Post for: 7th April 2008

First of all.. i would like to say.. I’m happy… cause today is holiday.. which mean no work… i only get to know that tomorrow is holiday few mins ago.. phew… if Brandon didn’t told me about it… i won’t know.. phew.. ok.. nvm… let’s continue with my Egypt Trip Day 2…

The next day we wake up around 7am (1pm malaysia time) and.. of course we take pictures in front of the hotel… hehehe.. this hotel is nice… is surrounded by lots of shop lots. too bad that they didn’t open that early… else we gonna have chance to shop around… after some photo session, we make sure our luggage is put in the bus… then… we are intro by our new Tour Guide… Reham also known as Rema… hehehe.. she’s super pretty i tell you, and she’s really a nice girl… hehe.. will tell you more about her later…

ok.. before we move on to the next destination, let’s take a group picture of our group… small group.. a group of six.. three couples…

OMG… they have carriage on the road as well, i’m quite surprise when i saw this… but i think is fun.. and cute.. hehehe… just too bad that we don’t have chance to sit on it ^^… most of the carriage they used to carry those vegetable that they plan to sell, or some goodie… which I don’t know is what… but saw quite number of them at the road…

buildings by the road.. these are the buildings that i get to see.. some of them are broken… should i said broken? hmm.. what happen to all this buildings? not sure.. cause i didn’t ask the tour guide…

check it out… here’s the taxi the first taxi i saw in Alexandria… is not proton.. hehehe obviously

they have lots of mosque in town… most of them have different design, and i think is nice…

first of all we went to visit the Catacombs of Kom El Shokafa

we are not allow to take picture in the tombs, so i try to google it, and i really get to find it… hehe.. cool.. this is the place where they put the owner’s and their son’s coffin… i think those in the coffin suppose are the mummy, but as what they told me.. ROMANS don’t really know how to make mummy, so… in the coffin is not really mummy… there’s only bones in the coffin…

The Catacombs were built in the 2nd century AD during the Roman Era. Its architecture is a unique combination of both Egyptian and Greco-Roman art. They probably belonged to one family. The burials are of 3 levels (underground) at the depth of 30 meters but the loweest level is unfortunately flooded with water and that’s why we are not able to access it anymore.

The entrance is accessible by climbing down a spiral staircase round a shaft through which the body of the decreased was lowered by robes. (note: there’s only one place where people can enter and exit from the tomb).

There’s a banquet hall furnished with rock-cut benches to accommodate visitors who come to visit the departed and dine, and they are suppose to break the dish in the banquet hall too, cause they believe that is not good if they bring back the dish.

After visit the tomb… we travel for few min.. then gonna reach the Pompey Pillar.

hmm… this is the first vege stall i saw by the road side.. really got lots of vege oo… hmm.. but what’s with the cage arr.. those cage is for what arr? to store the vege? hmm.. or just for decoration?

another carriage… more high tech a bit compare to the previous one i saw… this carriage is just right in front of the Pompey’s Pillar.

An approximately 25m red Aswan granite column with a circumference of 9m, was constructed in honor of the Emperor Diocletain. Originally from the temple of the Serapis, it was once a magnificent structure rivaling the Soma and the Caesareum. Nearby are subterranean galleries where sacred Apis bulls were buried, and three sphinxes. After his defeat by Julius Caesar in the civil war, Pompey fled to Egypt where he was murdered in 48 BC; mediaeval travelers later believed he must be buried here, and that the capitol atop the corner served as a container for his head. In fact, the pillar was raised in honor of Diodetain at the very end of the 4th century. Diocletain captured Alexandria after it had been under siege. The Arabs called it “Amoud el-Sawari”, Column of the Horsemen. The Pillar is the tallest ancient monument in Alexandria.

how i get to know all this? cause i google it.. hehehe.. here’s where i found the story…

Me taking my own pic at the pompey’s pillar

this is the whole pics of the Pompey’s Pillar.

take a closer look… is really awesome, how the pillar can stay here for so long… how many centuries d… and is still here… stand strongly…

ok.. let’s have some jumping shot here…

first… we have… Brandon’s Dad… ya.. he can jump too..

next is Brandon’s Aunt turn.. ya she can jump too..

then is Brandon’s turn…

lastly is my turn… i jump with my skirt… phew.. not easy tho…

YEAH.. everyone can jump….

after that we take pictures with the sphinx…

another group picture… this picture look rather white… i think need photoshop a bit later…

stones.. and buildings around the Pompey’s Pillar

wow.. they have this in Alexandria.. OMG…. what’s this.. train? right middle of the road.. so cute can?

there’s lots of local stall by the road side.. we pass by a lot of them… but we didn’t stop by and shop.. just pass by…

the local shopping by the road side

i wonder what’s that… long long.. yellow yellow.. hmm.. what’s that arr.. can eat? or for display only?

they have lots of ORANGE shop… trust me.. really a lot.. and the shops really decorate with lots of orange like this one…

another thing about Alexandria is.. JAM.. please… feel lucky that you stay in KL or Malaysia.. cause our JAM is much better than them.. and they have something special theory about TRAFFIC… ya.. there’s no RED light in their country.. no joke… i been there for so many days… i only get to see a few traffic lights.. and… seriously.. they don’t follow the light…
RED = GREEN
YELLOW = GREEN
GREEN = GREEN..
so that means is always green… they said.. rules are mean to be break… haha.. so cute can.. although they didn’t follow the traffic sign.. but… surprisingly.. the accident rate here is real LOW… no joke.. i saw how they drive tru the bus window… i saw a few incident which nearly cause the car accident but in the end.. actually nothing will happen… their SKILLs are real good… i think if i drive in EGYPT i will just stop right middle of the road and cry there…

oh ya.. did you realize… this photos? this photo was take using the casio EX-1000… is a WAJA… proton… right in front of WAJA there’s a red car right.. next to the red car is GEN 2… OMG… they do have proton here… that’s really a surprise

in Alexandria we get to see the sea easily.. not like DOHA.. very dry… full with sands and dust…

check out the buildings in Alexandria.. here we didn’t get to see those hi-tech building like what we saw in Doha.. but still.. is nice… at least i feel all this buildings is more original… not spicy (hahaha.. suddenly KFC pulak)

next we went to the Qaitpey / Qaitbay Citadel…here look like a castle to me….

The Qaitbay Citadel in Alexandria is considered one of the most important defensive strongholds, not only in Egypt, but also along the Mediterranean Sea coast. It formulated an important part of the fortification system of Alexandria in the 15th century A.D.

The Citadel is situated at the entrance of the eastern harbour on the eastern point of the Pharos Island. It was erected on the exact site of the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria, which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The lighthouse continued to function until the time of the Arab conquest, then several disasters occurred and the shape of the lighthouse was changed to some extent, but it still continued to function. Restoration began in the period of Ahmed Ibn Tulun (about 880 A.D). During the 11th century an earthquake occurred, causing damage to the octagonal part. The bottom survived, but it could only serve as a watchtower, and a small Mosque was built on the top. In the 14th century there was a very destructive earthquake and the whole building was completely destroyed.

After the revolution of 1952 the Egyptian Naval troops turned the building to a Maritime Museum. The biggest restoration work dates back to 1984, when the Egyptian Antiquities Organization made ambitious plans to restore the fort.

Want to know more story about this place? click here…

right outside of the Qaitbay Citadel.. there’s lots of stall… seriously i didn’t know that there’s a museum… i thought they stop us here just for toilet.. shopping and take some photos at this place.. cause they really have nice scenery here…

did you see something that you like? hmm…

the camel are so cute.. but i didn’t buy

OMG.. so many necklace.. but i didn’t buy too… ya.. till now i still haven’t buy anything yet… not YET….

check out the wave here.. is soooo BIG… i feel like standing there and take a real close up photos.. but.. Brandon don’t allow.. sigh…

nice can? the wave… i want stand there.. i wan

after we do some side seeing… we continue our journey to El-Salamlek Palace… what are we gonna do there? hehehe check it out…

so.. end up we went into another JAM again… and i saw something… ya.. a guy carrying one big box… selling tissue to the drivers on the road.. hmm… omg.. like that also can.. and.. really got people buy from him…

see.. told you right.. they like orange.. hahaha.. actually that’s not true.. just that… now is the orange season.. that’s why there’s so many orange in the town… imagine.. if they do have durian season.. how they gonna hang all the durian around.. hmmm… will they hang? hmm…

hmm.. we pass by this building.. the tour guide did intro.. but.. i forgot d.. bad memories…

and.. after the JAM.. finally we reach the palace.. what are we gonna do here?

hehe.. first of all.. let’s take picture at the entrance first..

and the ceiling.. hehe

and yes.. we gonna have our lunch here.. hehehe.. having lunch in the palace…

H.M. Khedive Abbas Helmi II built the el-Salamlek Palace, located in Alexandria, Egypt, in 1892 as a hunting lodge for his Hangro-Austrian Mistress, Countess May-Torok von Szendro. It was surrounded by woods stocked with game for the hunting pleasure of the Khedive and his guests. The Greek architect Dimitri Faricious Pasha actually designed the palace and undertook its construction.

Later, during the reign of H.M. King Fouad I, son of H.M. Khedive Abbas Helmi II, El-Salamlek served as a guesthouse. And later, under the reign of King Farouk I, El-Salamlek became a summer office and guesthouse for the king’s most valued guests. When the Palace was turned into the El Salamlek Palace Hotel and Casino, nine years were spent renovating and decorating in order to recreate the luxury and glamour of the Royal era of Egypt.

The palace, now a hotel, is located in the lush gardens of Montazah, surrounded by fortified walls. It can only be reached by by two private entry gates. Located on a hill, it overlooks the Royal Mediterranean Bay, and has its own crescent beach.

Can you imagine.. you have your lunch in a palace.. is soooooo luxury.. i mean feel lar.. feel so luxury…

first… standard.. we have bread.. this time is not pita bread.. normal bread…

this is how they serve the food.. they will bring one big plate then serve it to the customer one by one… that’s what i saw for most of the restaurant in Egypt except for Chinese restaurant and those which is buffet style…

today we have roasted chicken + rice + fries.. yummy
Yummy rating: 8/10
Remark: OMG.. the chicken reminds me of Kenny Roaster Chicken…

yum yum… is really roasted chicken…

the rice

as usual they have all the sauce and salad on the table too

ei wait.. they do have the pita bread as well.. hahahaha…

here comes the potato salad.. is nice… i eat this together with those sauce.. i put them into the pita bread they gave us.. yum yum… nice…

lastly is the dessert.. this is the first time i try this..
Yummy Rating: 9/10
Remark: taste nice.. but.. they told me that is too sweet.. cause of the water… but i think is ok.. cause i didn’t drink the water at all.. just the fruits.. is nice…

after that we went around the building to take some photos… and.. this girl… previously ask brandon to take photos with her.. omg.. got pretty girls ask Brandon take photo with her… how come don’t have handsome guy ask me take photo one? hmm.. i don’t look asian enough?

photo session outside the Palace.. nice palace…

the palace…

another angle of the palace…

let’s see the bay.. yeah.. somewhere near the palace we get to see the bay… really nice view.. romantic place…

oh.. did you see the building behind us? that’s the casino…

this is the bay… bay view.. nice can? feel like jumping into the water… i mean the sea…

OMG.. castle… OMG… like those movie… those Pirates of the Caribbean movie… where JACK BLACK hide…

let’s see got enemy get close to the palace or not… if yes then we must notify the KING and QUEEN.. hahaha

P.O. Box 25B, Ale., Egypt
Tel: 20 (3) 54 77999
Fax: 20 (3) 54 73585

seriously this place is superb nice… some might ask me.. how’s the weather in Alexandria.. is actually between 15-25 C… although you saw us wearing sun glasses… and looks like got hot sun.. but actually is not HOT at all.. cause.. there’s wind… which will bring some cool air to us… is really nice… windy… with hot sun… but make sure.. must apply more sun cause.. they said UV there is very strong… you can feel that when the sun hit right on your body…

here’s the flower shots i shoot right in front of the palace… so nice can.. of course this is not the only flowers around the palace.. but this is the only flower that catch my eyes.. check out the middle of the flowers.. is BLUE color..

after lunch we took around 3 1/2 hours drive to Cairo… around 1 1/2 hour we stop by one of the resting places for toilet… Oh ya.. one thing about Egypt.. what i mean here is Cairo and Alexandria… prepare more EGY 1 pound with you… cause it will be very useful for you.. ya… cause everytime you go to the toilet will cost you EGY 1 pound.. when i went to this Toilet.. i still not used to it… so i didn’t bring any pound with me.. luckily Brandon’s mum was there too.. phew… else i have to queue again… you know lar.. normally toilet sure will have long queue right.. and tru this incident i learn a sign from the Local… the way they ask people to wait… want to know how? hehe.. just hold all your fingers together… five finger together… like how other country said.. WTF.. ya.. serious.. that’s how they ask people to wait.. when i first saw that sign they show me.. i was like.. OMG.. did i do anything wrong.. why they show me the WTF sign? -_-”

after toilet we walk around.. and surprisingly we saw animals there.. omg…

the lamma this is the first time i see the real one.. right infront of me.. omg.. didn’t know that they got fur.. so long somemore…

ok.. is time to enjoy the iPod nano and sleep again.. hehehe

hmm.. after 3 1/2 hours drive.. finally we reach Cairo.. and.. now.. is time for dinner… (omg.. i feel like i keep eat for the whole trip only.. visit then eat then visit then eat again) now.. this time we gonna visit the Pyramid’s Tivoli Restaurant…

took pictures with the waiter there.. they are so friendly.. when they saw us take photos they just come to our back there and post.. hahahaha

nice deco right beside the food.. oh ya.. tonight the food we gonna eat is in Buffet style…

can you see how many chef is there?

deer… deer… can eat one arr?

the simple and nice light they have in the restaurant….

normally they have belly dance during dinner time.. but today don’t have cause we used the stage to put the food d…

this is how the restaurant look like…

and that’s all for today… after today there’s not much travel anymore… will be more visiting i guess… after dinner we just went back to our Hotel…. The Hotel we gonna stay is called..

Intercontinental Pyramids Park Resord
KM 2.5 Cairo / Alexandria Desert Road, Giza, Egypt.
Tel: +202 3838 8300
Fax: +202 3838 8400

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Last Modified:

July 16, 2008 @ 12:49 pm