 |
| Alexandria |
 |
| Voter rolls in Alexandria (the guys with machine guns standing next to the voters somewhat dissuaded me from taking a photograph of the actual people there) |
And so we left the crowded streets of Cairo (again in our private car) and headed north on a rather impressive highway for a few hours. We were accompanied by the second Mohammed we had met in less than two days, aka "Big Mo." The trip passed by quickly with more election and politics talk.
Big Mo wanted to show us the real Alexandria, and so had our driver take us through some of the poorest parts of the city. Cramped little streets were littered with garbage and rotting food. The poor side of town definitely seemed to prefer the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, Morsy, to his opponent, Mubarak crony Shafiq. One of the most unforgettable moments of our trip occurred during our time in the Alexandrian slums. Lined up in the streets and guarded by men with machine guns stood the first voters of the presidential election. It was an incredible sight to see, and a reminder of what an exciting time it was to be here.
 |
| The Slums of Alexandria |
Our driver deftly guided us through some ridiculously cramped conditions. When a construction vehicle blocked our path on a narrow road, he sought the help of several passersby who helped guide us to our first stop of the day, the Catacombs. Pictures were unfortunately prohibited within the tombs. We made our way along a series of ramps in the musty underground chamber before we came to the tomb of Kom El-Shoqafa, a fascinating blend of Roman and Egyptian funerary traditions. Typical Roman columns are topped off with Egyptian papyrus. Statues of the Egyptians buried here are adorned in Roman togas and curly hair.
Next, we were off to Pompey's Pillar and the Temple of Serapis....
