Algiers

We have finally reached one of the reasons we chose this route, Algeria.  We are still sorry we missed Tunisia but were happy to be approaching this exotic destination.  To leave the ship in Algeria you be with a shop tour or have a personal VISA.  We met several people who purchased the VISA.  I am not sure of the price because we did not consider it since it would be costly for one day, I am sure of that.  Turns out that the government rules changed and you can actually only be on Algeria soil with a ship-tour and under the shop VISA.  Tours had to be signed up for well in advance and the tour group list passed to the immigration officials for approval.  Perhaps because it is a new destination to American tourists, a large percentage traveling with us are U.S. citizens, the Algerians decided to keep us contained.  Our Australian fellow travelers were not at all happy about this turnoff events.

The three of us booked the included tour.  The city is often referred to as Alger la Banc.  The French title comes from years of French domination.  The city has wide boulevards and many gardens.  To go from a lower part to the upper part or the even higher more upper part you climb through gardens.  These are lush tropical green spaces with fountains and sculptures.  La Grande Poste is a remarkable remnant of French colonization.  Districts from a pre-colonial Ottoman empire rise above the blue coastline so that streets from the port to the mountaintop zig zag past rail lines and shops and terraces of varying degrees of prosperity.  We were adding the Casbah Stroll tour when I commented that it was very expensive, $149, and I wasn’t sure if my friend would want to do it since we had spent a few weeks in Morocco.  When I said that the tour director shook her head vehemently and said no.  This was nothing like that and we would be disappointed.  Morocco has the more iconic and larger Kasbah and we had one in every city we visited.  That was generous of her so we were happy that we had not added it before we left home.

First glimpse of exotic Algiers.

The White City

We boarded the buses in large groups as a caravan was needed.  No camels were involved.  However a police escort with flashing lights and sirens was required.  Kind of funny since in most ports it is said to try not to look like a tourist.  We were told that this was so that they could provide traffic control and I can see where that would be handy.  Although traffic was talked about a lot it was not like China or India.  Normal congestion was evident and grew as the day went on.  Fortunately we were here on a Friday so most of the men and boys were at the various mosques and the women were home cooking the afternoon lunch.  Since it is a Muslim country Friday is their Holy Day.  But police did stop cross traffic at many streets because there are not traffic lights!

The Monument is composed of three tall cement palm leaves with an observation deck tucked between them at the top.  One soldier stood ‘guard.’  He just sort of stood there at the top of the steps, at the base of the palm leaves, looking around the crowd.  And it was a crowd with over 900 from our ship and many, many local families or visitors from other parts of Algeria.  Every now and then he would quite casually go stand somewhere else.

Around the base of the monument was a viewing terrace to see the city.  The very nice local guide was so knowledgeable.  She gave great details of the French Colonial Period and of the decision to regain control of their own country.  Every city and small town and even villages in Algeria has a memorial to the resistance fighters.  She also spoke of the British influence.  Algerians do not seem as upset about that.  I cannot remember all the details but since this was in modern times she also spoke of the American aide they received.  I may take the time to study it all…someday!  My good friend Kelly may read up on it and teach me about it since she is excellent at teaching and understanding it all.

 

A young man wanted to speak to an American and so we did.  I guess he can tell his friends he met one.  A little girl that I smiled and waved to was about 4 years old.  I blew her a kiss and she ran over and kissed me on the cheek!  So sweet.  

  

Back in the city our literally escorted tour continued with a stop at the Grande Poste d’Alger.  This ‘famous’ post office has a drop box that is an ornate tiled square with four mail slots. It is about 3 feet wide and maybe the same in height or slightly less. The building is closed because the example of French designed Moorish Architecture is being renovated to become a museum.  It was supposed to have been restored sometime last year but like many things the completion is delayed.  Since we visited on a Friday it would have been closed anyway.  All of the ornate tile work has been removed to be reinstalled in the new facility.  The Marble façade with Arabic arches is reminiscent of the Alhambra or the Indian treasure, the Taj Mahal.

Notice the terraced garden between lanes of the city and leading from shoreline to the highest hill.

$700 a month; two bed, two bath up top

The city center is two levels up from the sea with broad views and the terraced park access.  Here there was a beautiful apartment building.  Since our guide was both a teacher and a realtor she was a little hesitant to answer questions about money, which I always appreciate.  She said rent was very, very expensive but when I pressed her, saying, what is expensive to one person may be different to someone else, she quickly got out her calculator and put on her realtor hat!  Americans would not be permitted to buy but in US dollars it would be about $700 a month for two bedrooms with two baths.  When I asked her, not for her salary but for a starting teacher’s wages, she said it would be about $300 a month and you have to teach several years before you get more.  So, yes.  The apartments in the city center, in a beautiful building with a treasured view are, indeed, very expensive.

We were not permitted to walk around on our own and also the ship had a short stay.  Carol was with us on our included tour but we were on an early bus so that upon return she could take her optional tour.  Since the buses traveled in caravan each pulled up to the ship and unloaded its passengers.  Some people told us later that it took them 20 minutes to get off the bus.  Had we not asked about it and been on one of those busses, she would have missed the special tour of the Church of Our Lady of Africa and of the Le Jardin d’Essai du Hamma.  We actually were able to see it in our view from the monument.  It is more of what I would call an arboretum than garden but quite large and lovely.  I am sure in this North African country the peaceful shade is appreciated.  There were terraced steps and fountains so one of the garden employees came out to push bring a wheelchair for one of the group who usually walks with a cane.  But that would have been difficult and slow.  He pushed the chair even up the various step ways.  Although a portion of the garden was claimed to be and English Garden the term, we have found, means something different in the Med.  The Brits on the tour certainly said it was nothing like they had in England!  There was bamboo, tropical plants, Elephant Ears ant things like that.  But there was a small labyrinth so maybe that is it.  I think the term English simply means in this case, foreign.

While Carol went off to see the Treasures of Algiers on her second tour, Elva and I browsed the few tables of local craft souvenirs that were made available at the end of the pier.  I did pick up a pretty scarf for Katie but after admiring and considering it the seller’s rate of exchange was a little different from mine.  She wanted $99 USD.  I would have had to go to the nearby ATM and risk putting my card in to get Dinar.  On my calculator it might have been $33 but even that would seem a lot to me.

El Jadin as seen from the viewing platform at the Monument.

We met for and exchanged notes on our adventures.  Carol was disappointed that they did not have enough time at the unusually beautiful Basilica.  Built in a combination of French and Moorish styles and decorated with blue tile work it was even picturesque as we sailed into port.  It stands out perched high above the sea in the old part of the city.  Since it was quite the opposite end from the garden that was visited first the increasing traffic delayed their arrival.  Time couldn’t be extended as the shop would have sailed away before their return.  Maybe next time.

We decided to go to the Beatles tribute show first and eat after in the café.  None of us were interested in cleaning up and changing for dinner.  Carol had missed lunch because of the double tour day so we were happy to eat early.  The food upstairs is very good, much the same as in the restaurant and always has at least two carving stations and a variety of other dishes.  The wine is poured for you and beverages served by the waiters.  They will also bring you whatever you wish to eat.

Oddly enough we have started to use the game tables that are on Deck 2.  You can enjoy the atmosphere of the atrium and the music but still get hilariously silly playing Air Hockey or Mahjong.  We even tried Blackjack and Texas Hold ‘Em!  A great way to take a break between events or to end a long but exciting day.