EGYPT UPROOTED: PART 4`

Day 3 29 Jan

Amal was still in deep sleep when we rose. Not knowing curfew has been imposed I decided to stroll alone at the sea front. With my DSLR I strolled up down catching photos of the beautiful sceneries against the morning breeze of Mediterranean Sea. I noticed there were very little traffic and not many people at the sea front. I remembered Amal saying that the day started about 10 or 11 am here. The morning was usually less busy. However, today it was super quiet. No traffic. No people walking around. None at all. Why? I saw a homeless under the bus stop and photographed him in his deep sleep. The sea breeze got stronger and I decide to go home as I was lightly attired

Top and bottom: super quiet highway and sea front due to the curfew

Few people passing by, taxi and tram co no where to be seen. Few people were waiting for the missing taxis and tram co. I believe they too were not aware about the curfew.

I saw a donkey pulling an overloaded cart loaded with recyclables waste. I photo graphed a few shorts as that was quite unique. .

“Why u photo?” a voice came charging at me from no where

A short big size guy stared at me

“It’s my hobby”

“Why you photo?”

“What’s wrong? This is unique. I don’t have this in my country!”

“No you won’t! No you won’t!” his hand gesturing at me, saying that NO you are not allowed.

Donkey cart, i was scolded while photographing this.

Not wanting to have any trouble, I headed home. With Amal, I went to meet mama the house owner to tell her that we are going to Cairo tomorrow, Amal translated. Though stammering at times, Amal did well. So proud to hear her talking and translating Arabic to Malay. Mama the house owner strongly advised us NOT to enter Cairo as demonstration there is getting worst. She even called Zul, another Malaysian student next floor to explain to me. Then only I knew there were a few other units of the apartment being rented by Malaysian. Zul, 3^rd year Medic student explained to me the situation and informed me that the curfew today was 5 pm to 8 am. I went out at 630 am! I breached the curfew! Masya Allah!

We went back to our apartment. Sat down, paused, and blinked. Puzzled.

We took a cab and headed for MARA building. Met few people and rumors started to spread about situations in Cairo and Alex getting bad. Met Hj Idris of Mara and he said better not to enter Cairo. Called our going to be guides in Cairo, Ustaz Nawi and Ustaz Mustaffa. Both of them said it was perfectly all right to go Cairo. It was safe! Pyramid was still open for visitors.

After lunch at MARA Office we headed for the ALEX train station. Cairo was safe. We purchased express tickets to Cairo @ 30 Jan 12.15 pm, Genih 36 X 3

Alexandria rail station.

From there we took a cab to Alexandria University to see the medical faculty. To our horror we passed a burning police station! It was badly damaged. The whole building equivalent to the size of our IPD office was completely burnt. A group of people gathered to see what happened. I took a photo quietly from the taxi, cautiously, after being scolded few times earlier on my DSLR. Traffic was heavy and all road junctions were guarded by big bodied youngsters, equipped with chains, woods, roods and what not!

What is this? Masya Allah….my heart trembled. Later part of the day, we learnt that all police stations and vehicles were burnt and weapons were stolen. Worst, about 6000 prisoners escaped. Police was no longer in power. Who ever remains, gone into hiding? Now only I understand why army tanks were every where. But who are the able bodied youngsters manning the road junctions? Who are they? Why are they carrying weapons?

Torched police stations. where are the policemen?

The taxi dropped us at a junction

We walked about 50 meters towards Alex Faculty of Medicine only to be stopped by three security guards. Nicely they told us we can’t get in as it was a holiday now and the current situation didn’t allow us to enter. We photographed from far and decided to go home. We walked home as it was quite near to our apartment. We crossed several junctions, passing through few groups of armed youngsters manning traffic. Every time we past hem, my heart trembled. They just did their work. They were nice guys. I console my self.

At home, we locked in ourselves.

Background: Alexandria University Medical Faculty

Day4-Day 6: 30 Jan-2 Feb

Days of uncertainty. We locked ourselves in most of the time. We were cut of from outside world. We did not know the development. The TV in Arabic kept showing demonstrators in action. Amal couldn’t really grasp the message. However we knew something bad was happening then.

We stayed in doors. We heard the screaming of people, shouting , yelling etc. We survived by eating breads and serunding we brought home. Survive on fruits we bought earlier. Shops were closed. Prices of food rocketed sky high.

Second day of confinement, we ran out of food. We braved ourselves going to the shops around Camp Caesar. Not that bad down stairs! Much movement going around. Many students seen shifting houses. They have been instructed to assembled at three different locations only to ease evacuation process, if need be.

Shopkeepers assured us all will be over within two days. Prices of goods escalated. Demand high, supply limited. We bought rice, fish, canned food and fruits. In case situations worsen. We ate what we had. At times, rice with sauce. Oh dear….

Third day of confinement, we stumbled upon a group of youngsters in front of grocery. Sharp samurai sword, sharp edge wood and what not. Who are they? Bad? Good? We took no chance. We rushed back to our apartment.

ght I realized our TV has English Channel! zeera and CNN. These two channels really blew out proportion the real situations. In away they too, blew our emotion, fear and worry. It showed shooting of protesters in Alexandria.

That night I couldn’t sleep a minute. At 3 or 4 pm I could hear voices of people talking, scolding and shouting. I dared not open the window. Some just switch the light off. I blocked the main door with the sofa. At least they find it hard to break open.

Messages, sms from home kept coming in. spent the night answering the messages until celcom sent a reminder that my credit limit is 99 % used. So was Umi’s phone.

Wahizan topped up the bills to keep us in contact.

I was in a living fear. Sms Dato Razif and Ustaz Fajuri, asking for their prayers and doa. I felt I was helpless in this alien world. Their encouraging words and assurance gave me comfort.