alexandria: where the mediterranean whispers secrets to the old stones
the moment i stepped off the train in alexandria, i felt like i'd walked into someone else's dream. not a tourist brochure dream, but the kind where you wake up and you're not sure if it was beautiful or just a little bit sad. the numbers on my phone said it was 12.94Ā°c, but it felt like 12.43Ā°c, which is basically the universe's way of saying 'we're not quite sure either.' humidity's at 82%, so if you're into that whole 'walking through a cloud' vibe, you're in luck.
i just checked and it's 12.94Ā°c there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. i grabbed a foul sandwich from a corner shop where the guy behind the counter looked at me like i was either lost or about to propose. the bread was fresh, the fava beans were warm, and the whole thing cost less than a bus ticket back home.
if you get bored, cairo and luxor are just a short drive away, though 'short' in egypt might mean 'bring snacks and a good podcast.' i heard from a guy at the hostel that the catacombs of kom el shoqafa are worth the hype, but he also said the same thing about a pizza place that turned out to be a guy with a hotplate in his garage. take that as you will.
wandering down the corniche at sunset, i watched the mediterranean turn the color of a bruise. not a bad bruise, the kind you get from falling in love or climbing something you shouldn't. there's a library somewhere around here that looks like a spaceship designed by someone who read too much sci-fi as a kid. i didn't go in. sometimes it's better to just stand outside and wonder.
overheard a local saying the best coffee in town is at this place called *cafe tivoli. said it with the kind of conviction usually reserved for religious debates. i went, and it was good, but not life-changing. then again, maybe my life's already been changed enough for one trip.
walking back to the hostel, i passed a group of kids playing soccer in a narrow alley. the ball kept hitting a parked car, and the owner just laughed and joined in. that's the thing about alexandria-it doesn't ask for your attention, it just keeps living, whether you're watching or not.
if you're planning to visit, tripadvisor has some decent hotel options, though i'd argue the best place to stay is wherever you end up when you're too tired to keep walking. and if you need a good read while you're here, check out goodreads* for books set in egypt-nothing beats reading about a place while you're actually in it, even if the descriptions are a little off.
the weather might be cool, the streets might be chaotic, and the history might be heavy, but that's kind of the point. alexandria doesn't try to be perfect. it just is, and somehow that's enough.
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