Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Upside of Civil Unrest?


It's been almost a week since banks have been closed and Egypt has been in the grip of civil unrest...to say the least. Despite the images of riots on television, there are moments of calm, like this quiet Wednesday morning in Maadi when the shopkeepers were sweeping up Road 9 and washing sidewalks and streets. We went into town to find a rumoured open ATM to try to get some cash, help a friend collect the key to her new apartment, and generally check things out. The neighbourhood watch groups have been incredible and have done a great job. And the upside? Finding a parking place at 10 am on a Wednesday on Road 9!

21 comments:

Maryanne Stroud Gabbani said...

This afternoon we have been transfixed by the images from Tahrir of the pro-Mubarak "demonstrators" fighting a pitched battle against the protesters. Interesting that the protests have been incredibly peaceful until today. Where were all the pro people before today?

rapunzel said...

Have been thinking of you and wishing you safety.

Petrea Burchard said...

Interesting. Perhaps Mubarak hoped his announcement yesterday would be more well-received. Would he be able to hire people to fight for him, and to control the television images of such?

It's nice to see you online again. I'm glad to have found your blog.

mizyƩna said...

Inshallah khair wa Masr!

Greetings from Tunisia.

Dina said...

So glad you are back, Maryanne.

Travel France Online said...

I find all this very worrying for the people living there, Egyptians and foreigners, but I feel also very sad seeing the Museum being vandalised!
Hope you keep safe.
Best regards

Eloquence said...

agreed with Maryanna, on my FB i was oddly bombarded with we love you Mubarak, you have done so much for us! I was greatly insulted for someone who's family has suffered at his hands. I'm not there so i don't know if the media is just playing up the hype i'de love to see it from your point of view. it doesn't seem your dramatizing it :)

Petrea Burchard said...

Just found this:
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/02/02/egypt.pro.mubarak/

Bess V. said...

I used to live in Maadi as a little kid so this picture is doubly interesting to me. The first and most obvious reason is the revolution over there. I'm not sure if "revolution" is the right word because the American media has been calling it "chaos" and "riots." Anyway, it looks like the Internet is back up in Egypt, which is a good thing. Keep posting to let us know what's going on over there from a first-person perspective!

Kalahari RRs said...

Glad to know you are okay and back to posting. Don't know what the outcome will be, but here's hoping it will be good for the Egyptian people.

Jack said...

Be careful and good luck.

brattcat said...

So good to see you back on-line, Maryanne.

Desert Horse Rider said...

I've been thinking of you since seeing the riots on the news. Glad you are safe and well.

Giulia said...

Stay safe, Maryann. Good to see this post. Watching al-J/English & Twitter acct. obsessively. xoxo from Washington, DC

Anonymous said...

hope you are fine,Maryanne
i'm italian living in egypt.
hanady

Anita said...

I've been checking your site daily and am glad to see this post. Many here are watching every kind of news we can. I owe much to your blog and your pictures for an increased appreciation and warm regard for the Egyptian people.

jamr said...

I´m glad to see a new post of you. Take care and be very very careful.

D said...

Thinking about you and all Egyptians and praying for peaceful resolution and safety soon.

leogirl said...

Dear Maryanne, hope you are in a safe place away from the conflict.I love your blog and look forward to reading new updates.Please stay safe, whatever you do.

Anonymous said...

Welcome Back,

I am glad you are safe and sound and delighted to see more of your photos.

I too lived in Maadi in the 60s around 16th street. So, the picture brought back wonderful memories. Thanks for sharing.

May Egypt return to its glory soon and may Aljazeera network stay away for ever.

an Okie from Maadi

Sharon said...

I'm so glad to see you back on line. I have thought about you many, many times during the past week. I'm so glad to hear that there are calm places during this storm. I'm hoping for a safe and peaceful conclusion to this revolution. One that is good for everyone in your country.

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