christabir

Banks and the stock exchange are supposed to open today or tomorrow. They had to "turn on" the Internet for that to happen. I hope everyone can get the change they so desperately want and need, but that commerce and tourism can happen at the same time.

Rumor (Bloomberg News) says Mubarak has $70 Billion (about what Bill Gates and Warren Buffett have combined) in European Banks. Please have most of that money go back to his country.

Grcxx3

<<Please have most of that money go back to his country.>>

Don't count on it.

P_M

<<Please have most of that money go back to his country.>>

Isn't this the primary reason for all this chaos? When I was there our guide told us the #1 source of revenue in Egypt is not tourism, it's the Suez Canal. Unfortunately all of that money stays in government and none of it ever goes toward helping the people or improving the infrastructure.

I've been traveling in the Caribbean for the last week so I'm sure that's not the whole story as I haven't seen much news. I'm just getting home today and trying to catch up.

Grcxx3

P_M - the main source of revenue for the country may be the Suez, but tourism is definitely the main source of revenue for the people. I just hope they can get things under control soon so that people will feel comfortable visiting.

P_M

That's what I meant to say G, thanks for stating it better than I did. I also hope they can get things under control soon. If tourists don't come back soon this will surely break the back of the economy.

cece

We were just in Egypt on a 2 week archeology tour and were just ending as everything broke out. Our flight was cancelled as were the subsequent flights we booked so we took the government up on their evacuation and ended up in Athens.
Our hearts are broken thinking of all the people we met--egyptologists, archeologists and all those involved in tourism. Their jobs just went away and it is going to be a long time before they return. To a person they all said they wanted Mubarak to go--they deserve a better government and I hope they get it.

tenmom

Talked to a family who was flying out of Athens (they had been in Cairo) who arrived when all the violence broke out. Their van was hit by rocks and at one point was stopped and shaken. They could see fires burning and were very afraid. They had tried to cancel the trip but had been told by the tour operator that all was fine. They did make it to their hotel which smelled of tear gas and had no lights. They were turned on later. They did not get to sight see at all in Cairo but did do their tour once on the Nile. The couple did not feel that Americans were in any way targeted but that people were just angry and they were in the wrong spot at the time.

Casual_Cairo

<<The couple did not feel that Americans were in any way targeted but that people were just angry and they were in the wrong spot at the time.>>

Sounds like a fair assessment of the situation. They will have some story to tell about their time in Egypt, won't they?

P_M

Debbie, where are you? Are you back in Egypt yet or still in the US?

Casual_Cairo

Presently in Mississippi

Casual_Cairo

Presently in Mississippi

sandi

Gambling on a river boat?

Casual_Cairo

Hasn't happened yet, but might still could!

KarenOZ

Congratulations to all egyptians! !