Courtyard

Muhammad Ali mosque - in the courtyard.

Muhammad Ali mosque

Silhouette views of the Muhammad Ali or Alabaster mosque.

Oriental?

Or catering to all tourists taste?

The bush

Well-pruned bushes, for all of you who read Arabic...

Cairo citadel

Inside views of the Cairo citadel.

Muqattam

The Citadel (where we are going taking these photos) certainly overlooks Cairo, but the Muqattam escarpment has perhaps an even better overview?

Station

The constructionwork going on in Cairo's Mahattat Ramsis was indescribable, so coming to Mahattat Masr in Alexandria was an experience of wonderful calm!

Buildings in Alex

Walking through downtown Alexandria.

Alexandria fort

On the remains of one of the wonders of the ancient world, the Pharos lighthouse, lies the Qaitbey fort, overlooking Alexandria harbour.

Pyramids awaiting the storm

Maybe the backdrop should have been seen as ominous? We certainly didn't see the signs. And the basic energy is positive.

Reading

I recently came over a copy of this book, on Middle East family monarchies and power structures - very interesting in the current times. We shall see how well any analysis has lasted and how relevant it feels in the Arab spring of 2011.

Cairo views

Cairo spreads in the distance, all the way to the Muqattam escarpment.

Pyramids and Cairo!

One really is on the edges of the city. The urban area is a true megacity and the line separating city from desert is razorsharp.

More pyramids, and sphinx!

Well, see and enjoy - one of the remaining wonders of the world!

Giza pyramids

I always hear this song... playing in my head - on power and monuments...



Anyway, here they are! The pyramid perfection. We spent our vacation with an expert too, guiding us through all the available knowledge

Camels of fame

The camels and their keepers became famous after these shots were taken, and to what extent they were paid and sent or if their actions was one of desperation with lost income may be disputed. Anyway, as part of the tourist scene in Giza theye are essential and illustrate at a deeper level the deep layers of dependence on tourist income generation even without formal employment.