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Mr. Hussein A. Bakri, A
Tribute
By Jimmy Dunn
We have, at times, covered sad situations on Tour Egypt
monthly, which show the conditions that people sometimes
live under in Egypt. But this is not one of them.
Some fifty years ago, when airplanes always had
propellers rather than jet engines, Hussein A. Bakri went to
work for Egypt Air in the cargo department
Many people who have traveled to Egypt know the Name Misr
Travel. It is one of the largest and certainly one of the
oldest travel companies in the Middle East. But few will
remember when it was Misr Travel and Cargo. However, Mr.
Bakri does. It is where he began an illustrious and proud
career in the Egyptian tourism business.
I had, already, met with Mr. Bakri on the terrace of the
Hotel Longchamps. But to my surprise, the next day while
visiting with the movers and shakers of Misr Travel, I found
that some of them were also headed to the Longchamps to
visit with the person they referred to as their Godfather.
Indeed, it was Mr. Bakri, who first as Deputy manager of
Misr Travel for Cairo, and then as General Manager, helped
start the careers of many Misr Travel personnel.
Born March 10, 1911, Mr. Bakri started his career with
EgyptAir, actually Misr Air and Cargo in 1940, and finally
went into retirement  only
after more then 50 years, on June 18th, 2000. Today, at 90,
he remains active, as well as a walking, talking history of
Egyptian tourism.
Of course, as a tourist himself, as many people who work
for tourism companies are, due to low travel costs, his
personal travels are also fascinating. When he found out I
was from Texas, I learned how very much he enjoyed the
state, and, oh, Las Vegas, where he had been to many
conventions. He has crossed the Atlantic, not once, but
eight times aboard the Queen Elizabeth Line, and has visited
nearly every major country on the planet, including some
that are no longer on the planet.
But most interesting of all, is his personal knowledge of
20th century Egypt. One must remember that his life spans
the time of colonial Egypt under the British, of kings he
has met, of first two world wars, then revolutions,
independence, political struggles and then regional
conflicts, and through it all, he remains spry, mentally
sharp, and a great source of oral history.
Today, mention his name to the big wigs of Egyptian
travel and eyes will soften, because Mr. Bakri has not only
seen all the 20th century had to offer, but he did it with
style, grace, the friendliness that such Egyptians are known
for.
We salute you, Mr. Bakri, as a living legend. |
