Kodak Agfa presents Alexandria in late spring

In May, I went to Alexandria in a short a three-day visit with my family. It was a nice spring break before the start of summer as well before Ramadan.
This is my second - somehow long trip to Alexandria from 8 years ago.

The last time I went there was a quick one-day or rather a few hours visit in 2012.

I went by train from Cairo's Ramses railway station.
It was the first time to see Egypt's first and oldest as well the main railway station after its controversial renovations.

I think you have seen those photos I took quickly while I was running to catch the train on time.

We took the first-degree train, the newest one in the service. It was better for real than the one I had taken in 2008. It got Wi-Fi Service but it was not working.

A direct trip to Alexandria, I took a couple of snaps of the Nile Delta towns and villages we passed through.

A video posted by Zeinobia (@zeinobia) on Nov 1, 2016 at 4:09am PDT

Arrived Alexandria aka Alex by Afternoon, the weather was hot, unlike springtime. I remember we had a terrible heat wave during then in Cairo.

I remember the taxi that took us from Sidi Gaber Railway station to the hotel where we stayed describing the Mediterranean sea as "Non-movable carpet" because of the heat.
We were staying in the Middle-class area of Sidi Bishr.

As someone who has not been to the city for 8 years, I noticed that many of the public beaches were closed for maintenance by none other than The Egyptian armed forces' Engineering authority. The army's Engineering also renovated the famous historical casino Cote D' Azur but it is still closed. {Once upon a time, King Farouk of Egypt used to gamble in that casino}
Also, more and more concrete ugly towers are everywhere.

And the sea was amazing in May for real. It was breathtaking and clear.

The sea in Alexandria in May 

Now in the city of God, as the Alexandrians like to call it, you will find many things that force you to take your camera or open mobile phone camera and snap !!

For three days only, I had not to much time to take a true tour in that big vast city.
The weather was so hot in Sidi Bishr in that time in May as I hinted to the level that public beaches were active.

Beaches and ugly buildings in Sidi Bishr 

As you can see, ugly buildings are everywhere.
Nevertheless, I love those cafes and casinos on the sea like that. Unfortunately, I saw several places like that closed and some of them under maintenance.

A cafe/ casino by the sea in Alexandria 

The sunset was amazing.

A sea sunset in Alexandria 

Another shot for that golden sea sunset in Alexandria 

Just like Cairo, Alexandria does not sleep early.

A long exposure shot for the traffic in Alexandria 

The corniche lights are amazing.

Corniche lights at night 

The next day of my arrival,I woke up to see the fishermen heading to the big blue sea.

Heading to work in the sea 

A fishing boat heading to fish in Alexandria 

By afternoon, the heatwave reached its peak and there was no escape except some good time on the beach. I went to a private beach in Sidi Bishr that is placed between two public beaches.

Separated by a wooden fence, public and private beaches in Alexandria 

Private beaches are increasing in number in Alexandria as many companies including the army's tourism "TOLIP" began to manage those beaches turning them from the public to private.


The prices were between LE 50 to LE 60 to LE 100 in Spring and Summer which provoked many people for real.

Diseny princesses floatee on the sand 

I wonder how much the prices will go up next year.

Now, the private beach where I went in the coastal city of Alexandria was for Upper Middle class and women there were wearing all sorts of swimming suits.
In fact, there was a Niqabi woman who was having a good time with her conservative family in the sea.
There was also that nice veiled granny who was relaxing in an adult float while wearing a Burkini overseeing her grandchildren while her daughter was wearing a swimdress.

The beach and the sea

It is no secret but in private Middle Upper-Class beaches in Egypt, women have got more freedom to wear what they want and feel comfortable in.

In the afternoon, I went with my family to have a good fish meal in Bahri, the true heart and soul of Alexandria.

We went to the famous Greek Club restaurant beside the Yacht club and Qaitbay citadel.

Qaitaby citadel

Located at the old Greek community club, the Greek restaurant "White and Blue" earned huge fame in Alexandria and outside.

Its menu is a mix between Greek and Egyptian seafood cuisine. It is not cheap but it is worth it.

Actually, after second thought, it is cheaper than seafood restaurants in Cairo when I remember it.
Aside from the great food,  the view from the restaurant is breathtaking.

The overview from the Greek Club's restaurant 

An overview of Bahri

boats, yachts and ships

If you zoom, you will see the ugly long buildings over towering the old beautiful buildings.
Needless to say, most of those buildings are built illegally.

I was worried about this visit to see the famous Palace of Aisha Fahmy demolished and turned into an ugly hotel complex but Thank God it is still there.


This important beautiful palace should be turned into a museum and its garden into some sort of botanical garden for real.

Already, I am worried that it may not survive for too. Its location is a treasure for hotels.
Anyhow, that palace is luckier than the famous El-Salam theater which the army's Engineering authority demolished to build another hotel on its land.

I had, at last, a good opportunity to snap the famous Stanley Bridge at night. In fact, I had a good opportunity from the afternoon till night.

Stanley Bridge in the afternoon

Stanley Bridge after sunset 

The Stanley bridge tower 

Another shot for Stanley bridge 

I think the Alexandrians are right when they say that the best time to visit is away from the summer season.

Fishing against strong sea waves

In my short visit, I think one of my best photos taken in Alex this time was that simple Egyptian family having fun at a public beach giving no damn to the sea's strong tides.

The family and the sea in Alexandria 

Care less for the strong waves 😀

Having fun despite the strong sea waves

By the way, these are not the only things I took photos for in Alexandria.
Wait for other important posts from that visit in Alex.

The sea in Alexandria