I spent two weeks in Egypt just two weeks ago. It was DIY and I travelled all over – east (Suez Canal), west (the desert), north (Alexandria), south (Aswan/Luxor). The Tunisia turmoil was gathering pace and Mohamed Bouazizi’s name was being whispered. Yes, I did speak to the Egyptian street and they were surprisingly forthcoming. Yes, I did speak to the Egyptian street and they were surprisingly forthcoming. In a country where literacy is only 66 percent (in Arabic; in English I estimate no more than 25 percent and on the street barely 10 percent) it was mostly one-syllable answers or sign language. To Nasser they gave two thumbs up, Sadat one. Mubarak one thumb down, Gamal Mubarak two thumbs down. They said “it’s the family”, meaning corruption at the high ends.
More: viva! east africa: Egypt: big macs, felafels, and the dynasty.
via HuffingtonPost: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/social/Vali_Jamal/
Ismailimail 