Back To Reality

Our guide who accompanied us to Abu Simbel a couple of days ago was adamant when the subject of the likely winner of the forthcoming presidential election comes up in our conversation.
'Sisi, of course,' he says. 'He's done a lot.'
'Like what?' I ask.
'He's brought security, more tourists and done well on natural gas,' he affirmed. All in line with the headlines of the newspapers which are all state-run or influenced, even, it seems, the formerly bravely-independent Daily News Egypt.

Our guide had earlier told us a little about his life and circumstances and I hold back from asking, 'Really? What has he done for you? You, who must travel in terrible third-cass conditions on the Cairo-Aswan train to pick up a few dollars from the still-tiny tourist trade because there is no work for you in Cairo. You, who dream of emigrating to England where you might find support and understanding in the health and education systems for your severely autistic son because there is none at all here. You, who cannot convince a bank to lend you a cent towards the purchase of a home of your own because your income is so unstable. What has Sisi ever done, or will ever do, for you?'

This shot was taken on the final approach to Ramses Station in Cairo named after the Pharaoh-God who built the temples in Abu Simbel to glorify himself and the second of his forty-two wives. This current president, like all his Free Officer presidential predecesors, is on the same Ramses railroad.