The biggest challenge is getting to the starting point of Alexandria,
Egypt. It starts with the Leonardo Di Vinci airport in Rome. My least favorite
in the world. Someone took all the parts of airport and just dropped them on the
ground with no instructions or directions. Sounds simple Terminal 2,3 and then
the whole separate building off in a corner for the paranoid Americans to use.
We left from Terminal 2 and Egypt Air uses counter number 351. So from the only
drop off location you walk to counter 351 way down there. Then you turn around
and walk all the way back to the only security check point that you clear
quickly. Then you find Egypt Air uses gate H12. That can not be to far away and
you start walking. Eventually you decide you are really making a pilgrimage to
Egypt. H12 is even further away then counter 351. H12 is at the very end of the
terminal just short of the basement. The flight arrives 20 minutes late from
Cairo. So, we board late. The airplane is about 50 feet from the door using a
boarding stairs. But we can not walk. They load passengers on a bus, the bus
backs about 20 feet, turns right pulls forward 20 feet and unloads the
passengers. Now every one is on the airplane and it is a pretty full flight and
30 minutes after departure time. Everyone sets on the plane with a few seat and
excess baggage discussions. After another 15 minutes of setting two adults and a
baby board and we are off. The flight is pleasant and hot meal is pretty good
for airplane food. I have a visit with the lady next to me from Portugal who is
on her 5th visit to Egypt. (Insider secret, there is a tram on the airside to
carry you to your gate. They just don’t like to share the information.)
seriously.....the bus made four trips from here to the stairs
...from the other direction
This is the fourth Cross Egypt Challenge and it the staff is excellent and
they make improvements every year. Once you are on the ground in Egypt, the CEC
takes over and everything is arranged for you. In 2012 there was a driver
outside of baggage claim to meet you and take you to your hotel. This year
there is a greeter in the terminal holding a IPad that says “Cross Egypt
Challenge” and we know he is our man. He escorts through the all the formalities
of immigration and customs and baggage claim and takes us to our sedan for the
ride to Alexandria. It is now 7 pm. Even the CEC staff can not part the
traffic of Cairo that we have to traverse to get to Alexandria 174 miles away.
Cairo is a city of 17 million people and one of the largest cities in the world
without the infrastructure to handle that many autos. If it is a 2 lane road
they make 4 and a 4 lane road is 8. This is not all traffic flowing in
imaginary lanes. This is traffic, cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, scooters,
people, dogs all going in different directions and angles jocking for their
perceived best position in a traffic jam. There is a cacophony of of horns. A
few angry blares of horns, but mainly and continuous symphony of toot’s saying
“hey, move over” or ‘'look out”. You just have set back and enjoy the ride no
matter how slow. The road is brightly lite not from broken street lights but a
continuous string of billboards advertising everything from babies milk to
Kentucky Fried Chicken.
After over an hour of creeping along we clear the city and it is a smooth
ride to Alexandria on what is mostly a modern toll road, with occasional breaks
in it for road side stands. When we enter the city our driver Osama lights up.
This is his city. He was born and raised here and is very proud. He points out
various things in the dark and assures he knows the quickest way through the
city to the Cecil Hotel. He has us safely in front of the Cecil Hotel, a hotel
from the past, at 11:15 pm. Built in 1929 it is a throw back to different era
complete with cage elevator. Interestingly, in 1987 Vicki and her friend Deb (my
future divorce attorney) (don’t panic it happening.......yet) were traveling the
globe and rejected the Cecil as over priced. It still is, but it is for first
class travelers and I am just a scooter rider. The Cross Egypt Challenge is a
first class event.
We get a room on the top floor. It faces a wall. We order mid-night room
service and call it a day.
Alexandria
We spent two days walking Alexandria. The weather is perfect, around 80 and
a slight breeze off the Mediterranean and clear skies. As Alexandria is a
curiosity to us, we are a curiosity to it. As we walk the streets people stop us
to talk to us or just welcome us to Egypt. When we talk, it is about everything
from light politics to the mosque we are standing in front, or something
generic. At the Alexandria Bibliotheca we were rock stars. There were hundreds
of middle school students on a field trip and they wanted to talk, be
photographed by us, have us photograph them, but mostly just smile from ear to
ear. In one area of the museum where we were mobbed, not really as they were all
very polite and approached shyly, but once contact was made it was a full on
assault, their museum guide keep saying that picture taking is forbidden in the
museum several times. She finally just gave up. It was a true pleasure to spend
time with these young people.
The Cecil Hotel, where we are staying, despite it’s pedigree and wire cage
elevators, Egyptian moldings, historic visitors from Winston Churchill to Agatha
Christy, is really just a disco that rents rooms. Located on the first floor,
the disco cranks up late and runs to around 5 AM. Despite being on the 5th
floor, the top one, smoke starts rolling in under the door around 3 AM and the
thumping base can be heard in the walls. Those on the lower floors really
suffer. Fortunately for many, jet lag lets them have some peace.
He throws the flat dough in the oven
it makes one turn in the oven
and it comes out all puffed up.
green light
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