The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-31

w uen l SledilleQ IllO tut lllCOll dDlt bay of Naples the middle of last March it was my fifth visit to that city and though I know it as well as I do Bir- mingham it always charms and interests me.
 It may be well to state here why in my six visits to Europe, five of them have been by the Mediterranean route. In the first place l love an ocean voy- age, the longer the better, and I have never quilted a ship without regret. Sea sickness is something unknown to me and the Mediterranean course is nearly twice as long as the direct route to Eu- rope. Again I desire to get out of Italy before the extremely hot weather sets in, which is accomplished by making that country the beginning of my itinerary and lastly I love to be in the land of the Dago when the fruit season is at its height. Such luscious cherries are to be seen nowhere else, strawberries are abundant, figs are ripe and tho oranges are fresh. These are all points we'll worth remembering and only gained by experience.
 I sailed from Naples for the Orient on a North German Lloyd steamer, the fin est line of vessels afloat, and was charm ed with my accommodations. During the three days voyage the boat was painted up and made spick and span for the pur- pose of bringing back from Alexandria the crown prince of Germany who was then visiting Egypt
 The sailing schedule, noon, of most of these boats brings them to the straits of Messina about midnight, but re- mained up till long after that hour, Tor I could by no means think of missing the Scylla and Charybdis of classic fame. In the dark 1 could see the bold outlines of Stromboi with it's ribbons of fire run ming down it's sides to the sea, but Aetna was too far away to be viewed during the night As I passed through the straits was not lashed to the mast, nor were my ears filled with wax, like the heroes of old, but listen all that I could failed to hear the enchanting voice of a single siren. The entertainment, however, was afforded by the. vista of the illuminated cities Messina and Reggio which faced each other with only narrow strip or water between.
 Early in the morning of the third day we steamed into the harbor of Alex andra The city lies so flat that figu- ratively one stumbles upon 1t before ne is aware of its proximity. The entrance IS beautiful in the extreme as the white palace of the Khedive and the govern ment buildings, all of marble, stand close to the waters edge reflected in the blue waves and glistening in the dazzling sum-
 There Is nothing of moment to be seen in Alexandria except Pompey Pillar, so that most travellers after an hours drive take the first train for Cairo, which pro- gramme I also followed out. As l neared the city my heart throbbed with delight upon noting from the car window the dark, towering outlines of the pyramids in the offing.
 Everybody who visits Cairo goes to Shepheards hotel, for the world con tains but one such, and thither l went. It's grandeur scarcely rose to my eXpec- tations. but its uniqueness was beyond that which I had anticipated. Pictute. if you can a hostelry approaching the Waldorf Astoria of New York with its mammoth dining hall covered by glass, mosuue-like dome, and filled with dark skinned walters in long white gowns, scrupulously clean with broad red sashes around the waist red turbans upon the head and shod with red cloth slippers. At this hotel one catches a, glimpse of the world and his wife and upon It's tessellated terrace I have spent hours watching the cosmopolitan guests about me and the passing throng on the street.
 4 freuuently dined at the same table with German princesses. the sisters of the divorced wife of the present King of Saxony.
 The streets of Cairo beggar description and defy reproduction and though worlds fairs and scenic anusements may try to pr esent them in miniature. the effort is fruitless. as the replica utterly fails to approach the original. Cairo is dual city-European and African-one contend ing against the other for supremacy of architecture, dress and manners. and at