Lionel was keen to visit Alexandria. So after our tour finished we caught the train from Ramses Station to Sidi Gaber in Alexandria. We had booked an apartment for five nights. I’m not sure what I was expecting, perhaps a seaside town similar to some of the ones we had visited in Turkey on the other side of the Mediterranean.

Well, it is a sprawling city, numerous apartment blocks lining the road that stretches all along the coast. We stayed out of town at San Stefano, right next to the huge Four Seasons Hotel. The beach was closed off for their use only. But it didn’t matter, because we weren’t likely to go swimming anywhere nearby! There were only a handful of young girls in the water (all discreetly covered up) and mostly boys. I did not see any women, let alone Westerners swimming. People were sitting on chairs along the shore. I think you had to pay to enter each beach area, so we didn’t bother.

There is this fabulous tourist bus (27EGP=80cents) that travels along the coastal road. It’s like a hop on hop off, and it gave us a great view of the traffic, the beaches, the apartments and of course the people. We’ve been on it a few times. We also managed to catch a mini bus (50 cents) to the downtown area, there are hundreds, maybe thousands of them! People flag them down, slide the side door open and clamber in.

We have visited the Alexandria Library, which is massive and the Qaitbay Citadel, which was built on the site of the Alexandria Lighthouse from Ancient times.

The temperature here is very pleasant, and the view from our apartment is fabulous. So relaxing being in the one place for a few days.