6 Visiting The Great Library
Listening to Jonathan's words, Diana slowed down, "when we were strolling here, there was a group of local people discussing something, do you remember..?"
Jonathan circling her shoulder, nodded yes, and nudged her to continue. She spoke further, "The group head gave me some information about the city. I am thinking about the same."
"What is that information..?" he probed Diana.
"I will let you know once we reach the hotel," saying that she closed the topic, and they went to a free stall on the beach.
In the free stall, all the traditional jewelry and clothes were showcasing. They stayed for one more hour and then came back to the hotel.
Professor Ahmed is still at the temple site. Jonathan called him, "professor, will you come back to have dinner..?"
"No, Jonathan, I will come tomorrow morning. You guys continue, don't forget to visit the library. I have already taken the special passes for you and passed them to Fadil," professor Ahmed informed.
"Alright, professor. As per your instructions, we will visit the library for our assessment," Jonathan disconnected the call and informed others.
When they arrived in the large dining hall decorated in ancient style, the chief chef stood on stage and welcomed them. The dinner is a self-serving buffet system style.
"Dear guests, this is our everyday ritual at the starting of the month to introduce you to our traditional dishes. I know you are curious so let me quickly bring the dishes."
Diana and the group took one of the nearest tables to the side pool situated beside the dining area.
The assistant group came and settled all the dishes, then stood by aside. Chef rubbing his hands enthusiastically started,
"Today, we have prepared two dishes and two desserts for dinner. Two recipes are Macaroni Béchamel, Molokhia, and the desserts are Konafa and Umm Ali.
First Dish: Macaroni Béchamel – classic Egyptian comfort food that will leave you satisfied for a while! It's Egypt's version of lasagna or macaroni and cheese.
The dish comprises rigatoni noodles, minced meat cooked in chopped onion, and tomato paste, topped with the classic béchamel sauce.
Second Dish: Molokhia – named after the leafy green that the stew consists of, also known as jute mallow. Cities along the coast like Alexandria might eat molokhia with shrimp or fish.
The dish is generally served with rice, bread, and a choice of chicken, beef, or seafood. The way this dish is made depends on the region in Egypt.
Usually, it's a stew made up of leafy green, cut into tiny pieces and prepared in chicken, beef, or seafood broth mixed with ground coriander and fried garlic."
"Now, the two desserts are incredibly traditional and have a history way back from the 13th century.
First Dessert: Umm Ali (Om Ali) is translated to Ali's Mother.
A dish that goes back to the 13th century; legend has it that Sultan Ezz El-Din Aybak's wife made it for a victory celebration where it was made and shared amongst people of the land.
Since then, it became famously known after her. It's a hearty dessert combined with sweet flavors of bread (puff pastry), milk, and sugar –Egypt's bread pudding version.
It's commonly topped with a mix of raisins, nuts, and coconut pieces and served while hot.
Second Dessert: Kunafa – Typical Egyptian Dessert, especially during Ramadan
The queen of Egyptian sweets is made of shredded Konafa pieces, filled with cream or cheese, baked, and eaten with syrup.
I hope you enjoy the dishes as much as you want your place's dishes. Thank you, please serve yourselves" chef left with his team.
Diana and Jonathan enjoyed the food thoroughly while she informed the information she got from the local group.
"It seems quite interesting to me. Let us find out about this place's history from the library; what do you say..?" Jonathan asked others.
"Of course we are in with you. After all, we will not be here every day to learn something interesting about Egyptian culture," Rupert curiously replied.
Diana and Charles nodded their head and finished having dinner.
"Let us go for a short walk; I think I have eaten more than I usually consume," Charles suggested.
Everyone talked about some random things while having a short walk along the corridor by the poolside and later went to their rooms for rest at half-past 11.
In the morning, at 9 o'clock, everyone got ready and had their breakfast. Fadil came at a sharp 10 o'clock and greeted them.
He then took them to the Great Library in the same gypsy they went to the museum.
It took them half an hour to reach, and Fadil handed their entry passes. Collecting them, they passed the entry and mesmerized the architecture.
"No wonder this is one of the oldest and ancient libraries in Egypt," Jonathan announced loudly.
The librarian looked at them with a stern look and urged them to speak in a low voice. Others quietly laughed, whereas Jonathan gave an awkward smile.
The Library of Alexandria was not affiliated with any particular philosophical school, and, consequently, scholars who studied there had considerable academic freedom. They were, however, subject to the authority of the king.
The library was part of a larger research institution called the Mouseion dedicated to the Muses, the nine goddesses of the arts.
"The Library of Alexandria cataclysmically destroyed and burned once, but the authorities declined gradually over several centuries," Fadil informed them.
Looking at the tall ladders attached to each section of the bookstall high-up the ceiling, Diana mesmerized. 'What a huge library, it might take years to gain knowledge from every corner of this library,' she thought to herself.
Every section a massive collection of books along with journals displaying at a corner of the department.
"Egypt devoted four hectares of land for building the library and established the National High Commission for the Library of Alexandria. Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak took a personal interest in the project, which significantly contributed to its advancement.
Completed in 2002, the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a modern library and cultural center, commemorating the original Library of Alexandria" came Fadil voice behind them, while they were roaming around each corner of the library.
"Fadil, I have read that there is an International School of Information Science (ISIS). Which side is it located..?" Diana asked.
"It's there at east wing, that is a place where a school for students preparing for highly specialized post-graduate degrees, whose goal is to train professional staff for libraries in Egypt and across the Middle East," informed Fadil.
"The section you people need to visit is located at the center of the library. Let me know when you finish the assessment, and I will come and pick you up," he further added.
Diana and Jonathan thanked him while Rupert and Charles gave thumbs-up, grinning at him.
Looking at their eyes sparkling, Fadil murmured, "these young people seem very interested in this library," and came out of the library.
