Alexandria

We awoke to the sun shining on the beautiful Mediterranean Sea. It was great to have a leisurely breakfast overlooking the gardens and the sea.

We didn't have to leave until 9:30 - our first stop was Pompey's Pillar. The pillar has kept its original, but incorrect name. It was first named after General Pompey who was murdered by Cleopatra's brother and whose remains it was believed were left here. Later after more rubble was dug up, an inscription was found at the base indicating the pillar was erected in 291 AD for emperor Diocletian.  A little confusing to say the least.  The pillar sits atop the ruined Temple of Serapis - a god that was created as a mix of a Greek and Egyptian god. Alexandria's second, overflow library was also originally here and we went down and saw where the scrolls and other treasures were kept. We also saw another, different type of "Nileometer" that measured the height of the Nile each year.

The nearby catacombs were our next stop. They were accidentally discovered in 1900 and are believed to be the largest Roman burial site in Egypt. There are 3 levels, but the bottom one is now submerged in water. We climbed down the spiral staircase that wraps around the circular shaft through which the mummies were lowered. On the first level there was a sort of dining room. Sounds a little morbid, but most families traveled pretty far to bury or visit their deceased relatives here so they had a place to eat which they were there.  The Arabic name for the catacombs is "Pile of Pottery" because there was a pile of broken plates and other dishes found here. It was Roman tradition at that time to break one's plate after eating as it was considered bad luck to eat on a used plate. The meshing of Greek, Roman and Egyptian funerary beliefs  was very evident in the carvings in the main tomb. Aspects of all 3 were represented.

After lunch we visited Fort Qaitbey. It was built on a small peninsula by sultan Qaitbey in 1480 AD. One of the 7 wonders of the ancient world - the Pharos lighthouse - was on the site of the fortress. It was destroyed in an earthquake  in 1303 and some of the ruins were used to build the fortress. There is a nice promenade along the sea here and since it is a weekend, many families were here with their children. And of course what would a major tourist attraction be with out some peddlers - another opportunity to bargain. Some in our group are getting really good at it!

Finally, we went back to our hotel and got closer view of King Farouk's palace. Since it is still used by President Moubarak when dignitaries visit, it is not open to the public. We were able to explore the Montazah gardens. They are beautiful and the seaside location makes them even more impressive.  We also saw a lot of families and young couples here. There was a group of kids playing soccer and a mother helping her daughter learn how to rollerblade.

We had the remainder of the day at our leisure. After our busy schedule the last few days, some time to rest and relax was welcomed.

Tomorrow we return to Cairo for some final sight - seeing and shopping and our last evening. :-(