Our much anticipated Holy Land Cruise started the morning of November 17^th, 2012. We drove from Rome to the port city of Civitavecchia which translates as “old city.” Boarding was total chaos with several thousand people trying get on the Celebrity Silhouette all at once. Once on board we went to our cabin…one with a veranda at a “premium” location. We usually take what ever inside cabin is available. Luck handed us this nice treat and we appreciated the experience.

Sunday and Monday were sea days so we explored the ship and rested from our long days of touring Rome. The two couples that we were dining with (Barbara and Russ, Jack and Tanya) were pleasant and we enjoyed their company for the length of the cruise. We started attending the podium series. Celebrity has wisely provided guest speakers who are knowledgeable about the countries that are on the itinerary. The lectures and slide shows enhance the museums and other sites we view on shore. I hesitate to call them lectures because the speakers are humorous and enjoy sharing the subject matter.

Tuesday, November 2oth we embarked at the port of Alexandria, Egypt and drove for two and a half hours by bus to Cairo. If I thought boarding the ship was chaotic I was blown away by the traffic in Egypt. Darting in between buses, vans and cars were horse drawn carts, donkeys and pedestrians. Traffic lights were few and all vehicles and pedestrians sorted out space by aggressive driving and walking. Some vans had open side doors and people jumped in and out while the vans were still moving. We were distressed to see a never ending amount of trash wherever we drove.

As we were driving through the city we caught glimpses of the pyramids. In a short time we arrived at the pyramids and were greeted by vendors and camel drivers. Greeted is a polite term for over run by them. Warned by the tour guide, we pushed past them and headed for the pyramids. These amazing structures are just outside the city and the combination of ancient and modern was a stark contrast. With a sense of awe we stood by one and touched antiquity. These mausoleums with the hope of eternal life give rise to the imagination.

Our next stop was the Great Sphinx. It is roped off from the public because of reckless damage but it is still immense and mysterious. It is almost entirely built out of one tremendous piece of limestone 165 feet long and 73 feet high. Cairo is Africa’s and the Middle East’s largest city and there was much more to see. Next was the ruins of the Temple of Ptah and the enormous fallen statue of King Ramses. The temple is an open air museum and the statue is made of limestone.

The tomb of Imhotep and his son at Saqqara is so impressive. The preservation and restoration is wonderful. Cameras were not allowed in the interior to preserve the hieroglyphics on the walls. The colors of blue, red, green and black are still fairly vivid. The columns are lovely and lead to a beautiful overlook of a huge plain.

Our last stop of the day was to a papyrus demonstration and shop. We watched the plant being stripped and flattened. It is processed over a few weeks to make a smooth, strong surface for writing and painting. The paintings are dedicated to Egyptian life, death and the plants and animals that were important to their way of living.

We returned to the ship very late because we were behind an accident on the road back to Alexandria. We had a late dinner and headed straight to bed.

Day two in Alexandria we were back on another bus at 8:30. We passed a statue of Mohammed Ali…not the boxer. The next stop was the only Roman Amphitheater found in Egypt. This is where we first encountered several of the many, many domesticated cats that run free all over the country. They are so accustomed to the tourist traffic that they appear to pose on fallen statuary and columns.

The Kom El-Shuqafa Monuments are comprised of catacombs, 96 steps and a shaft to lower bodies below ground for burial. It was built during the 1^st and 2^nd century AD. The more famous were placed in detailed sarcophagi but the poor shared shelves with other less important bodies. There were also the bones of horses. I expected to feel a sense of morbidity but the dead were so cared for that it was a place of interest and preservation.

Next we drove by the beaches. This part of town has nice hotels that attract the wealthier citizens and tourists during the hot seasons. It is much cleaner than any other area that we saw. The summer palace of King Farouk is near by. The grounds are lovely and beautifully landscaped.

The Alexandria National Museum is a jewel. No cameras are allowed to preserve the contents. Most of the pieces were carefully retrieved from the waters off of the shore of the city. Alexandria is a city built on a city. Over the years weather, earthquakes and floods covered most of the original port. Only an estimated 1% has been reclaimed from the sea. The museum is near Pharos where the ancient lighthouse stood. The pharonic relics were exquisite. In addition to the usual statues are Coptic wood, tapestry and glass. It is astonishing that these have survived time and the elements.

Lunch at a restaurant was great. We were served soup, cheese or shrimp balls, beef or fish and finished with oriental desserts.

We went to the Mosque of Abu Al-Abbas Al-Mursi late and the light was poor. This is the largest of locals mosques and is dedicated to the patron Saint of fishermen and sailors.

The streets are very narrow and parking is at a premium. Our tour bus driver realized that a turn was impossible given the location of parked vehicles. Much to our surprise and delight, a couple of local men literally pushed two of the parked cars out of our way. We applauded and whistled and they bowed and blew air kisses in response.

Back on the ship came an expected note from our captain. Israel was deemed too dangerous to visit so we were en route to Istanbul for 2 days versus 2 days in Ashdod and 1 day in Haifa. Disappointment was rampant but all agreed that safety of the ship, guests and crew was paramount.