Cruising to Egypt

We spent our last day in Italy in the Port of Civitavecchia, a gritty port city on the outskirts of Rome. Then onto the Celebrity Silhouette, our cruise ship for a tour of the Mediterranean, with stops in Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Greece, Sicily, Naples/Pompeii and then back to Rome.

Two days at sea, during which Loreen fed up with the lack of cleanliness in our room, asked guest services for cleaning products so she could clean it to other cruise line standards, resulted in an immediate upgrade to a new room with a balcony!  That's my girl, I would never of thought of that:)

We docked in Alexandria, Egypt (established by Alexander the Great in 332 BC) and spent a day visiting the pyramids, the sphinx, a lunch cruise on the River Nile in Cairo, and a large Muslim mosque. What an amazing day, although it was a little startling when the tour company informed us that every second or third bus would have a plain clothes, armed policeman on it. Not sure if it was to protect us or to protect the locals!

The Pyramids of Giza

Sphinx and his missing nose!

Standing at the front of the sphinx with the pyramids in the background and miles of desert was an experience I will never forget. Scattered around the area are small horse and camel caravans that wind through the desert and the pyramids.



Camel Caravan

Even though these caravans are mostly tourist scams, where they offer a ride for five dollars and then once you are on the camel they want fifty dollars to let you off, it is still a pretty spectacular sight to see.  (Our tour guide negotiated us a deal for $10 which I am sorry now I didn't take). 

Isn't she cute!

It boggles the mind to think of these huge structures being built centuries ago with no motors or hydraulics to get the huge stones up so high. The fitting of the stones together, where there are perfect ninety degree joints is also a mystery to me.

Jointed with a chisel!

Then onto an Egyptian river barge for a one and half hour cruise and buffet lunch on the Nile. The cruise boat was modelled after the ones that are depicted as the Royal Barge in Cleopatra movies.

The River Nile

The food was pretty western style and the big entertainment was the belly dancer from Argentina! Again, we were shadowed by a police boat with two armed policemen the total time we were on the river.

Then off to the Citadel of Salah-El-Din, built between 1176 and 1182, that includes the Alabaster Mosque of Mohamed Ali, not the boxer, a much older Mohamed! Again the place is huge, and built out of alabaster and marble.

The Alabaster Mosque

The excitement of the day took place when Loreen was stormed by a group of 12 to 14 year old school girls that all wanted to practice their English. She was thrilled, they were thrilled and their male teacher angry. Our well educated female guide explained to us the teacher was likely embarrassed that they could converse in English and alarmed that they would talk so freely with a westerner. They even came and asked me my name, which is against some cultural beliefs.

There is still a political gulf between the various groups of people in Egypt. Although most are of the Muslim faith, many are opposed to the present Islamic government, especially the mid twenty to forty year old educated. They are still protesting quietly against the election results.