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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;ancient coin hunter, post: 4953186, member: 87200&quot;]In case anyone wants to know Alexandria is an interesting place to visit, though there are surprisingly few monuments and ruins to be found. There is the theatre, which has been excavated about 15 feet below street level. A large column dated to the time of Diocletian exists, also below street level. The architecture of the city is largely 8-10 storey concrete tilt-up buildings like the kinds you see in other Egyptian cities of 20th century origin. There are a few edifices which hearken back to the colonial days under France and England, but fewer than exist in Cairo. </p><p><br /></p><p>There is a large statue of Alexander the Great on horseback along the main road into the city (thought to be a remnant of the Canopic way). And off to the side of this are a few hills, ruins of the stands of the hippodrome. If you walk out into the center of an empty field encircled by these &quot;hills&quot; you can imagine being in the center of the hippodrome. When you walk down to edge of the sea and the corniche, a road that follows the coast you can see Pharos Island and the remnant of the Mamluk fortress which was built on the site of the Pharos, called Qeit Bay which dates back to 1477 A.D. Some of the original cut stones of Pharos were used in its construction.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the central park of the city which is verdant and features grass and palm trees you can order beverages from strolling vendors who offer &quot;shay&quot; and &quot;ahwa mas buut&quot; (tea or coffee). There are a large number of stray cats in the park who come up to you to get bits of food. (I even saw cats eating croissant rolls).</p><p><br /></p><p>Anyway, just the impressions of a traveler taking in the sights. One thing you don&#039;t see are shops selling coins and antiquities. I actually was hoping to buy a few coins while there but apparently what is found by the locals is put into the international marketplace surreptitiously (or at least that&#039;s one theory). The weather is pleasant, even in summer. It was a welcome respite from the heat of Siwa Oasis, which is situated in the Sahara only about 30 miles from the border with Libya. I had visited Siwa beforehand and stayed about a week, though when visiting the Oracle of Amun I didn&#039;t get any personalized feedback.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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