Akyaka - A good place to reflect after Cairo

After being evacuated from Cairo and arriving in Istanbul from Athens, we went to Akyaya on the Aegean - Craig, Brad, Michael, Carol, Martha, Susan and I. It was a good place to reflect.

At this spot, the Aegean and Mediterranean meet.

Foggy mornings are good for reflection.

Beautiful views are good for reflection.

We stayed at the Hotel Yucelen.

The Yucelen's ceiling was designed by Nail Çakırhan.

The guys stayed at Craig's house there on the left. Its ceiling was also designed by Nail Çakırhan in the style of a nearby village. We enjoyed a the fires in the fireplace.

Walks are good for reflection.

Cairo Part 9: Video of protests January 28, 2011

This video was filmed on Friday, January 28th, when the first protests in Cairo began after noon prayers. Six of us were staying at the Windsor, a small 6-story hotel near Tahrir Square, which was the center of the protests in Cairo. The video shows what we witnessed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l28f4CIZf6M

Cairo Part 8: Arriing at the Flamenco and the evacuation out of Cairo

Looking out the 10th floor conference room windows at the Flameco. On this day, fighter jets start flying over Cairo.

Meeting up with other ELFs from the region after we are in the Flamenco. The conference was canceled, and only a few made it. For the six of us who had been in the Windsor, it is hard to integrate into the larger group. Our minds are on the Windsor experience. It is hard to be "present" once we are in the larger group at the Flamenco - but we are all relived we are there. We wait to learn what the next step is.

Rick Finnan has been to Luxor and is now back in Cairo at the Flamenco. We have been thinking of him and Deanne and wondering if they were OK. It's good to see them.

Carol and Ana share a moment.

Boarding the bus to go to the airport. We have heard about conditions at the airport and the road between the Flamenco and the airport. Nobody wants to go to the airport, but everyone knows it is a necessary step. A tense moment as we board the vans we will ride in.

Craig Dicker with ELFs in the second bus.

On the bus on the way to the airport.

Many tanks in the streets.

Jordan, ELF in Cairo, points out some of the sights among the tanks on the way to the airport. Laughter ensues. 

More tanks....

Some tanks are very close to our bus....

We pass the B'Hai Temple

Still more tanks...

We arrive at the airport. The good news is that we are in Terminal 4, the Hadj Terminal. We have heard of massive chaos in Terminal 1.

ELFs and Craig getting into the line for the evacuation. We will have 8 hours of waiting in line ahead of us.

It's sunny and getting hotter. We fill out paperwork and reorganize luggage as we learn of limits on how much we can take.

The waiting begins and continues for 8 hours.

Evacuees keep arriving...

More evacuees arrive - but no airport security is checking any of the vehicles.

We show documentation - passports.

Very impressive organization for the evacuation

A United Airlines plane on the tarmac. We think it is ours. and everyone cheers. In fact, it was not. We were later to fly out on a Lotus Air plane (part of Egypt Air). Still, a cheer went up when this plane was spotted.

Michael has found peanut butter and breaks it out for a snack. He becomes a popular guy.

ElFs

A pilot arrives and is cheered

Finally through passport control

Finally through the two checkpoints and onto the bus taking us to Lotus Air

Rick and Deanne. We are ready for take-off to Athens.

Who will forget Lucille? The American owner of Lucille's restaurant in Cairo who said goodbye to her staff and does not know when she will be back.

We have filled out a promissory note to repay our airfare for the evacuation.

We arrive in Athens.