“IN PHOTOS” is a series I will use to share many of the hundreds of photos I have taken during my travels. It is a series I have thought about for a while now, but did not want to start until I got back home from my trip. However after spending a week in Chefchaouen, Morocco I couldn’t wait any longer. “IN PHOTOS” will not have a set schedule like my “MUSIC MONDAY” or “PHOTO ROUND UP” series. “IN PHOTOS” will be a post with several photos with no limit. The only restriction this series will have is that it must be about a certain subject or theme. I will write a brief paragraph or sentence describing the subject or theme of the photos and then post the photos. I will not caption the photos like I do on my “PHOTO ROUND UP” with my thoughts. I want to use “IN PHOTOS” to share my photos and let you come up with your own thoughts about the images and hope you share them with me. I have also numbered them in case you want to leave a comment about a specific photo.
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As much as I love Tahrir Sq. I had been avoiding it the last few days. The tension was building as they continued to postpone the announcement of the first leader in Egypt’s history to win a democratic election. They finally announced that Sunday the 24th of June 2012 would be the day. My Egyptian friends and I were glued to the TV set. The images of Tahrir Sq were breath taking. I couldn’t believe I was just a 30 minute walk from there, but chose not to go because I knew if they had announce Shafik the winner things would have turned ugly. Instead we waited and waited and finally it was announced “The final results are Shafik got 48% of the votes and Morsi got 52% making him the winner”. We couldn’t believe it and moments later we heard the cheers coming from the streets along with many honks and even fireworks. It was a historical moment in Egypt’s history. The images of Tahrir Sq. on the TV set were amazing. It was filled with celebration. I immediately told my boyfriend that I wanted to vist Tahrir Sq. we agreed to eat first and then go.
MORSI… MORSI… MORSI – BEEP BEEP… BEEP BEEP BEEP, were the sounds we heard as we walked to Tahrir Sq. People waving flags and waving their hands in the air everyone with a smile and cheering. When we arrived to Tahrir Sq. we went through 3 pat downs set up by regular citizens to make sure no weapons are smuggled into the Sq. I looked up after the pat downs and couldn’t believe Tahrir Sq. was jam packed crowded with people. I had NEVER seen the Sq. like this. Not even during the one year anniversary of the revolution. I was in a state of shock… I just couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that last Sunday I went with my boyfriend to vote and today I was there celebrating. I kept telling him “your vote counted”. The feeling I felt was like no other. I mean you are there, you are witnessing the hard work of a 16 month old revolution. I don’t even know how to describe how it felt. If I had to use one word I would say ELECTRIFYING. The energy being sent into the air by the people was like no other. Over and over again I heard “MORSI MORSI”, I saw fireworks explode in the air over the crowd. I saw people dancing, people hugging, people crying with joy.
I spent the next two hours walking around Tahrir Sq. living the historical moment with the people of Egypt. While I was there I took over 200 photos. I have selected 60 of my favorite photos and thought I should share them today. I also decided not to make any changes to the photos (I just resized them for the post). I want you to feel what it was like to be there. I know I mentioned this before, but I still can’t believe I was there. Now I will let the photos speak.
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Mr. President Morsi congratulations on the win and please give the people of Egypt the future they deserve.
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Hope you enjoyed the photos & I hope you share your thoughts below.
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MORE OF EGYPT IN PHOTOS
- Cairo, revolution street art in photos.
- Meet Elephantine Island (my new love) in photos!
- Temples of Abu Simbel & Philae in photos.
- A side of “Tahrir Square” the media/news do not want you to see in photos
- A visit to the Sahara Desert again (this time in Egypt) in photos.
It’s really cool you were able to see this firsthand! Wish I was there to see it too, as it is historical and I love Tahrir Sq!
Norbert recently posted..Celebrating Passover At An Israeli Kubbutz
Thanks Norbert, ah I wish you were here to witness it. It was a feeling like no other.
Wow such a powerful moment! You pictures really capture the moment. Well done pumpkin.
Elle recently posted..How I Dealt With the 5 Worst Things That Have Happened to Me While Travelling
Thanks Elle, I’m so happy that I was able to capture this moment in history.
Great photos! Must’ve been amazing to witness this moment in history firsthand.
Thanks Amanda, it really was amazing to witness firsthand.
This is incredible Jaime! How exciting to be there for all of this, right in the middle of this moment in history. Great pictures!
Jess | GlobetrotterGirls recently posted..Sin Galore in Singapore
Thanks Jess, it was incredible indeed. Still can’t believe it.
I love the fact that civilians set up checkpoints to ensure that no weapons got in! That’s awesome! And what a momentous moment to experience in person!
Aaron @ Aaron’s Worldwide Adventures recently posted..What the Heck is a “Census-Designated Place?”
Aaron, I know I was like wow… this is amazing. I didn’t see any police or any type of armed forces near the Sq. It was a momentous moment I still can’t believe I was there for.
Jaime! Salam alaykum! You are so lucky to have been a part of that! I would have loved to be there! I’ve been following the whole uprising since Muhammad Bouazizi set himself on fire in Tunisia. And it is just so astonishing to see how the uprising has unfolded. And for Egypt to now have a new President that the people voted for is just amazing and such an important part of history. The people and all Egypt will now have more peace than they ever knew, Inshallah. I am so proud of you for being there. I feel closer to Egypt knowing you are there lol. Mandame una postcard de Egypt, Jaimito, please!! Take care! Lubbya! God bless you!
Rubi, it’s crazy to think the Arab Spring has been happening for nearly two years & it’s crazy to think we have been following it all along. What’s crazier is that I have been in Egypt for 3 key moments in their history and I can’t believe it. It’s amazing that Egyptians now have their 1st ever freely elected President. I am glad me sharing my stories can bring you closer to this amazing country. I just want people to know what is really going on. Oh & yes I will send you a postcard for sure.
I heard the news on the radio and I had to think of you! But to be honest, I hope they won’t become a state where the law is the religion…
Have you tried doing freelance journalism, I don’t know if they already have a lot of journalist in Egypt…? Perhaps there’s a way of gaining money like this 🙂
Wow Juana, so cool that you thought of me. I don’t think President Morsi will be crazy enough to bring them to a religious state. He knows what the people of Egypt are capable of and will not fail them. I’ve never tried to do freelance I wouldn’t even know where to start. I know so many reporters are in Cairo though.
What a powerful time in history and what a privilege to be able to be right there with it. Amazing that you have been so interested in Egypt your whole life and found yourself in the middle of Cairo during one of the country’s most important historical moments ever! I went to Tahrir on the morning of the 17th, the second day of elections, and I was amazed to see that almost no one was there! Traffic was flowing through and it was almost empty – on election day! It was a little disappointing but also encouraging in that it seemed Egyptians were trying to move on with life rather than focusing on protesting in Tahrir.
Yes Sabina such a powerful time in history. It really was a privilege to be here and be able to share the moment with the people of Egypt. I think it’s crazy that my whole life I have dreamt of coming to Egypt and like you said I have now been here for some of the most historical moments ever. As for Tahrir Sq. I was so disappointed too when I arrived Friday morning and only saw a small group of people, but like you said I think people were just trying to move on. I still think the people of Egypt are exhausted and just want a sense of political normality. It’s going to be interesting to see how the plays along.
I just read one of Robert Fisk’s articles and it made think of a place in Cairo that might interest you while you’re there Jaime. You should check out the home of Saad Zaghloul, one of Egypt’s revolutionaries against the British if you get a chance!
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/fisk/robert-fisk-mohamed-morsi-is-no-revolutionary-and-not-much-of-a-nationalist-the-army-elite-has-already-laid-traps-for-him-7879773.html
Loved the pics mate, just a little jealous 😉 just a little…….
Ash | The Most Alive recently posted..Uganda: Making A Difference Without A Viral Video (Interview With Leonie Quayle)
Thanks Ash, I have never heard of it him or it so that would be really interesting to see and learn more about. Ahh the British how they have ruled just about the entire world… crazy!
I particularly like photos #6 and 48!! What a special day indeed!!
PS: And I love all the different vendors kicking about. Must have been an awesome day for them, both politically and financially 😉
Thanks Carolin oh I know right… I really loved the vendors too and was actually gonna put more of them in there, but didn’t. You could literally buy anything there from hats, to food, to shirts, to keychains just about anything.
Great pictures Jaime! I’m definitely interested to see how it all unfolds over the next few months and years. So amazing that you were able to be there and experience this. As much as you know it’s a big moment now, just think how you’ll feel when you look back on this years from now.
Ali recently posted..Stormy Days and Fishy Nights in Bora Bora
Thanks Ali, I agree it’s going to be very interesting to see this all unfold. I hope the president does a good job in sterring the country in the right direction. Oh & I know… I can’t believe years from now I will be able to say “I was there”.
The energy of these photos gives me chills, what an incredible moment in history.
Ayngelina recently posted..35 Things I learned from traveling in Latin America
Thanks Ayngelina, really is an incredible moment in history.
Amazing captures, Jaime! You can feel the energy through your photos.
Amanda recently posted..Soaking at the Szechenyi Baths
Thank you so much Amanda. It was an amazing feeling to be there!!!