To the beach, please

To the beach please

The head of the HR department had raved to me about the Mediterranean beaches and the name Alexandria had such an aura for me that I used my first long weekend to go to the North Coast. I had read in my Marco Polo travel guide that women at the beaches couldn't just go into the water in swimwear and asked my colleagues, and they confirmed this for public beaches, saying it was different in the Sahel region. I looked on Booking and Hostelworld and found something affordable, and it turned out to be a very nice large room with a balcony, kitchenette, everything clean. Just the ventilation in the bathroom is best left untouched, or rather not used at all. It does the exact opposite; it spreads quite a stink.

On Google Maps, I saw the bigger road and thought, well, they don't have a private beach. I can also walk a bit. I had read about a beach for women called La Femme, a good 4 km away, and looked it up on Google Maps, and set off cheerfully at noon with some nuts, chips, a delicious yogurt-orange juice mixture in a thermos coffee cup, tomatoes, feta salad with Italian herbs that I had actually found yesterday.

I was glad that I crossed the 8-lane road fairly easily, and then there was the wall – a very long wall... I walked along it for about 4 km and found Gates Marina 5, and at 6 I asked if I could walk to the beach from here. No, explained the security person who spoke English, it is a private village. So that exists too. I explained I wanted to go to La Femme beach. That one is closed since the season is already over. If I walk past Gate 7 and then turn right, there is a public beach. I thought better than nothing and continued walking. In the morning it had been quite cloudy, and it had even rained a bit heavier in the morning and it was clearing up. And indeed, there was a sign that also said beach in English. I considered leaving my pants on. There was also a sign for North Mall. A shopping mall where they must have the local swimwear; I’ll go there. My thoughts continued that I actually don't want to wear something like that and came up with the idea of buying a wetsuit. Shorties probably show too much leg. The full-body suit presumably covers enough.

The walk was exhausting, I got honked at a lot, and it increased more on the last stretch. So, I reached the mall and hardly any shops were open, friendly signs saying: see you soon next year 2026. There was always free Wi-Fi from Orange. I also saw a beach that was the most beautiful turquoise. I thought I would strengthen myself before; there were two restaurants, it felt like a bad movie or comedy. I ordered some kind of flatbread with halloumi and tabbouleh. Soon the waiter returns, saying the flatbreads are out. He recommends pizza in broken English; I asked him to check again, he asks again, and I say I need some time. He walks away. After a while, he comes back, and I attempt to order falafel; they are out. I ask if the side is also unavailable. Only the falafel is out. All right then, just beans please and a Caesar salad.

After a while he comes back and says the Caesar salad is out, would I like fries. No, I don't want fries. I ask about the tabbouleh and beans; the tabbouleh is out. What? I can have the Caesar salad with fries. I don’t want fries and ask if the Caesar salad is okay. Yes. Aha

After a while, someone from inside comes out and says I ordered a green salad with fries. I say no, I didn’t order fries or a green salad. I had that yesterday at a restaurant about 5 km away. Anyway, Caesar is out. "You change" and I say no, I’m leaving. I’ve been here for 30 minutes trying to order food. He says okay. I still use the toilet and don’t even ask if I should pay for the water I started drinking.

Alright, the beach unfortunately belongs to a luxury hotel. I even inquired there to purchase a day pass; it was already 4 PM and it costs 100 USD. WOW, I truly didn’t expect that. I found the 1000 EGP for La Femme beach rather steep; that’s 17€. In the evening at my accommodation, I researched beaches; I even asked my landlord via WhatsApp and in a FB group. There was also a suggestion, but unfortunately, it was 40km away. To put the price into context, I paid 720 EGP for an Uber ride yesterday for 2 hours and about 140 km. My bed in the women's dorm in Cairo costs 300. I then read about a local guide who wrote that it breaks Egyptian families' hearts when they go to the beach with their families and then have to pay 1000 EGP per person. I also feel uneasy about that, but if the beach is open tomorrow morning, I’ll probably do it; yet, it definitely won’t be my favorite vacation spot.

Also because as a woman here I really am not treated respectfully. The return trip was even more exhausting; I was followed, called after, honked at, and a motorcyclist drove closely beside me, stopped in front of me. I made a detour, had forgotten him after a few minutes when he rode up from behind and grabbed me hard on the butt. He probably didn’t understand the word asshole I yelled at him. That was about 20 meters in front of the large supermarket/hypermarket where I had shopped yesterday. And I stick to the clothing tips; I was wearing loose, long fabric pants and a t-shirt. If that happens more often, I will leave the country. This other situation is exhausting; it goes too far.

I didn’t end up at the beach this weekend in Alexandria; I preferred to look around the city a bit and thought the beach would come in 2 days. I didn’t want to try how men would react to me at this beach alone as a woman. The other beach that was recommended to me was unfortunately 40km away, and Uber is comparatively expensive in this region; it would have cost me over 30€ in total.

I probably wouldn’t have gotten an Uber or car anyway. At least, none could be found for half an hour when I had to go to the bus, which then let me ride from a minibus in front of the hypermarket. Knowing the Uber prices helped in bargaining. I had very little time.

I did go to the pool in long travel pants and a t-shirt and managed to enjoy it. I need to research better and hope it’s easier to get to the beach at the Red Sea.

The accommodation was very nice and very relaxing; I had long Qigong sessions and enjoyed it very much. That did me a lot of good.