I have been fortunate to be able to visit some Arab countries in different eras: The Egypt prior to the attacks against tourists, where and to describe the remains of a fascinating culture, you could wander in a calm and safe for the crowded and bustling streets of the " Khan el Khalili, where you passed with hardly a Westerner, or from entering cafés dusty scenes transporting you culled from a book of Naguib Mahfouz , parishioners packed their hookahs. The fascinating Marakech with its souks and Djemaa el incombustible Fna, where you can find everything and anything seems possible and, more recently, Tunisia, where endless beaches and small villages of whitewashed and decorated blue blend with living history and, what if no, mosques, minarets and souks, inhabited by continuous streams of characters of all kinds. In all these places the common feeling was to find among people who struggling to build your own life, he seemed proud to belong to those places and also showed a quiet life well-transmitting. But along with those feelings, appeared signs denoting latent conflicts, a huge police presence, and even the army, the streets are decorated these, with omnipresent portraits of "founding fathers" oppressive, Big Brother-style Orwellian. My visits did not fail to be short and shallow, but I opened a growing interest in these countries and try to keep minimal information generated on them and, earlier this year surprised me, like so many others, the initiation of revolt Tunisian people against the rulers, their dictator custom, Ben Ali, his family and his government and I could not avoid comparisons between Tunisia I saw and now transmitting pictures:
Colors proud to be showing a front for the victory of a football team, now stand among the participants in the revolt:
The memory of the Avenue Bourguiba, wide, with an interior promenade lined with tall trees and well attended by both pedestrians and vehicles Cars & Bikes , as collected in my travel journal, is now displayed in the images, virtually deserted remains of an urban battle and symbols for the next bonfire.
consequences The revolt in his home were a mystery, it seems to be settling and confirming the multiplier effect in neighboring countries affected by similar problems are now Yemen Egitpo or who take over in actions Proment some hope, even now painful, for the advancement of these countries towards a freer society, in what may become a historic event comparable to the fall of communism in the countries of Eastern Europe, although it is too early to announce, in particular the stance taken by the governments of neighboring countries attending the events frightened and prepare to repress such as Morocco, where their leaders, protected by Western governments even against the opinion of many of its citizens are many privileges to lose.
hope a new dawn for the other side of our mediterráneo.
