyed a great view.

After walking along the water for about an hour, we finally met up with everyone to go to the Bibliotheca Alexandrina.  This is the palace of libraries that seeks to somehow replace the original library at Alexandria.  It does an excellent job in creating a balance between modern and historical.  The panels on the exterior of the library are specifically built to not let in harmful rays that could possibly harm the precious books it houses.  Inside, the library has room for about 8 million books and has a multitude of small museums.  In my short time there I went to the Anwar El Sadat museum and the manuscript museum.  The Sadat museum contained personal items that belonged to the former president.  Everything from his pipes, his Qur'an, and photos with other heads of state including Margaret Thatcher, Jimmy Carter, and King Juan Carlos I were in this small exhibit.  However the most shocking piece of his history in the museum was the suit he wore on the day he was assassinated.  It is still bloody and the bullet holes are clearly visible.  I saw many Egyptians there, either sad women weeping for their slain president or proud fathers with their sons.  This is a man who has played a critical role in history, as he signed the Camp David Peace Accords, but he was by no means an exemplary leader.  On a more cheerful historical note, I also visited the manuscript museum which was truly amazing.  Early versions of the Bible, the Qur'an, and academic texts flooded this exhibit.  It was incredible to see such historical texts that were hundreds of years old, and some even over a thousand years old. The only negative aspect of the library was that you had to pay 5 Egyptian Pounds to get in.  That is less than $1, but in a country that some people make just over $1 a day, it seems a bit wrong to charge an entrance fee.  As my friend Nick put it, "It is unethical to charge a fee to gain entrance to the sum of all human knowledge."

We finally left Alexandria, ending a perfect day by the sea and at the library.  I would have loved to stay there for a full weekend, but alas I enjoyed my short stay.  I will hopefully one day return to this enchanting city.