When I was 16 years old I attended the Faculty of Art's Greek and Roman Department at the University of Alexandria. During my first year I asked Fawzi El-Fakharoni, professor of Greek and Roman archaeology, about the tomb of Cleopatra. Laughing, he asked me why I had not enquired about the tomb of Alexander the Great since he knew of its location. He then speculated that Cleopatra might have been buried inside her palace, now submerged under the Mediterranean Sea. And so, while standing on the shore at Al-Shatbi one day, I stared longingly at the water and imagined Cleopatra and her lover, Mark Antony, resting peacefully under the sea. Back then, I was captivated by Cleopatra, often dreaming of her, and I appreciated her great love story.

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