Alexandria, Egypt: Most passengers are ashore, frantically trying to see northern Egypt. It is from here passengers venture south to see the pyramids and sphinx at Giza, just outside Cairo. On this shore excursion travelers also see the Egyptian Museum, which contains many wonders including the King Tut exhibit.
My favorite piece of antiquity is there, the perhaps 2' tall statue of Selket, one of four protectors of the sarcophagus of King Tut. She is a simply beautiful young woman, done all in gold.
Why do people rave about the Tut exhibit? Because it is literally the only royal tomb ever found intact, which is to say not visited earlier by tomb robbers. Tut was not a particularly important pharaoh, but the completeness of his burial goods makes him bigger in death than he was in life.
Another side trip from "Alex" is the run out west to the World War II battlefield at El Alamein. It was here that an early turning point in the war happened, when British general Montgomery defeated German general Rommel. What strikes one now are the three enormous cemeteries, one each for British, German, and Italians.
The DrsC are staying aboard enjoying the pleasures of a giant yacht with a wonderful crew underemployed in taking care the few of us remaining on shipboard. Now that is decadence at an affordable price.
Speaking of underemployment, Alexandria looks very underemployed too, the port is mostly idle. Egypt has two major sources of foreign exchange: the Suez Canal and tourism. The post-Arab Spring political troubles Egypt has suffered haven't encouraged tourism, quite the reverse.
