Arriving in Egypt 12 hours before the mysterious Air Cairo flight disappearance was a rather surreal start to my trip. In fact, I was the one who informed my tour guide that day it had happened and it looked like I punched him in the stomach. While the tourism numbers show about a 75% drop in tourism since the political uprising of 2011 and a continued sharp drop from last year to this year possibly because of the terrorist incident in the Sinai in the fall when a Russian airliner was taken down by ISIS, the government party line is that things look bright ahead and they were getting through the slump. In fact, almost everyone I have spoken to seems to feel that Egypt is stabilizing and Sisi is doing a good job running the country. While there is still work to do I get the feeling things were looking up. (I realize that might be a targeted message for people like me.) But in a country where 12% of the population makes their livelihood from tourism this plane crash is a sign of more tough times ahead.
Meanwhile I don't really know what is happening behind the scenes, but my tourist experience has been wonderful. Egyptians are open and friendly. Cairo is bright, busy and energetic. It's population of 20 million bursts out into the sidewalks of every neighborhood. Seeing the sites is easy. There are plenty of tour guides to teach me history and culture and to thankfully share their opinion on politics and Egypt today. The streets feel very safe. Jane Jacobs would like seeing all the "eyes on the street" that keep everyone safe and looked after.
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