The Mediterranean Cruise Directory Egypt is “Misr” in Arabic. It occupies the northeastern corner of Africa, and is connected to Asia by the Sinai Peninsula. Egypt is bordered by Libya on the west, Sudan on the south, Israel on the east, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north. Egypt has a surface area of 386,662 square miles, approximately the same size as Texas. The population of Egypt is about 75 million. Cairo, Egypt's capital city, has a population of more than 17 million. This great metropolis is the meeting place of Africa, the Arab world, Europe and Asia. Cairo is the most important city in the country and is the political, cultural, and economic center. The oldest part of Cairo lies in the vicinity of the Khan El Khalili Bazaar and Al Azhar Mosque. The modern part of Cairo was built by a descendant of Mohamed Ali, in the 19th century.  Today a sprawling city, with its ever expanding suburbs, surrounds this historic core.  The most famous mosque, the Mohamed Ali Mosque, was built in Cairo in his memory. Cairo is known as the city of a thousand minarets due to the profusion of mosques. In approximately 3000 B.C., a civilization emerged on the banks of the River Nile. It reached a stage of development and sophistication that none of its contemporaries surpassed. The ancient Egyptians' ability to organize society, keep careful records, and maintain the continuity and advancement of their civilization almost without interruption for 30 centuries set them apart from all other civilizations. A land of motion within the stillness of centuries, the silent felucca sails in contrast to the chaos and cacophony along the Nile. Among today's monuments are the world's largest textile mill, one of the highest dams, and the largest manmade lake. Yet, all the noises of construction, cries of street vendors, even the braying of donkeys, in ever-expanding Cairo are absorbed by the eternal quiet of the deserts. Egypt is a country with many secrets tied to its past. It is an explorer's land, with places to find treasures such as antiquities, gold or jewels. It is a place to see palaces and bazaars, where the real and the reproduced can be considered. It is a land where flowers bloom in the desert and in the underwater gardens. For those who can “drink the water of the Nile,” the rewards are magnificent.

Kurdish, Asian, Russian and Mediterranean Food in the Same Brentwood Strip Mall—Is Chick-fil-A Feeling the Heat? (Nashville Scene)
At 11:15 a.m. on a recent Monday, the number of SUVs coiled around the Chick-fil-A in the Brentwood Place shopping center is enough to make you wonder if the cashier is doling out stimulus checks with the grilled breast sandwiches. Nothing against Chick-fil-A, but I can't help thinking that if ju...

Seven Oaks home comes with a Porsche (Austin American-Statesman)
What: This gleaming two-story Mediterranean-style house in the Seven Oaks neighborhood off of Bee Cave Road west of Loop 360 is owned by retired pilot and philanthropist Joe Moss and his wife, Nena. The Mosses gave $25 million to the Children's Healthcare Hospital in Atlanta (where they used to live) and have supported many causes with their charitable gifts.

Mark Wahlberg's Beverly Hills house already has an offer (Los Angeles Times)
If you see actor Mark Wahlberg around town sporting a broad grin, here's the likely reason why: He already had a nibble in the form of an offer of almost $14 million on his Beverly Hills home, listed in October at $15.9 million.

USS Elrod Homecoming (WAVY 10)
NORFOLK, Va. - Some 200 local sailors received a warm welcome home. The guided missile frigate USS Elrod pulled into port at Naval Station Norfolk Wednesday morning.

Short The Cruise Lines, Buy The Cruises (Forbes)
Deep package discounts of as much as 85% signal trouble ahead for cruise line stocks. Make money on the downside.

Cruise ship passengers surprised by pirate attack (AP via Yahoo! News)
Passengers on a luxury cruise liner attacked by pirates in the dangerous waters between Yemen and Somalia said Wednesday they were surprised by the assailants' boldness and described hearing the "Pop! Pop! Pop!" of the pirates' rifles firing at the ship.

Miami's must see sights (CNN)
When most people think of Miami, they think of South Beach, with its glorious sands, glamorous people and gorgeous Art Deco buildings. In the 1920s and 30s Art Deco was the style of choice for the developers intent on turning Miami into a tourist hot spot and the Art Deco Historic District includes hundreds of examples of the style.

'Air NZ family' gathers at Canet beach (Stuff)
It was a poignant piece of New Zealand on a Mediterranean beach. Just five days earlier, an Air New Zealand Airbus A320 had smashed into the Mediterranean Sea seven kilometres off the coast of France. All seven people on board died, five of them New Zealanders.

Short Orders: 'Accidental chocolatier' opens a retail outlet (Greensboro News & Record)
For Laura Godwin, being on the set of "Leatherheads," the comedy set at the dawn of professional football, was an exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Godwin appeared in several scenes after answering a casting call for the movie, starring George Clooney, that was partially filmed in the Triad last year. "It was fun to step out of the role of a stay-at-home mom," Godwin, 35, says. "It ...

Passengers Surprised By Brazen Pirates (CBS News)
Passengers on a luxury cruise liner attacked by pirates said they were surprised by the assailants' boldness and described hearing the "Pop! Pop! Pop!" of the pirates' rifles firing at the ship.