Iron Maiden - Iron Maiden

Alexandria 008
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Scuba diving Cleopatra’s City 2-12-07

Made it back from Kenya no issues and now I’m back in Egypt. It’s like coming home. Not at all actually but at least I’m familiar with things this time round. I haven’t had a taxi driver rip me off yet and they all try. I took the train up to Alexandria, the home of the original Iron Maiden herself -Cleopatra, stopping for a few hours in Tanta to see the sites. Very nice. Alexandria is the big motivator today though. I’ve been looking forward to it for a while. Two main reasons really. First, they have scuba diving on the remains of ancient ruins. Second, the ruins of the great library that I am using in my second novel (can’t call it new because I’ve been working on it for years). So I’m very excited to be here. First impression of the city was different. Nicer and more European than anything else I’ve seen in Africa so far. The people were very modern with none of the hassles tourists find in other parts nearby. I guess the influx of one ‘empire’ after another has had its affect. (quick history lesson: Alexandria was founded of course by Alexander the Great, after his death his Greek (Macedonian really) Generals took over and became Egyptian Pharaohs, then the Romans grabbed the city, then the Arabs, Napoeon, Ottoman, etc. before Alex and Egypt finally won independence from the British empire earlier this century.) So needless to say but saying it anyway, Alexandria is a cosmopolitan city.

Cleopatra Dive Shinx n Me
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Diving: So I show up at 9am and wait around till 12 to dive. I don’t care. I’m just stoked they have enough people to go out. Most expensive dive ever too. $35 govt fee just to use my own camera on the site. Again, I don’t care. I’ve always wanted to dive ancient ruins and this is the only place I know of where tourists can. So we go out, and the water is freezing. Finally, I DON’T CARE. Finally, the site. The archeologists call the site Cleopatra’s City and say it also contains the remains of Pharos Lighthouse, built by Alexander and one of the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. Cool! So what do you see. Rocks. Lots of big rocks. Actually some of them were obviously broken pillars or sphinxes or stone platforms. No intact statues like the brochure but it didn’t matter. I thought it was great. Plus it was my first dive/swim in the Mediterranean Sea.

Cleopatra Dive 015
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The second dive was not so great. This one was in the harbor and the visibility dropped to about, oh, six inches maybe. I lost the guide every two minutes, but it was shallow so no worries. They called this site Cleopatra’s Palace. No sign of a palace, even with good vis, except the marble floor. But we did see an ancient amorphae (wine jar) and a WWII Italian Fighter-bomber that was shot down and happened to land right on the ‘palace’. So, not what the website was selling but definitely a unique and thrilling (ie., freezing) experience.

Cleopatra Dive 008 (2)
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2-13-07 Alexandria

I’ve got a 2pm train back to Cairo because I mistakenly thought I could catch a bus to the Red Sea resort towns from Alex. The guide book said they had buses to Alexandria from Sharm. I just assumed they went the other way too. Never assume in Africa. So it’s a day of drive-by tourism without the driving. First stop, Pompey’s Pillar. Very nice pillar but I’m here to see the library site. The Museo as it was called in ancient times was the great library we here all about. It was also called the Mother library. Unfortunately it was destroyed by raving Christian mobs or Muslim clerics or Caesar’s attack or what have you, and is now a city street which appropriately holds used book stands. Don’t tell me the common Egyptian doesn’t revere his history. BUT . . there was also a smaller ‘daughter’ library and this site exists at Pompey’s pillar and this is what I’ve been looking forward to see in person for about three years. Of course I get there and its closed for renovation. Blast you Amen Re! But this is Egypt. Where there’s a baksheesh there’s a way. All I have to do is groan and the renovation manager is quick to the draw and offers to show me around personally for a small ‘donation’. Done, I say and hand him a 20 (about 5 bucks). I’m pumped. I see the cisterns (that play a big part in my book, the temple of Serapis, and of course the library. All very cool and I’m very happy. Who ever said the baksheesh was a bad thing?

Cleopatra Dive 088
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Next was the catacombs. I arrived just as a bus load of tourists and tried to head the opposite direction. I go the wrong way and end up in a closed section of the tombs. A creepy guard follows me in and offers to show me around for a – yes a baksheesh – but there’s no lights and all he has is this ultraviolet light that doesn’t do a thing. I mean I’m walking around a catacomb, a tomb, in the pitch black. Spooky doesn’t describe a second of it. Plus the guy could brain me, leave me there and I’d never see it coming and no one would probably ever know. I’m concerned and then I see dozens of bags still holding the bones of the previous tenants. Check please! I’m gone before the baksheesh hits the floor.

Cleopatra Dive Pilots Helmet
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Next stop is the brand spanking new Modern Library of Alexandria. They spent years and a fortune building it and it is quite beautiful. The architecture is amazing, right off the cornice, so it definitely adds to the city. It has some nice museums too. The only problem is that there were hardly any books. There were dozens and dozens of empty shelves. Hardly a single shelf was full. Correspondingly, there was hardly anyone there using the library. Seemed like mostly tourists like me. It’s only a few years old so maybe it needs more time but they really should start a book donation drive or something. Maybe Kerstin and her Scout troop could help. Well Alexandria was great and it’s off to the Red Sea via Cairo. Oh, and I finally had falafel. I went on a half hour Great Falafel Hunt and after three different sets of direction finally tracked some down. Yumm. Worth the wait.