Night Falls on the Ancient City.. yet the City Never Sleeps
Night falls on the ancient city… yet the city never sleeps.
The electric street lights along the sea side walk light up in unison. Modern day architects have shaped them to resemble the street lamps of days long gone. A tribute to the architecture of an era that was great.
The old man rode his bicycle with admirable skill along the boardwalk. Sun was setting and as the night fell he traveled from one street lantern to the next. Delicately balancing himself on his bicycle seat he took out his gas and matches and made sure the lamps were well fuelled and lit them up. Instantaneously a circle of light engulfed the darkness around the pole. Content with the job he’s done he straddled his bike only to stop again not too far from the parameters of his circle of light.
As if on queue the stars in the heavens above started to appear. One by one and in complete random sequence stars of varied sizes lit up and started twinkling in the skies above. These days these majestic stars barely visible, years of pollution have blackened clouds thick enough to block out the sun, not just the stars.
A summer breeze carries the smells that have come to define summer in Alexandria. The smell of the sea mixed with the steaming Shisha smoke with its multitude of flavors. Music played from the various oriental cafes along the board walk, music ranged from old Arabic classics to today’s hits for artists we had never heard of till yesterday who’d shot the clip in their own backyard with some digicam.
Night falls on the ancient city… yet the city never sleeps.
OpeRon® said,
January 5, 2007 at 9:57 pm
wow.. impressive.. I love it..
the metaphors were astonishing and breath-taking .. You’re great walahi
I like how u described the scene like a background music, adorable
Inji's said,
January 8, 2007 at 11:49 am
I’m an Alexandrian.. this city always enchants me.. I can never get enough of it… and no matter how big my problems are just setting foot there melts them all away.. Hence all the prose with oceans and seas
nashwa nagy said,
May 28, 2009 at 9:15 pm
you just draw your beloved ‘Alex’, and invite us to visit this adorable place through your lines..
Thanks for this beautiful journey…juka
Juka said,
May 28, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Nashwa: Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed the short trip to my city by the sea.