My favorite trip: Egypt

July-August 1996 -- I have been many places. My favorite is Egypt. I spent a summer there in 1996, on assignment with ACDI-VOCA. My partner was a retired veterinarian from Minnesota. We hadn't met previously. We met for the first time at the airport in Cairo. We worked well together and became good friends. I visited Earl the following year when I took a cross country trip. Our Egyptian hosts, especially Nabil, were fantastic. I loved the people, the food, the history, everything about Egypt.

We spent our first two weeks in the Delta, staying in Ismailia (on the Suez Canal) and Tanta (in the heart of the Delta). When the Nile River flows north through Cairo it splits into two branches before emptying into the Mediterranean Sea. Between the two branches is the Delta region, where along with the Nile River Valley, you'll find very fertile farm land and among the highest crop yields in the world.

My favorite place was Mersa Martruh, about 180 miles west of Alexandria, on the north coast heading towards to Libya. Alexandria is an ancient city, Egypt's second largest, founded by Alexander the Great more than 2,000 years ago. Mersa Martruh, famous for its beautiful beaches and turquoise water, is a city that instantaneously captures my heart with its carefree lifestyle and lively atmosphere. We spent two weeks making farm visits from Alexandria and Martruh.

----------------------------------

Post created 26 Dec 2025

----------------------------------