![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.apogeephoto.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/01\/LN4A0749.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nClose your eyes and picture this\u2026<\/p>\n
A crisp crackle of sand to rubber echoes forward from the distant backstreets. Thirsty engines stirringly swing into the present. Motorcycles slide up to the fringe of a teenage throng. I stand back against a quaint oak door. I attempt to assimilate into an attenuated crowd of swarthy-skinned Arabs.<\/p>\n
The combination of pale skin, a broad comparable build, and a tourist light-box strung over the left shoulder delivers a presence that swings and flashes like a lighthouse.<\/p>\n
From the back of the group, an overly-confident youngster in a leather jacket and short sleek hair strides into the scene like a king. A baleful grin rests between his cheeks.<\/p>\n
He reaches into his jacket pocket, pulls out a GLOCK 19, and raises it to the sky like an archer on command to fire. An overpowering nervousness draws my spinal column back into the shade of the archway.<\/p>\n
Without hesitation, a round of fury is unleashed, and a blanket of lead sails up high to meet the cupola of a tangerine haze stagnating over the clay city rise. Instantaneously, a pulsating base ripples through the air and a symphony of vibrations conduct through flesh, blood, and bone.<\/p>\n
Smoking hot bullet shells clink and clang on the baked sand-like spilled pennies to the pavement. A cool chill simmers beneath my skin.
\nA split-second\u2019s silence\u2026<\/p>\n
What follows is a proliferating stentorian roar and raised arms of adrenaline. Sitting at the centre of a T-junction between two alleyways, an alternative rock band stands overhead, erected by what looks like a pile of junk metal garnered from a scrapyard. A honeycomb of youths opens up and swallows the kid. With that pinnacle, the lead drum dices a beat and blast forward an awe powerful might.<\/p>\n
As the people say, \u201cwelcome to Egypt!\u201d<\/p>\n
For the record<\/p>\n I am not a journalist, and neither am I a politician.\u00a0I am a kiwi. My land resides at a far-away pole, where the grass is green and people live in holes in the rolling hills, where we dance to the music of the misty mountains and feast on pickles, chickens and apple tarts.<\/p>\n The following section provides a brief window of understanding to Egypt\u2019s history and affairs. Why is this city so high-strung? How has the atmosphere come to be what it is today?<\/p>\n Atmosphere<\/strong><\/p>\n Egypt\u2019s atmosphere is a complicated one \u2013 it is derived from a history of religious warfare, terrorism, political instability, poverty, unemployment, conflicting cultures and demography, territorial disputes, greed, and government corruption. The list goes on.<\/p>\n A whirlwind of unresolved problems idles behind closed doors. How the public interacts, in general, seems somewhat timid.<\/p>\n One must be conscious when photographing a particular scene and\/or subject. In Cairo, photographing is comprehended as \u2018highly suspicious behaviour\u2019, especially when done in close proximity to government facilities i.e. armoured vehicles and\/or banks.<\/p>\n Like an American soldier who\u2019s lost his uniform, I feel like I am a pair of floodlights on high beam wandering the backstreets.<\/p>\n More sun, a longer beard, a fresh set of white linen, and a few more words of the mother tongue may give my appearance a better chance of a local camouflage. I am a visitor here, and that applies to every other expat.<\/p>\n \u201cYou are on foreign turf. Treat the people of the land with respect, because you are privileged to be here\u201d.<\/p>\n Please feel free to query and\/or critique any of the following information. This article intends to consider all sides of the story.<\/p>\n The Palestine<\/strong> The originating roots of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are about sovereignty, national security, Zionism, religion, and freedom. Modern-day drivers such as money, greed and power are battling their way into an already overflowing political hurricane.<\/p>\n palestinian-loss-of-land-1946-2010<\/p>\n Statistics are clear; time has segregated religions and demography. Geographically, Israel has dominated and claimed territory. On the other hand, the Palestinian population has bled, and their territory dwindled from the map.<\/p>\n West Bank, the Gaza strip and what\u2019s left of the Palestine to date, continues to be bombarded politically and physically. The Palestinian people claw deep to fight for a millennia of war and misery.<\/p>\n \u201cThey stand up to fight for their home.\u201d<\/p>\n Unfortunately, the Palestinian people are treated like dirt; they are seen as second-class citizens with limited human rights. Israel is doing everything in their will to purge the Palestinians and is now entering and living between the cracks and holes of their enemy\u2019s land.<\/p>\n \u201cIsrael is cutting the Palestine to pieces.\u201d<\/p>\n What is happening is sad, and it is the reality of our world.<\/p>\n Many of the Egyptian people are connected to Israel and its history; they are part of it, and so are the people in the other neighbouring countries in the Middle-East. The Palestine is their second home, where their brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, and cousins live. Many Arabs fled the Palestine for a better life, while others fought and lost their lives for it.<\/p>\n Across the border in Egypt, the Palestinian people mourn for their brothers living in such harsh conditions.<\/p>\n The Palestine has shared religion and demography with the rest of the Arab states for centuries. Can the people of the land ever forgive, unite and move forward in peace?<\/p>\n The square<\/strong><\/p>\n What you hear and read may be far from reality. Honsi Mubarak\u2019s rule for three decades as a dictator over Egypt reached a boiling point in 2011. His lies and power over the people came crashing down with the revolution \u2013 an uprising from youth activists pursued in a long drawn-out war against the corrupt government, the military, and the Muslim Brotherhood.<\/p>\n Since then, things have not exactly been peaceful. Islamist Mohamed Morsi in 2013 was overthrown in what has been variably described as a coup or an ending to the second revolution.<\/p>\n Warning: the following films contain graphic imagery; they are extremely hard to watch. But it is very important that we do.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2018The Square\u2019 is an intimate observational documentary that tells the real story of the ongoing struggle of the Egyptian Revolution through the eyes of six very different protesters.<\/p>\n Starting in the tents of Tahrir in the days leading up to the fall of Mubarak, we follow our characters on a life-changing journey through the euphoria of victory into the uncertainties and dangers of the current \u2018transitional period\u2019 under military rule, where everything they fought for is now under threat or in balance.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018The square\u2019<\/p>\n https:\/\/tafdi.com\/titles\/show\/94-the-square.html<\/a> \u2018The uprising\u2019<\/p>\n https:\/\/vimeo.com\/43185760<\/a><\/p>\n President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi was elected as president in 2014 and has been running power as a democracy since. Abdel is a dictator with former military training from both the United Kingdom and the United States. He moved up the ranks from an infantry commander to the director of military intelligence, Minister of Defence, and finally onward and upward to the last step in the journey, as president.<\/p>\n Things may not be as stable as it seems \u2013 time will tell. Abdel\u2019s presidency is now nearing its final leg. He has indicated to run for presidency for a second term in 2018.<\/p>\n Do I feel safe in Egypt?<\/p>\n 01\/12\/2017<\/p>\n Before I arrived in Egypt I was somewhat daunted by the idea of travelling the Middle-East. After a few weeks of travelling, this nervousness buried itself between lines of scribble in the bottom of my backpack.<\/p>\n Am I actually safe?<\/strong><\/p>\n Firstly, before I answer this question, I would like to highlight that different people have different definitions of the word \u2018safe\u2019.\u00a0I will answer a question with a question\u2026 what is the meaning of \u2018safe\u2019?\u00a0Being safe is strongly relative to \u2018where the lamb wanders\u2019.\u00a0If it brings you comfort, the \u2018lonely planet mainstream\u2019 is more than safe for any curious tourist.<\/p>\n Travel agencies around the world slap a danger sticker on every country on earth. Nowhere is safe, it seems. But that is not true.<\/p>\n \u201cOut of sight, out of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n Blend into your surroundings and know when to skip town.\u00a0Feel the vibe, scope the scene, know when to and when not to photograph.\u00a0There have been numerous moments over the last years where I have had to pull the plug on a photography session because the feeling was off\u2026<\/p>\n A feeling that is intimidating, and\/or a feeling that you should probably not be here. I.e. when you walk down the wrong backstreet in Cairo, or the slums of Manila.<\/p>\n Blending in is a skill that comes with experience. Unless you are strolling downtown New York, I suggest you avoid fanny packs and the \u2018colourful umbrella\u2019 appearance of a hippy tourist.<\/p>\n When exploring a new town and\/or culture, I leave the SLR in the backpack. I first learn and understand the environment I am going to be working in before I skip the 101.<\/p>\n Government security<\/strong><\/p>\n In Cairo, and particularly along Egypt\u2019s\u2019 Red Sea coastline, I felt safe and at ease. Southern Sinai and particularly around the Suez Canal is safeguarded and patrolled day and night. If you take a drive from Cairo to Dahab, you will discover a series of military outposts.<\/p>\n On my ten-hour overnight bus ride, we stopped a total of eight times for passport checks. At one point, we had all our luggage and ourselves removed from the bus, unpacked, searched, and repacked again (this is completely normal).<\/p>\n Security is always on high alert. I consider the security checks to be a good thing; it controls and deters contraband moving through the area.<\/p>\n The northern regions of the Sinai Mountains are overrun and controlled by volatile terrorist groups. The power control has created a highway for illegal contraband flowing in and out of the region. A clich\u00e9 \u2018Chinese tourist\u2019 wandering these regions is ill-advised and may be regarded as a \u2018temporary tourist\u2019.<\/p>\n In recent years, the Egyptian government placed a ban on all motorcycles and\/or any four-wheel drives entering the Sinai region. The law is intended to deter the illegal movement of uncontrolled goods.<\/p>\n Restricted travel zones are enforced by the Egyptian government to protect its tourism industry. A few days ago, I made my way to Wadi Feiran, a less popular hiking route in the south Sinai region.<\/p>\n \u2018When a white tourist hitch-hiking appeared at a crossroad, suspicion was raised purely by his presence\u2019.<\/p>\n I was stopped by guards at a central checkpoint before being escorted by a military convoy to my destination.<\/p>\n The wide-eyed reaction from any guard, gardener or goat along the road gave me the impression that tourists rarely flow this way.<\/p>\n Tourism Transformation<\/strong><\/p>\n Egypt\u2019s crystal clear coastlines at the edges of sunscreen, bikinis, and tropical cocktails do not denote reason as to why its tourism industry is now majority Arab-flowing.<\/p>\n Before 2011, Dahab\u2019s tourism demography consisted of 60% Russian \u2013 what depleted quickly to a mere fraction.<\/p>\n What changed?<\/p>\n Egypt\u2019s beloved tourism industry burned to ashes as flight 9268 disintegrated over the sandy peaks of the Sinai ranges.<\/p>\n Restrictions from the Russian government soon followed. Direct flights were cut from Moscow and Saint Petersburg flying into Sharm El Sheikh. Insurance policies became mandatory. Egypt skipped onto a no-go zone for tourism agencies and its image of a travel destination for \u2018Dmitry Tchaikovsky\u2019 transformed into a \u201clife-threatening\u201d uneconomic hassle.<\/p>\n Because of the revolution and continual terrorist attacks, Egypt\u2019s tourism demography evolved. International media has continued to display a tainted \u2018Jackson Pollock\u2019 gallery of chaos for the world to see. The never-ending waterfall of conflict in the Middle East is fuelled by the man with the money and his thirsty media. From the narrow minds of our world, all and any image splashed upon the Middle-East is felt at all ends of its nervous system. Egypt is one branch of that system.<\/p>\n Westerners today have become weak and more afraid than ever. Fear transmits itself through cathode ray tubes to the mesmerized eyes swaying beneath floors at opposite ends of the earth. The thought of standing on foreign soil sends a quiver through their pessimistic minds.<\/p>\n analog-television-with-snowing-effect-against-white-background<\/p>\n In the past, the government\u2019s method to safeguard the image of the tourism industry was to restrict the red sea to a \u2018higher class selection\u2019 of the Egyptian population. i.e. having a university degree was a ticket in. Hidden behind the veil<\/strong> After spending some time in the Middle-East, I am learning to understand the concept of the veil and what it represents.<\/p>\n The Hijab or what some refer to as the burka represents so much more than a simple piece of fabric.<\/p>\n The hijab is a visual representation of a woman\u2019s cultural and religious affiliation<\/p>\n The veil protects a woman from \u2018foreign interception\u2019, and also protects her from a potential \u2018newcomer\u2019 intervening her relationship. Yes, one can take an ignorant perspective and view the hijab as a selfish custom, or even somewhat sexist from the male part. However, a more culturally-correct perspective is that the veil represents a form of respect \u2013 the male is dedicated to his partner and he is trying to protect what he loves.<\/p>\n The following quote captures the words of Luijan Al Ali and her personal perspective of the Hijab.<\/p>\n \u201cThe word \u2018hijab\u2019 means \u2018to cover\u2019. And it\u2019s usually that girls wear it to preserve their beauty, so not everybody gets to see it. I wear it because I feel like it sort of protects me. It\u2019s who I am, it\u2019s a part of me now. Sometimes when I feel like I want to try to take it off and walk outside, I feel like I have no head on. It feels really weird\u201d<\/p>\n For more perspective follow the link below:<\/p>\n http:\/\/www.upbeacon.com\/article\/2017\/04\/meaning-of-the-hijab<\/a><\/p>\n After a few days in Cairo, I became discarded. Little hope remained with regard to photographing any women. Disappointing, it seems, considering many of my best photography opportunities involved women.<\/p>\n As a photographer, it is easy for the public to see me as someone who is exploiting and spreading a disposable film. In their minds, \u2018I am creating an image available for the digitally-connected world to indulge in\u2019.<\/p>\n While that may perhaps be true, it certainly is not my intention. My intention is to display culture, colour, emotion, and the beauty of people.<\/p>\n The first time an Arab woman gave me photographic consent occurred on the day I left Cairo.<\/p>\n Hipster quotes and resplendent decorations collaged at the front entrance were smartly crafted for a magnetic moneybox of Arabic selfies. Well done to its architect!<\/p>\n It came as a surprise. After a week of photographing, requesting, and being rejected, Sarah responded with an amiable \u201cyes\u201d. A warm smile soon curved her lips, and a vibrant blush filled her cheeks.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nIn Cairo, the atmosphere is a cumulative tension between all nations, demography, religions, and cultures for diverse reasons.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nBeneath the surface, tension between the Egyptians and Israelis is unsettling. The long and complicated history of their conflict traces back to the biblical age.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nIn addition to inter-state affairs, Egypt has been at war with itself for a long time.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n\u201cA group of Egyptian revolutionaries battle leaders and regimes, risking their lives to build a new society of conscience.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nIf you don\u2019t speak the language, keep silent. Only pull the camera out when you really need it, wear the same clothes as the locals. Basically, try to do everything they do. Mimic surrounding behaviours.<\/p>\n
\nWander and observe.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nIn recent years, the downfall of the popular European and Russian tourism has flipped the government\u2019s strategy. Egypt now opens its doors to an affordable, attractive and lawfully-accepted tourism scene for the Arab people.<\/p>\n
\nAccording to Muslim culture, a woman\u2019s face and skin are regarded as a hidden jewel. Only the partner and family shall have the privilege to its sight. The body and its beauty are sacred. In Arab countries, photographing woman without their consent is unacceptable and rude.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n