For a long time, I have been aware of the great love that Egyptians have for the game of football (soccer). I knew that if ever there was a game of football being played in Egypt, the streets would be empty as they all watched it on TV. I had read about Egypt’s progression towards the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but only a few days before I departed for Egypt, I read that Egypt would meet Algeria in Cairo to qualify for the World Cup. Egypt needed a 3 point win outright or a 2 point win to play Algeria again to qualify. This all seemed pretty simple to me. I would be able to walk the streets in Cairo without the traffic whilst the game was being played and whoever won, it didn’t really matter because, after all, it was just a game.
How wrong I was!!!
From very early morning of the day of the game, the streets where I was staying were filled with Egyptian football supporters. There was a reason why they were frequenting my neighbourhood. The Algerian embassy was only a few hundred metres away. They were wanting to make a point of their Egyptian patriotism. There was a familiar tune played on their car horns. I soon became attuned to it as their enthusiasm resounded all over the city.
Even boats on the Nile were flying the Egyptian flag in support.
The game began in earnest at 7.30pm and we sat in front of the TV to watch it. It was fortunate to have a live translator sitting next to me though the game itself didn’t need any translation. (My son’s played soccer for many years and I was always on the sidelines so I understood how the game was played.)
Half time arrived and Egypt was not in a winning position. We left the TV and went to a restaurant to eat. Everyone in the restaurant had their eyes glued to the TV. They were not happy. We managed to eat our meal of kebab (what you can’t eat you feed to the local cats) and just in the final minutes of the game, Egypt scored another goal which gave them a victory and a chance to play Algeria yet again to qualify.
What happened next is something that I will never experience again in a lifetime. (unless of course Egypt one day wins the World Cup!!) I saw the undying patriotism of Egyptians with my own eyes, much more than I had seen earlier in the day. The streets were suddenly filled with people of all ages in celebration. We drove from the restaurant trying to escape, but no matter where we went, the crowds grew larger and larger. People were dancing on the top of cars and buses or running along the streets through the traffic or climbing statues to wave the Egyptian flag. The traffic was at a standstill as more and more people joined this massive party. By 2am, the party was still ongoing. I can only say, thank God that no-one was hurt as cars, bikes and pedestrians all joined in the celebration on the streets.
One would hope that when this party was over, there would be peace and quiet.
How wrong I was again!!!
4 days later, Egypt would play Algeria again on neutral territory in the Sudan for the final playoff. That’s when things started to get nasty and when media reports fuelled the fire that resulted in Egyptians being targeted in Algeria and the Sudan and the Algerian embassy in Cairo was in lockdown. That meant that my otherwise “quiet” neighbourhood was swarming with hundreds of security police and the roads were closed to my hotel. The street parties still continued by the Egyptians in the lead up to the final game. The Egyptian flag was visible everywhere!!
It’s all history now but Algeria beat Egypt in the final game in the Sudan. The problem between Egypt and Algeria is still ongoing, well after the game is over. The confrontation between the two countries was even raised to the level of the Egyptian President and Algerian diplomats. On the day that I left Cairo, almost 2 weeks after the initial game in Cairo, the barriers and security still remained in my neighbourhood. I had to wonder, why all the aggression between two countries over a game of football. If only such enthusiasm on the part of both countries could be channelled into making their countries a better place to live for all those people, from whatever social status, who showed that they can join together as one. After all, it’s just a game and there are more important issues which require a joining of peoples to face the future.
Time will tell!!
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I still have more than 500 deviations and several hundred messages since I've been away but I'm slowly getting through them. I hope you will all be patient with me.
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Gone Fishing 
Peaceful
to everyone to say that I have been having some problems coping with the messages here on dA. I have also been away again, visiting my #2 son and watching him fly his helicopter plus taking a ride in one myself 
