Alexandria - another label on! Position: 31.200806, 29.898009, Normandy Hotel (today it will spend one more night)
Today at 1910 local time (9 Polish time) on the wall of the Honorary Consulate of Poland was attached plate in honor of Kazimierz Nowak. The celebration was accompanied by a very large, but it przesympatyczna Polonia Alexandria. After the ceremony we went to the office of Consul Samy Aly el Rashidy, which has taken us a treat and a glass of whiskey. It is very nice, 90-year-old Egyptian, if you can use this expression "walking piece of history" - in his office were diplomas from both Tito and Bartoszewski.
Yesterday, after the night at the citadel of commemorating the victims of the battle of El Alamein, we went on our way highway to the west. The movement is very small, and often shoulder the entire width belt, so going to be very comfortable. At the height of El Hammam, however, decided to leave this convenient way to try to find traces of Kazimierz Nowak. His stay in Hammam prove not published, but we hold copies of his letters to his wife and a notebook with stamps that have gathered in various places on the road.
But it turned out that it is not or can not find anyone old enough to remember our visit. The oldest person that we found, was about 60 years. In Egypt, the average age is still quite low. Similarly, we could not find any significant building "of the era" - this gives a picture of the dynamics of change in Egypt. But Hammam charmed us very picturesque tuk-tukami - tiny vehicles built on the basis of motorbike-like rickshaws. Just do not know why the inscriptions on the tuk-tukach were so stylized that it seemed to be dripping with blood, was dominated by the theme saber. Tuk-Took line drivers are often teenagers, although in some cases it was doubtful whether they actually crossed the age of 10 years. In any event, somewhere in the neighborhood starts to work here.
Perversion for El Hammam, and later to Burg el Arab, where he was also Nowak, resulting in a rather dramatic consequences. Somewhere, at sunset we arrived at the "Desert Road" - Highway (?) From Cairo to Alexandria. There's this huge amounts of traffic - three stripes (although in practice the Egyptians do with them 4 or even 5 lanes), river flows vehicles: cars, pick-ups, trucks, vans and buses. Theophilus, as a cyclist on a daily familiar with the realities of traffic in Cairo, he took upon himself the most risky task - it was the last. I will be brief - was afraid to look back, where, among gas and dust headlights (although some were disabled, but there is as usual) at an alarming pace approaching the back of Theophilus, appear in the cacophony of screaming klaksonowego. But even so it's not Theophilus, but Peter was hit almost as he jumped from a side route pick-up, whose driver did not consider it appropriate to give priority to us due to us.
course, the police, this time just was not with us, but it always comes when you want to pitch tents to tell us that we should break down near the police station, however, because it will be safer. Police would like to We also tell you what, when and for how much we eat and where and for how much we sleep, but this is a topic for another story.
How not to look, we arrived safe and sound to Alexandria. City is extremely pleasant, beautifully situated on the bay - "relax" is the best word to a short summary of the local lifestyle of people, architecture - anything at all. Those who choose to be here to look for cultural experiences can be a bit disappointed, but we, after 6 days of pedaling that is exactly what we needed most - relax!
Although at the time of the Egyptian revolution, foreigners have been thrown away by President Nasser, Alexandria is still considered the most liberal city in Egypt. Women move freely in the streets here, and different means of communication, some even without Hust. What a contrast compared to that of Sidi El Shallum Barrani, where women have seen ... 0. Say zero.
In the space of the city you come across the elements of the Christian (mostly Coptic), and even Jewish - there are two synagogues, although they look to closed. The prevailing architecture 'belle epoque', quite strongly and then processed by a style of Arabic - the Arabic equivalent of giving Nice.
One of the biggest advantages Alexandria is a delicious joke - on the street fast food chains serving fuul and falafel, the restaurants with meat and fish dishes, the cafe and bakery - everything here is tasty, though not necessarily healthy.
Since i have never come to mind, I end up on the relationship of the two last days of the expedition.
the Corniche (coast) Alexandria at sunset greet
PR
