This is my first time in Alexandria, Egypt. Of course I was excited to visit this port city facing the Mediterranean Sea. Once home to that famous library and lighthouse which counted among the 7 wonders of the Ancient World, it would take a lot of imagination to remember this 2nd biggest city in Egypt as having once been the most prosperous city in the world. The corniche must have spanned a good 10 miles from the Montaza Gardens to the former site of the Lighthouse where the present-day Citadel of Qaitbay now stands. Like Cairo, traffic along the avenue lining the waterfront promenade was horrendous. Our bus ran the length of the main road passing many apartment buildings, hotels, and commercial buildings which look like they’ve all seen better times. Some look unfinished, even war-torn or bombed out. And one would have even thought this is prime real estate property with that seafront view. We likewise weaved around side streets in the old part of town — markets, souqs and again, dilapidated, neglected buildings that seem to have been abandoned midway through construction. A pity. I imagined it could have looked even better than Miami’s Art Deco district or maybe like Nice in France.

Took us 3 hours driving North from Cairo to Alex, as locals call it. Our first 3 stops were at Pompey’s Pillar and the Temple of Serapium, the catacombs of Kom El Shoqafa and the Montaza Palace. The Temple is all rubble, holes and trenches now but the triumphal column dedicated to Diocletian stands proud in solid granite . Then there’s the Catacombs which date back to the 2nd century AD which exemplify a mix of Roman, Egyptian and Greek styles and where the chambers were both used as tombs and feasting chambers for the living visiting their dead. Having seen all these antiquities, it was quite refreshing to visit the Montaza Palace and its well-manicured gardens. It’s like a park complex where the neatly-designed and well-maintained palace grounds contrast against the filth and chaotic streets and alleys of Old Town Alexandria.

I have to confess I was a tad disappointed. Or maybe I prepped myself to be disappointed because I expected much. With its geography and historical significance, I felt that this city in Northern and Coastal Egypt could have maxed out its potentials and emerged even prettier than the country’s capital. Something is just wrong somewhere. But then again, perhaps an overnight stay here does not do justice nor allow much opportunity to truly appreciate the place. Nonetheless, I like the Citadel of Qait Bay. We were charmed by the locals too — mostly young students eager to have their photos with us. Well, sometimes it’s NOT the place nor destination, but the locals you meet. So there. All’s well 😘