Excellent description of neighborhood street scenes in Alexandria and the morale of Egyptians.
They complained about fat cats flying off with millions of dollars. “This is our money,” one said. They told me proudly that they had just flagged down two cars filled with uniformed and plainclothes police who had willingly succumbed to being ordered out of their vehicles for an identity card check. What a difference 10 days make!
Their spirits were high. They wanted me to know that for the first time they feel proud to be Egyptian; their heroes are the people in Tahrir Square who sleep there with bandaged heads, despite the chill of night and the rain or proper food or washing facilities.
Everyone spoke of the new sense of camaraderie they feel sharing cigarettes, food and what little cash they have left with neighbours they had only nodded at before all this. I’ve noticed it, too. Every time I pop my head out of the window, women hanging out washing or watching the world below smile and wave.