Going to El Alamein tomorrow (04/05/06)

So if anyone needs any photos, drop me a message.

Allie

 

Ok Owen, will print that info off before I head off to El Alamein tomorrow. I am in Cairo at the moment and I will be back in Cairo for a day or two after El Alamein, so I may get to go to the Cairo cemetery also. Not sure though, it will depend on schedule.

 

Would be interested to see some of your photos in due course!

 

Hi,
Just back from El Alamein and it was great. I'm pretty tired, but here is a quick report.

It was a long enough journey from Cairo, about 150 miles I think, but taxi travel is quite affordable here in Egypt. I got a nice air conditioned car there and back via my hotel (the Grand Hyatt Cairo) for 700 Egyptian pounds (about £70). I went to see the German war memorial, the Commonwealth cemetery and memorial and the El Alamein museum. I think there is also an Italian war memorial there that I missed (My driver didn't speak English so it was a little difficult).

The whole place was lovely and peaceful and the locals were very nice. It did seem like a lovely resting place for all the soldiers there.

There is literally nothing but desert it seems for at least the last 70 odd miles up to El Alamein coming from Cairo and when you reach El Alamein it is a very small, quiet place on the coast with beautiful views of the very blue Mediterranean Sea.

The German war memorial is up on a hill a few miles from the Commonwealth cemetery and memorial and El Alamein museum and this memorial seems to be maintained by a family living just about 100 yards or so away. The son of that family showed us around and he was very pleasant and friendly. His English was not excellent, but good enough that we could chat, and indeed we did talk for a while, and he told me he learns English mainly from talking to English visitors. The place was very nicely kept and this young man was a nice guide to it. I left feeling this family was a nice one that it appeared cared for this place well, which was lovely, especially as, in other tours I've done of historical sights in Egypt in recent days, I didn't get that feeling at all - I'm afraid the Egyptians I've met at many other historical sights have seemed a little more interested in money than anything else to be blunt! This young man was the complete opposite though and he even gave me his mobile number and address, saying that where he is is very remote but he likes talking English anytime, and he loves getting magazines with pictures of other places in the post too! He was so nice, I'll have to send him some when I get home!

The Commonwealth cemetery and memorial was very well kept too. I had one of the gardeners showing me around for a while and when I offered him a tip at the end of this, which is standard practice when anyone helps you in Egypt, he refused it saying he doesn't take money from English visitors. That is very nice I guess, in a country where workers don't earn a lot and tourists are generally just seen as dollars on legs it seems! The museum was interesting enough too and I got a CD they sold for 20 Egyptian pounds which I haven't looked at yet, but hopefully that has some pictures on it as I'm a lousy photographer myself. I did take a few photos that I will include below now though.

Back in my hotel lobby in Cairo now, my husband has just informed me a group of policemen are busy photographing me on their mobile phones as I sit here and type and I must say I miss the total tranquillity and humbleness of El Alamein and its people already!

Allie

 

German War Memorial

 

German War Memorial 2

 

Commonwealth cemetery and memorial

 

Commonwealth cemetery and memorial 2

 

Commonwealth cemetery and memorial 3

 

Commonwealth cemetery and memorial 4

 

Commonwealth cemetery and memorial 5

 

El Alamein museum

 

El Alamein museum 2

 

El Alamein museum 3

 

El Alamein museum 4

 

El Alamein museum 5

 

View out of car window on way to El Alamein

 

OS Davis

(Owen - PM me your email address for higher resolution versions)