On a trip through Egypt several years ago, I spent the day in Alexandria touring ancient sites and sampling flavored tobacco at a local hookah cafe. As my two guides and I were visiting the area where the famous Pharos Lighthouse once stood- one of the ancient wonders of the world-, we meandered over to a bridge overlooking this amazing sunset scene complete with a lighthouse on the right and the famous Al-Haramlik Palace on the left. In the foreground is the patio of an outdoor restaurant with some patrons enjoying a sunset swim in the harbor. Unfortunately, I did not have a tripod with me, so I quickly set my Nikon with a 24-120mm lens on the bridge, opened up my aperture, and was fortunate to capture this frame before the sun set behind the lighthouse. I love the relaxed feel and rich hues of this photo, including orange, yellow, red, and some green hues above the lighthouse. It was such a balmy, laid-back evening, which capped off a whirlwind country tour in which I visited Cairo, Memphis, and Alexandria. I had the good sense to reserve a couple of guides while in Athens, and they were fantastic. They took me through the Pyramids at Giza; I had special access to the Cairo Museum (loved the mummy room), the museum at Memphis, and the new library in Alexandria. I was lucky to visit the country before the recent turmoil, but I hope to return someday to this beautiful, ancient land of the pharaohs.

Alexandria, Egypt, at sunset.