Alexandria, my love…

This small story I dedicate to my best friend Ramy, to his brother Mohamed, to his honourable Father and to all Ramy’s relatives and friends met in this miraculous trip.

Sitting again inside of Cairo Airport and waiting…I don’t like this airport, nowhere to sit, noisy, but it’s ok. Moment ago I finished best vacation in my life. But let’s start from beginning.
After working in Sharm nearly 8 month, I start dislike Egypt, so return my faith on this country I decided to see something real Egyptian. And because I wanted too see also my two very dear friends, who were in Alexandria in this moment, I took bus ticket to this town.
Three days in this city with most miracular people made me understand, that I have to come back as soon as possible. Reason for this I didn’t have to find from very far. One of my friends, Ramy’s birthday was in the end of July, so I decided to spend my vacation in Alexandria during this time.
My trip started with delayed planes, but I didn’t care because I knew I have to wait first bus anyway. In the airplane, next to me, was sitting one Egyptian family, who arrived from Ireland after 2 years. Mother was speaking little English, so my flight wasn’t boring. And before we landed, they asked me to join their bus to Alex. So, three hours later I find myself in the front of Carrefour shopping Mall, 6 o’clock in the morning. I didn’t have smallest idea, where to go, so I had to call Ramy in this hour. And 45 minutes later I was in Agamy bay, where I enjoyed my life next 10 days.
I don’t like hotels, so my plan was to rent small apartment near sea. With Ramy’s help I had normal two room apartment one minute away from sea. But because I arrived so early , everybody was sleeping, we stayed 4 hours in one café shop. It was full of joy to watch how town is waking up to most beautiful morning and drink cup of coffee with Ramy.

Alexandria is second largest city in Egypt, appr. 5 mln. people. It is big city. Garbage every where You look, crazy traffic and houses needing repair. Hot air is full smell of salt. Waves are arriving to the beach continuously. Sand is white. Streets are full of small shops and between of them local cafes. Too much cars and too much people.
So, Alexandria is like big town anywhere in the world. But something is different. Mediterranean Sea makes this town special and houses, builded by Europians. Here is feeling, like historical Europa and Asia full on traditions are come together. Same time modern and intelligent, same time full of old traditions. And people. Biggest different you can feel in people. They are so friendly and curious, they do care. Men are sitting in the street cafe’s, smoking waterpipe and women are hanging laundry in the balconies. And all children you meet , want to tell You Hello and Welcome! It’s not only, that I’m different with my blond hair. They value people, everybody. You feel it, so I didn’t get boring to answer everybody, who speak with me and I tried to explain, where I’m coming from and where is Estonia.
Most of my days I stayed alone, because Ramy had to be with his father. But in the evenings and nights we enjoyed each other company and possibilities of this city.
I started my morning in the beach. Because of goodness local boys, I stayed in privet beach named Paradise Beach. For me it’s no matter where I stay, but sunbathing in normal beach wasn’t appropriate, but in privet beach almost everybody was in bikinies. In the morning beach was empty, people start to arrive in afternoon, near 4 o’clock. And nobody was alone, they coming to the beach with all family, carrying with them chairs, food, drinks and flying kite’s. You can sit here hours to watch them, hear music of waves and breathe fresh sea odor.
After few hours I started to felt already like gril chicken, so I had leave beach. I went to center to look around. I like very much to see, how people really live, so I just walked, looked around and smiled. You can’t be serious, if everybody around you are happy.
First time I arrived to my apartment it seemed like very far from center. Actually it was not like this, it was 15 minutes fast walk and I fined myself in the main street called Bitash Street. There was lot of shops and cafes. Some days I needed coffee very much, so like in every normal city here was also McDonalds. And they served good cappuchino. I always prefer local eating places, but language was problem. I can’t read rabic, except numbers. I also can’t speak Arabic more than 40 words and this is sad; I would like to speak with people in their language. So, if you don’t read the language, You can’t understand the menu. But thanks to Ramy I had possibility to try local kitchen and it was good.
Local trade, it was interesting. Of course has this city big, modern shopping malls like Carrefour. There you can buy lots of international trademarks and prices are also in Europian level. For me was more interesting local trade, small shops full of shoes, handbags and clothes.
Clothes for women aren’t my stile, which is understandable. Or they hiding me too much or they are too shiny. For men they making nice cotton shirts in every possible color. I had to bring one shirt to my father, I couldn’t choose, so I bought 5.
But shoe stores are dream of every woman. Lot of colors, in big range of models and they are cheap. Once in the lifetime shopping was not bad to my purse, but it was bad to my luggage.

Life starts here after sunset. All families are coming to streets, sitting in café shops and enjoying being together. Here are full of joy, happiness and friendliness. I think this is most traumatic different between people in Estonia and here. They are helpful, they try to communicate even not speaking English at all. I had one nice situation. I was in the beach, one small girl is coming to me and starts to speak, how are you, what is your name etc.Her name was Nada. Before she leaves she claim’s to be so happy to speaking with me. Little bit later she is coming back, with her girlfriend and they ask, will I accept one sandwich called kebta. Yes, of course, this is so nice! After that they bring me Pepsi. We made also photos and when the family left, they were waving to me. Nothing like this never happened to me before. Here families are living together, neighbor takes care of neighbor, friends calling each other every day to make sure, everything is ok…I know there is darker side also, somewhere, this is life…but generally speaking…people of Alexandria are intelligent, friendly and caring.
It’s final time to tell you about Ramy. I met him first time one year ago in Sharm el Sheikh, where he was working with his brother Mohamed. Mohamed is the most excellent diving instructor and he works in Sheihk Coast Divingcenter. Both brothers are very wise and open minded. In the end of March they father get seriously ill and Ramy has been already four month next to his father, helping him until his recovery. He had to leave his job and friends, but he understands, that father’s health is right now more important than anything else. Ramy and his friends Mohamed, Salah and two Ahmed’s took very good care of me. We were eating together. They took me to nightclubs, where we danced almost till morning. I didn’t even know, there are nightclubs. Together we were in the beach and café shops. We had lot fun, but I also learned many things about Egyptian culture. And I learned from Ramy honesty, respect and caring. We are best friends and I’m thankful to him for his time and energy.

This was short story about beautiful Alexandria and his citizens. My English is not so good to put all my feelings into the words. I couldn’t do it even in my own language.
Outside is +11 degrees, raining already second day, it’s 4.08. I love my country, but I’m not strong enough yet to live here. I need to grow inside and I need for this special atmosphere. It is in Alexandria with all good and bad things in it.
Alexandria, my love, I will come to stay, for a very long time.