All Aboard!

Departing Alexandria, we stopped at a mall on the edge of the city before beginning our trek back to Cairo, where we’d catch a train to head south. I couldn’t help but ask, “Who shops here?” because the majority of the signage was in English, selling expensive Western brands. The only exception was the grocery store, which clearly catered to locals. It’s like ancient Alexandria: international mixed with local. We bought some snacks for the train ride while we were there. We drove to Cairo and stayed just long enough to wait at the train station. We watched with some […]

Alexandrian Books

Our time in Alexandria was not complete. The next morning we drove to an archaeological site from the Roman period. From my extensive wanderings over the years, this site felt familiar despite it being my first visit. It’s filled with all the usual furnishings that Romans would find familiar: baths, a theater, lecture halls, and more. Alexandria was the second largest city in the empire in the first century after Rome itself. The previous day was the lighthouse. What else is Alexandria famous for? Its library! While that is long gone and its location unknown, the reputation has remained. In […]

Alexandria Arrival

It’s been awhile; it’s time to get back to my traveling tales from Egypt! We departed from Cairo after breakfast, driving north to the coastal city of Alexandria. Situated at the western end of the Nile delta, it was founded by and named after Alexander the Great. (It would also become his burial place) It became the new Egyptian capital during the Hellenistic period that followed. While looking at its ancient ruins, I could have forgotten that we were talking about Egypt. While maintaining Egyptian ideas, it had a heavy blend of Greek and Roman influence to see and explore. […]