Alexandria offers a completely different atmosphere from Cairo. While Cairo is vibrant and fast-paced, Alexandria feels calm and serene. This time, we stayed at the Hilton Corniche, where the city's tranquil Mediterranean charm truly came alive.
The Corniche stretches nearly 16-20 kilometers along the Mediterranean coast, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the sea. Alexandria is best known for its rich Greco-Roman heritage, having been founded by Alexander the Great.
The contrast between Cairo and Alexandria is clearly reflected in their architecture-Cairo embraces Islamic styles, while Alexandria echoes its pre-Islamic, Roman-influenced past.
We spent three days in the city, enjoying access to a private beach at our hotel-an unforgettable experience. To explore more, we took advantage of the city's hop-on, hop-off bus service, which offered a scenic journey along the coastline and stunning sea views from different angles.
The legendary Lighthouse of Alexandria, or Pharos, once stood as a symbol of brilliance and power. Built around 280 BCE during the reign of Ptolemy II and designed by Sostratus, it guided sailors safely to shore and was one of the tallest structures of its time.
Though it was eventually destroyed by earthquakes, its legacy lives on-its stones forming part of the Citadel of Qaitbay, and its name becoming synonymous with lighthouses around the world.
No visit to Alexandria is complete without reflecting on the legacy of the ancient Library of Alexandria, once believed to house hundreds of thousands of scrolls.
Today, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina stands as a tribute to that legacy. Designed like a sundial, it symbolizes the timeless nature of knowledge.
While exploring its vast collection, we stumbled upon the South Asian history section and discovered several books on our country's history.
It was a deeply moving moment-seeing a piece of our homeland preserved within such a historic institution.
Traveling to Egypt-Misr-was a humbling experience. It reminded me that while empires rise and fall, human legacy endures through knowledge, culture, and memory.
I returned not just with photographs, but with a renewed perspective on time and existence.
As Walt Whitman once wrote, "That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse."
The question remains: what verse will we leave behind?
The article written by student of Military Collegiate School Khulna(MCSK)
A Continuation: Breathing in History Between the Nile and the Mediterranean Sea
