Reflecting more than just romance, muses Rasha Sadek No place in this country is developing faster than Marina. Remember when Egypt's North Coast, from Alexandria to Al-Alamein, was nothing more than a few villages dotting the Mediterranean, with some chalets and apartments for summer renting? That was 10 years ago. Then Marina emerged, 105km west of Alexandria. Back then, Marina promised more than the quiet those other villages offered. With two centres for night hangout, people started to flock in. Investments immediately started to flow into what is now the North Coast hub. The whole operation was backed up by a plan, kicked off a couple of winters ago, to turn the North Coast into a year-round tourism magnet. Year after year, Marina grew in size, name, and attraction. And the moon witnessed it all. Let's skip the gradual, though definitely rapid, development of the complex-cum-city and jump right to what it has become today. Bear in mind, there are whole segments of Egyptian society for whom July and August are synonymous with Marina. Marina is divided into seven sections according to entrance gates. From the Med Sea extend numerous wide and long channels, lagoons and man-made and natural lakes that carry the water into different parts of the resort. You could say the beach is everywhere. Luxurious villas and "palaces" -- as most visitors call them, unable to find a better word to describe the exorbitant constructions -- are plenty and aligned side by side, especially in the areas recently built. Rumour has it that a villa in Marina costs LE7 million- LE10 million. I, among many, don't find that hard to believe. Accompanying scenes are the latest and most expensive car models parked in garages. You could skip going to car agencies and instead stroll along Marina's streets for the latest and hottest wheels. Not to mention of course, the beach buggies, jet skis and Harley Davidsons on the side of villas with double front and back view of the sea and lake. It's show time for everybody, young and adult, as night falls onto the Med's Marina, especially in Marina 4, 5 and 6. For the last three years, Marina 5 has been the centre of cafés lined across the lagoons. The concept is really appealing. You choose from the dozens of open air cafés which differ in mood, décor and music and pick the ones most delectable to your taste. Two things are common -- the smoothly flowing waters and of course the face of the moon. In Marina 5 are Casino, Orange and Sidi Mansour on the right side of the lake. Casino is the loudest and gives you room to get up and shake your body to the hips of songs. Orange, on the contrary, invites you to sink in their comfy white couches to the ah-I- haven't-heard-that-for-a-long-time kinds of songs. Casino and Orange are among the excellent choices for spending your night. Sidi Mansour's décor depends mostly on wood. It's loud with the sounds of its frequenters. And let me whisper something in your ear: the service is a bit slow. These three cafés offer shisha with all flavours. You name it: grape, melon, strawberry, cola, coffee, lemon, mint, apple, orange, or cocktail. Entrance fees are between LE35-LE50. When you walk, or better yet drive past these cafés and take the next left turn, there lies the finest -- if you ask me -- night spot. Zoe, Makani and Route 66 have reserved a place on the lake with a breathtaking view. The décor is most eye-relieving and soul- soothing. On three levels it is. The couches are orange and red, and silk transparent red curtains separate some seatings for those looking for privacy. The music was exactly what I was looking for during my vacation. An excellent collection of Chill Outs echoed through. They were the perfect excuse for me to stay there for five or so hours although I'm not a fan of coffee shops. Zoe is an Asian cuisine restaurant, cooking a combination of Japanese, Thai and Chinese platters. Makani offers the regular menus of cafés with a specialty in desserts (when you're there try the Blueberry Cheese Cake... a bite of heaven), while Route 66 specialises in burgers and hotdogs. Take my advice -- when in Marina head for this place. I grant you a memorable time. And to be completely honest, avoid hot drinks of which water is an ingredient. Their machines use tap water which won't be to your liking. Zoe, Makani and Route 66 don't offer shisha and are free of minimum charge. If from Casino and Orange you skip that left turn and head straight, you'll encounter Colombus, Chill Out and Velvet Lounge. Chill Out is one good option. The seatings surround a pool. They are comfortable and you could choose between thick fluffy cushions on the floor or couches. The name of the place is taken after the music they play. Shishas are available and entrance fees are LE35. Colombus, LE50 upon entry, is in Marina especially for caffeine addicts and lovers of hot drinks who can cram coffee beans into anything. Just this year, Marina 4 built cafés and a few food chains on both sides of the entrance gate. Tche Tche and Princess cafés will suit your teenage children more. In the same area, you'll find supermarkets, mini-malls and shops that sell anything for your basic needs. Between gates 3 and 4, there's a line of cafés including the Lebanese Sedars offering its country's famous cooking, the Red Sub-Zero and Gar Al-Qamar in addition to a couple of low-profile cafés. All these coffee shops overlook the longest of Marina's sea channels. They are not surrounded by any residential establishments so they sort of offer serene and calm night outs. They all offer shishas. Entrance fees range from LE20-LE35. Now, had you missed out on the previous Al-Ahram Weekly Travel Supplement, here's a glance at the most gigantic Marina addition, Porto Marina. This complex is an architectural masterpiece, the first yacht marina in Egypt's North Coast. An official point of entry, it can moor up to 500 yachts in addition to providing all the basic requirements of sailing. In every sense of the word, Porto Marina is designed for and with luxury. Upon entrance, the Med breeze will instantly carry the tunes that perfectly fit the mood; Italian, Greek, Spanish. Sound systems are spread all over the complex so that wherever you walk you'll be swaying to the music. Lined across the palm trees-sprayed promenade of Porto are dozens of coffee shops and restaurants with big swings directly on the water. That's an experience you shouldn't miss out on. You'll be having your lunch, dinner or just your coffee with your companions, all of you smoothly swinging. You'll have a long list of restaurants to choose from. Jonny Carino's offers Italian dishes, Chili's American and grilled, Alain Le Nôtre French pastries, Studio Misr Egyptian barbecue, Beano's snacks.... believe me the list is long. At Porto as well, there's a cinema complex, kids playground, health spa and 560 brand shopping stores. The hotel itself is the definition of luxury in any dictionary. Standard double rooms, BB, cost LE1,200-LE2,000 per night. Suites cost LE4,000-LE7,500. An image of Italy's Venice will instantly be invoked when you see the lagoon stretching amidst the buildings of Porto with gondolas taking people from one venue to another. A 15- minute sail in a gondola will cost you LE75. Simpler options in Marina and which won't cost you as much are the two old centres of the resort. The Champ Elysees is Marina's main street and its "downtown". Besides housing the Roman Theatre that organises summer concerts for star singers, it's the venue of -- again -- dozens of cafés with big screens showing the latest Arabic films. Happy Dolphin, for instance, is well known and serves the best shisha in Marina. It's also known for its delicious feteer and pizzas. Minimum charge is LE20. Besides being a coffee shop, Braziliano is also an Internet café. The Abu Mazen area serves sandwiches with Syrian bread and Al-Madina Al-Monawara is known, in Cairo and the North Coast, for the best ice creams. At the Champs Elysees are mini-shopping malls, hypermarket Zahran, a bowling and billiards centre and a mini-circus and entertainment park for kids. Right after you finish Champs Elysees Street and turn right you'll encounter the Sea Gull centre. It's just the place for anything and everything. Food options are endless -- all the fast food chains, the fish vendors who will cook seafood to your taste, feteer and shawerma mini-shops and Saber, Al-Madina Al-Monawara's rival. At the Sea Gull, there's an entertainment park where you can leave your kids attended and stroll along the numerous shops. At the back, on the lake, you can sit in one of the three modest cafés or rent a boat for LE300 per hour and sail wherever you want in Marina. Next to Porto Marina is Tahiti, a private beach in the morning and a party hub at night. To the sounds of music, you'll be seated close to the pool and the dance floor is constructed on a higher level to overlook the sea. Entrance fees are LE40 in the morning and LE70 at night. La Plage, in Marina 5, opens only for members and until 8pm, also with a spacious dance floor. La Femme and Yashmak are women- only beaches that by the emergence of the moon turn into loud men and women hangouts. And remember: the moon will follow you like a shadow wherever you go in Marina. "This world, such as it is, is not tolerable. Therefore I need the moon, or happiness, or immortality. I need something which is perhaps demented, but which is not of this world." Albert Camus (1913-1960), French- Algerian philosopher.
