All along the Mediterranean Cruise - Alexandria

It was raining first thing & while it stayed off for the time we were out, it rained heavily after we got back & John the Cruise Director called off the farewell deck party. As for the trip, it started late, as we had an interminable time getting our passports back. The local authorities insisted in stamping them all, so we were late getting off. If these countries want to (quite rightly) get their hands on our tourist money, they will have to back off a bit on the paperwork. Our escort was Jeff Roberts, the port lecturer & our native guide was Rehab but she got the joke in first. She took us through an area with vast amounts of litter & the whole place was plastered end to end with election posters & banners. However, while the litter did not last, the traffic was awful. (Other tours had it worse - I will never complain about Euston Road again).

High-rise living

Revolutions don't organise dust-carts

First to the Roman Amphitheatre & photos were allowed everywhere, unlike our advice. This was extensive & also had baths & stuff recovered from the sea where the town has been inundated. The city has 8 million inhabitants!

Then, to the Museum, which was well presented but necessarily kept rather dark. This is on three levels, Pharaonic in the basement, Graeco-Roman at street level & Coptic Christian & Islamic on top. It turned out our guide was doing a PhD in Coptic but she is Moslem (head rag but otherwise dressed 'normally'). On to see the new Library, where someone held things up for 20 minutes. This is a strange building, familiar from pictures in the papers but odd when seen 'live'. One wonders how far underground it goes, as it does not look very big on the surface. Right: Carved hieroglyphics

The famous Corniche

The New Library

Conference Centre

Planitarium

Pond in front of the Library

Back at the ship at 1430, as in Late but lunch had been held over for us. We got out but the Pilot was left aboard & had to go with us to Catania. This meant that the Queen Viccy could not get out. He, he, he. This was followed by two days at sea, where one variously does laundry, walks round the deck, makes up this web site, reads one's book & chatters to the other passengers.