Alexandria, Egypt
Received our wake up call yesterday morning at 6 am and as usual, the locals were already trying to get our business. "Good morning Mr.Patterson, this is wake up call. You need taxi?" Our rep was meeting us at 7 am to take us to the Cairo train station, so we declined. Breakfast at the hotel didn't start until 7:30 so we ate some snacks and hoped to find something at the train station. The 20 minute ride to the train station was uneventful but when we arrived our driver had a hard time finding a place to park as they were filming a movie inside the station. The driver stayed with the car while our tour rep took us inside, where it was quite crowded with people waiting for trains and watching the ongoing filming. The trains in the station looked quite old and very dirty but our rep assured us that we were going to be put on a nicer train, a Spanish one, not an Egyptian one. Although by the looks of the train, the Spaniards are not much better off than the Egyptians. While we were walking down the platform, men keep trying to grab our bags and carry them for us, for a small fee of course. One man carried J's bag all of 5 feet before setting it down and expecting money. J gave him 1 Egyptian Pound which didn't impress him too much. The next time he came by he actually took J's bag from our tour guide and then tried to take mine. I'm not as gracious as J - "No money! I'll carry my own bag!" Our rep put us on the train, which was good as there were assigned seats but the numbers on the ticket were all in Arabic so there's no way we would have found our seats.
Leaving the city was quite interesting. The area became greener and poorer the further we went. Lots of donkeys and a few cattle along the way, with families working in the fields. Saw some corn but couldn't make out the rest of the crops. Passed a number of markets on the roads as well - lots of baskets and goods for sale. A modern day Egyptian Tupperware party! The seats on the train were pretty comfy, although quite old. A food cart came by within an hour and put food in front of us. "How much?" is always our question. "No money, you pay later!" I was willing to try the sandwiches but J thought it better not to as they contained meat and cheese. I settled for tea and some sort of pound cake while J decided to fast! (In the end it only cost me 3 pounds - not even a Canadian dollar)
The train ride lasted about 2.5 hours before it stopped at one of the train stations in Alexandria. We weren't sure if we were to get off at this station or the last one so we asked a lady beside us who seemed to be from the area. She advised us to get off at the last stop and also told us that someone had made an announcement earlier in Arabic advising the passengers that since the air conditioning had stopped halfway through the trip, we could get some money back if we asked at the station.
Before we got off a guy about our age asked us if we spoke English and also wanted to know what stop he should get off at. He was catching a flight from Alexandria to Dubai, where he was working. Asked us where we were from and when we replied "Canada" he said "Really? Are you really from Canada?" Apparently many Americans pass themselves off as Canadians when abroad, including himself! He was really from California and had been in Egypt for the past two weeks.
Our tour guide met us at the train station and was quite happy to help us get some money back from our train ride. Asked the train master first who directed us to the ticket booth. We were able to get 6 and half pounds each, which was about $2.50 Cnd! Not a lot but enough to use for tipping people that day! (J said my dad would be proud of us for getting our money back!!) The guide was quite shocked that they even gave us any money back as in Egypt everyone tries to take your money, not give it back to you! This guide was by far the most helpful, pointing out major sites, giving restaurants recommendations and taking us to a bank spot where J could get some smaller bills.
Arrived at our hotel around 11;30 and went through the normal procedures of the metal detector and checking in. The Regency Hotel is about the same as the one in Cairo although it has a better view. We're on the 9th floor and one side of our room looks out onto the Mediterranean. Still have two single beds but the room is clean and quite open. There was a nice breeze blowing all day yesterday so there was no need for the air conditioner. (It's a must at night though, as all of Egypt wakes up and parties till the wee hours of the morning!)
Our first mission after checking in was to find food. Walked down the street to some sort of Shawarma place where J got his usual (Chicken Shawarma) but I opted for a falafel. You pay at the cash, get a receipt and then fight your way to hand your receipt to one of the cooks who will make up your order. There is no line and chaos rules! I went outside to get J's Shawarma while he tried to fight in line to hand over my receipt! Finally got the food, found some place to get water and then walked back to the hotel to eat our food in the comfort of our room. When J opened his he was convinced that I had gotten him beef instead of chicken but I only handed the bill to the chef. The meat appeared okay but of course, J was sure he was going to die because of undercooked beef. (He's still very much alive!) I had to empty all the lettuce and tomatoes from my meal, which made it quite small, but very good.
Our first sightseeing of the day were the catacombs of Kom Ash-Shuqqafa. We had asked our tour rep what it would cost by taxi so that we wouldn't be left bargaining with a taxi driver. We've found that the easier way to travel is to stand at the road, wave down a taxi, show him where you want to go and then just get in. When you arrive, get out and hand the money through the window. Most places around Alexandria can be reached for a max of 15 Egyptian Pounds, which is about $3 Cnd. We haven't had any taxi drivers complain yet and some even thanked us so we're probably paying above what they would normally get.
The driver that took us to the Catacombs had no idea where he was going - he knew the general area but once there, had to ask directions of three different people before we arrived at our destination. The catacombs were interesting but no information marked any of the tombs. Our Lonely Planet guide helped us a lot but J still thought that at $4Cnd each, we got ripped off! From the catacombs we walked to Pompey's Pillar. We took a bit of a side tour through some side streets which made me feel quite uneasy. Garbage and people littered the sidewalks but nobody bothered us and a few people said "welcome to Egypt." I wish I could have taken pictures of the donkey carts and sheep grazing in the alleys but it seemed improper to do so. Arrived at the Pillar, which is mostly just ruins with a giant granite pillar. Not much info on any of the ruins, so it was a short visit. Left the ruins and headed outside to try and hail a taxi. There are tourist police everywhere, dressed in white, and one was kind enough to get a cab for us. (Of course he got some commission too, as the cabbie was grateful for his services!)
Took a taxi to Fort Qaitbey which is right on the sea. Impressive and very picturesque. Spent some time there taking pictures and watching people fishing and swimming in the sea. Walked along the main street for a while and then found some side streets where the real stores were. Found yet another Egyptian pastry shop where J bought his favourite Egyptian dish so far : Conafa. A sweet made from stringy like pastry, wrapped around roasted hazelnuts and then dipped in honey or syrup. Continued walking towards the hotel and eventually hailed a cab back to the hotel. Spent a couple of hours at the hotel resting and sleeping and didn't go back out again until about 8pm. The streets were actually busier at night and the beach was totally crowded! Our destination : McDonald's! Our desire : McArabia's!
Our McDonald's meal has been the most expensive meal so far ($5 Cnd) but the place was air conditioned, there was no smoking and we didn't have to tip anyone. Jonathan had the McArabia Kafta (with beef) and I had the one with chicken. Had to take out all the lettuce again but it was still good. Split some fries and a fried apple pie. (Not the baked garbage we get in Canada, says J!) (Side note: while were were waiting for the food I noticed an English poster advertising a position for a manager trainee at McDonald's. The person had to have a degree in tourism or customer service, be fluent in English (written and spoken), between 22-28 years of age and finished or exempt from military service! Quite the list!)
After eating, a tourism cop helped us cross the street so we didn't get killed by the crazy Egyptian drivers and we continued walking along the main street. We had seen a market on the way here, so though we could stop for some shopping on the way back. Tried to explain this to a taxi driver but he had no idea what we were talking about. A passerby offered to help translate but something got lost in translation and we ended up at some sort of shopping mall. Left the taxi and continued on our own, as J though it was just around the corner! Forty-five minutes later, we finally found it! The market wasn't very interesting - mostly for the locals I think. Lots of dress, bra and underwear stands , with some food and trinket stands. Took one last taxi home and settled in for the night!
We were able to sleep in until 9 am this morning before trying out our first Egyptian breakfast. J isn't very impressed as he didn't recognize most of the foods and we're not sure what is safe to eat. Passed by the cold meat, cheese, fruit and veggies and settled for hard boiled eggs (which J doesn't like anyways!) and some sort of crossiant. I decided to try some wrapped cheese - think Laughing Cow cheese, in small triangles. Spread it on my bun and no ill effects yet! Had some coffee too - instant, made with either boiled milk or hot water.
Our plan for today is to head to the Graeco-Roman museum, the Alexandria Library and then do a bit of walking tour, described in our tour book. Must run because the hour is almost up. Much cheaper here. (1 EP for 1 hour = about 40 cents Cnd.) No time to spell check so hope it all makes sense!
View from our hotel room in Alexandria
Fort Qaitbey
Konafa
McArabias at McDonalds!
Leaving the city was quite interesting. The area became greener and poorer the further we went. Lots of donkeys and a few cattle along the way, with families working in the fields. Saw some corn but couldn't make out the rest of the crops. Passed a number of markets on the roads as well - lots of baskets and goods for sale. A modern day Egyptian Tupperware party! The seats on the train were pretty comfy, although quite old. A food cart came by within an hour and put food in front of us. "How much?" is always our question. "No money, you pay later!" I was willing to try the sandwiches but J thought it better not to as they contained meat and cheese. I settled for tea and some sort of pound cake while J decided to fast! (In the end it only cost me 3 pounds - not even a Canadian dollar)
The train ride lasted about 2.5 hours before it stopped at one of the train stations in Alexandria. We weren't sure if we were to get off at this station or the last one so we asked a lady beside us who seemed to be from the area. She advised us to get off at the last stop and also told us that someone had made an announcement earlier in Arabic advising the passengers that since the air conditioning had stopped halfway through the trip, we could get some money back if we asked at the station.
Before we got off a guy about our age asked us if we spoke English and also wanted to know what stop he should get off at. He was catching a flight from Alexandria to Dubai, where he was working. Asked us where we were from and when we replied "Canada" he said "Really? Are you really from Canada?" Apparently many Americans pass themselves off as Canadians when abroad, including himself! He was really from California and had been in Egypt for the past two weeks.
Our tour guide met us at the train station and was quite happy to help us get some money back from our train ride. Asked the train master first who directed us to the ticket booth. We were able to get 6 and half pounds each, which was about $2.50 Cnd! Not a lot but enough to use for tipping people that day! (J said my dad would be proud of us for getting our money back!!) The guide was quite shocked that they even gave us any money back as in Egypt everyone tries to take your money, not give it back to you! This guide was by far the most helpful, pointing out major sites, giving restaurants recommendations and taking us to a bank spot where J could get some smaller bills.
Arrived at our hotel around 11;30 and went through the normal procedures of the metal detector and checking in. The Regency Hotel is about the same as the one in Cairo although it has a better view. We're on the 9th floor and one side of our room looks out onto the Mediterranean. Still have two single beds but the room is clean and quite open. There was a nice breeze blowing all day yesterday so there was no need for the air conditioner. (It's a must at night though, as all of Egypt wakes up and parties till the wee hours of the morning!)
Our first mission after checking in was to find food. Walked down the street to some sort of Shawarma place where J got his usual (Chicken Shawarma) but I opted for a falafel. You pay at the cash, get a receipt and then fight your way to hand your receipt to one of the cooks who will make up your order. There is no line and chaos rules! I went outside to get J's Shawarma while he tried to fight in line to hand over my receipt! Finally got the food, found some place to get water and then walked back to the hotel to eat our food in the comfort of our room. When J opened his he was convinced that I had gotten him beef instead of chicken but I only handed the bill to the chef. The meat appeared okay but of course, J was sure he was going to die because of undercooked beef. (He's still very much alive!) I had to empty all the lettuce and tomatoes from my meal, which made it quite small, but very good.
Our first sightseeing of the day were the catacombs of Kom Ash-Shuqqafa. We had asked our tour rep what it would cost by taxi so that we wouldn't be left bargaining with a taxi driver. We've found that the easier way to travel is to stand at the road, wave down a taxi, show him where you want to go and then just get in. When you arrive, get out and hand the money through the window. Most places around Alexandria can be reached for a max of 15 Egyptian Pounds, which is about $3 Cnd. We haven't had any taxi drivers complain yet and some even thanked us so we're probably paying above what they would normally get.
The driver that took us to the Catacombs had no idea where he was going - he knew the general area but once there, had to ask directions of three different people before we arrived at our destination. The catacombs were interesting but no information marked any of the tombs. Our Lonely Planet guide helped us a lot but J still thought that at $4Cnd each, we got ripped off! From the catacombs we walked to Pompey's Pillar. We took a bit of a side tour through some side streets which made me feel quite uneasy. Garbage and people littered the sidewalks but nobody bothered us and a few people said "welcome to Egypt." I wish I could have taken pictures of the donkey carts and sheep grazing in the alleys but it seemed improper to do so. Arrived at the Pillar, which is mostly just ruins with a giant granite pillar. Not much info on any of the ruins, so it was a short visit. Left the ruins and headed outside to try and hail a taxi. There are tourist police everywhere, dressed in white, and one was kind enough to get a cab for us. (Of course he got some commission too, as the cabbie was grateful for his services!)
Took a taxi to Fort Qaitbey which is right on the sea. Impressive and very picturesque. Spent some time there taking pictures and watching people fishing and swimming in the sea. Walked along the main street for a while and then found some side streets where the real stores were. Found yet another Egyptian pastry shop where J bought his favourite Egyptian dish so far : Conafa. A sweet made from stringy like pastry, wrapped around roasted hazelnuts and then dipped in honey or syrup. Continued walking towards the hotel and eventually hailed a cab back to the hotel. Spent a couple of hours at the hotel resting and sleeping and didn't go back out again until about 8pm. The streets were actually busier at night and the beach was totally crowded! Our destination : McDonald's! Our desire : McArabia's!
Our McDonald's meal has been the most expensive meal so far ($5 Cnd) but the place was air conditioned, there was no smoking and we didn't have to tip anyone. Jonathan had the McArabia Kafta (with beef) and I had the one with chicken. Had to take out all the lettuce again but it was still good. Split some fries and a fried apple pie. (Not the baked garbage we get in Canada, says J!) (Side note: while were were waiting for the food I noticed an English poster advertising a position for a manager trainee at McDonald's. The person had to have a degree in tourism or customer service, be fluent in English (written and spoken), between 22-28 years of age and finished or exempt from military service! Quite the list!)
After eating, a tourism cop helped us cross the street so we didn't get killed by the crazy Egyptian drivers and we continued walking along the main street. We had seen a market on the way here, so though we could stop for some shopping on the way back. Tried to explain this to a taxi driver but he had no idea what we were talking about. A passerby offered to help translate but something got lost in translation and we ended up at some sort of shopping mall. Left the taxi and continued on our own, as J though it was just around the corner! Forty-five minutes later, we finally found it! The market wasn't very interesting - mostly for the locals I think. Lots of dress, bra and underwear stands , with some food and trinket stands. Took one last taxi home and settled in for the night!
We were able to sleep in until 9 am this morning before trying out our first Egyptian breakfast. J isn't very impressed as he didn't recognize most of the foods and we're not sure what is safe to eat. Passed by the cold meat, cheese, fruit and veggies and settled for hard boiled eggs (which J doesn't like anyways!) and some sort of crossiant. I decided to try some wrapped cheese - think Laughing Cow cheese, in small triangles. Spread it on my bun and no ill effects yet! Had some coffee too - instant, made with either boiled milk or hot water.
Our plan for today is to head to the Graeco-Roman museum, the Alexandria Library and then do a bit of walking tour, described in our tour book. Must run because the hour is almost up. Much cheaper here. (1 EP for 1 hour = about 40 cents Cnd.) No time to spell check so hope it all makes sense!
View from our hotel room in Alexandria
Fort Qaitbey
Konafa
McArabias at McDonalds!
posted by The Patterson Pair at 4:25 AM
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