The last day of our tour :( brought us a few hours car ride North to Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast. Flanked by desert to the west, a salt lake to the south, and a branch of the Nile to the east, it made a defendable new capitol for Alexander the Great during Egypt's Greek occupation starting around 300 BC.
There was a small egyptian village at the site of Alexandria, but most of the sights to see come from the Greek era once it became the capitol. We visited catacombs that mixed together greek and ancient egyptian tradition setting medusa heads next to the goddess Isis and greek clothing on the gods Horus and Anubis. The main tomb belonged to what must have been a wealthy family at the time, but no name was ever found. Surrounding their elaborate tomb were several medium and smaller tombs for lesser nobles and niches for commonfolk. There was even a room full of the bones from what were probably successful war horses. Scenes of mummification adorned the walls even though they were cremated. Urns were placed in clines made to look like sarcophagi. Mummies would not hold up well in the weather of the mediterranean coast.
It turns out Pompey's Pillar is neither pompey's nor a pillar. The actual column was cut from one massive piece of granite for a Greek ruler after he opened the royal stores of grain to the people during a famine. Erected on the site of a pre-existing temple, the column (not a pillar b/c it tapers) still stands flanked by two sphinxes. Most of the temple above ground was destroyed and washed away, however, the corridors and rooms dug into the bedrock remain without the paintings and carvings that once adorned the walls. Evidently, temples don't last as well when they are not in the desert.
The library of Alexandria (the new one, not the ancient one) was closed today because Friday starts the weekend here. Egyptians work Sunday through Thursday. Pictures of the stunning building will have to suffice. It resembles a giant sun disk rising from the ground. The tilted stone facade has written on it letters from every alphabet known to man. Contrasting the stone, the sloped ceiling is glass and reflects the suns rays making it a stunning sight to see. Smooth and rough, old and new, ancient and modern, the library is a delicate balance that mirrors Egypt itself.
Our last stop, and our only venture into the A.D. (15th century) was Fort Quaitbay built on an island 1km off shore. A dike was built to link it to the mainland. We enjoyed exploring the rooms, hallways, archer and cannon windows, as well as the view from the Sultan's room. Wind whipped the Mediterranean into the lower levels and you didnt stand too close to the edge for fear of being splashed. Children played tag around the complex reminding me of how similar we are when it comes down to it.
Looking out over the east harbor toward the fort and Alexandria skyline, we dined on Egyptian bread hot from the oven, tahini, and sea bass at the Fish Market restaurant. An excellent meal to cap off an excellent trip.
Amy measures how asleep I am based on how much my mouth has dropped open. Agape is a better word, and agape it was on the car ride back to Giza. Safe and sound back at the hotel we searched for a view of the sunset and pyramids. We were not disappointed and found a stairwell that offered an excellent view. It will be our last goodbye to the pyramids that drew us here. The history, stories, and mythology unite us because its a story of the human experience. A story of families and the sometimes dramatic twists and turns they take. A story of sunrises and sunsets, life and death, times of plenty and times of famine. A story of the human struggle that continues to this day.
Salaam, Egypt.
