Janet Rossini went to Egypt for a two-week tour that was to haveincluded seeing the site where Moses is said to have parted thewaters and led the Israelites' exodus.
She never saw it. Instead, the Concord resident, along with hersister, Louise Parker, and 38 other tourists in their group foundthemselves in the middle of spiraling violence that compelled themto seek their own exodus.
"Little did we know that we would be witnesses to history in themaking," Rossini said.
Rossini's sister had made all the travel arrangements through herchurch in Redondo Beach. Before departure, Rossini's husband Frankdrove his wife to Southern California and then to Los AngelesInternational Airport, after which he traveled on to San Diego tovisit with his son, Eric, daughter-in-law, Shauna and his twograndchildren.
Instead of relaxing and talking with his son as planned, FrankRossini sat spellbound in front of the television.
Meanwhile, in her Walnut Creek home, Rossini's mother, 89-year-old Elsie Dost, was also glued to news reports fearing the fate ofher daughters.
"Oh my goodness," Dost said, "I did a lot of praying for them. Ihave such a strong faith I really felt God's protection," shecontinued. "(But) I always thought in the back of my mind, what if?"
Dost was home alone and had no idea where in Egypt her daughterswere when the riots broke out. But Frank Rossini did.
His wife had left him her itinerary.
"Unfortunately, I knew exactly where she was," he said. "She wasin Cairo and they barely got there. I didn't know any way to contacther. I didn't know if she was still stuck in Cairo or had gottenout."
During the demonstrations, there was an unprecedented Internetshutdown and all trains, planes and buses were stopped, strandingthousands of tourists in Egypt.
Rossini recalled arriving in Cairo the day the demonstrationsbegan. All was peaceful and she was still distracted by hersightseeing, which had included visiting the Sphinx and ridingaround the Pyramids on a camel.
In Cairo, the crowds swelled and demonstrations became heated.Rossini's group was able to visit the Cairo Museum just before thedoors slammed shut.
"Our tour was the last one to get in before it got looted," shesaid.
Rossini and her traveling companions didn't know how volatile thesituation was, even after the roads closed and they found refuge atthe Cairo Citadel, an ancient fortification built by Saladin.
"It's right above Tahrir Square," said Rossini. "Little did weknow that this place would soon be our personal protection and wewould be right in the middle of the rioting," she added.
They gathered in a circle, locked hands and began to pray.Suddenly, in the middle of prayer, a loud explosion rocked them.
"The police station right below us blew up," said Rossini.
"You know, God, this might not be a bad time to show up," said amember of the group, causing all to laugh and ease the tension.
Humor would play a large part in sustaining the group during thenext days.
There were about 10 police officers who made their way up toRossini's group and were able to get a phone line out, allowing oneof the pastors to call the American Embassy. They helped move thegroup and its bus to a safer spot in the Citadel.
"They then took off and left us stranded with a handful ofCitadel workers," said Rossini. "We didn't know the Citadel was alsoan arsenal loaded with guns and ammunition," she continued. "That'swhy the police left -- because the rioters were taking all the gunsand ammo from the burned-out police station."
After dark, Rossini sneaked out to the ramparts to see what wasgoing on and met with a Citadel worker doing the same thing.
"You must be very sad," Rossini said to him.
"My heart is breaking for Egypt," he replied.
The 8:30 p.m. curfew, along with marshal law, appeared to have noeffect on the rioting, and explosions and gunfire continued throughthe night.
Later, Rossini learned the American Embassy had called theEgyptian army and said, "Protect those Americans stranded at theCitadel!"
But the group didn't know that when four civilian cars cametearing up to the bus at midnight and surrounded them.
"Our security guard, Michele, jumped up, put a clip in his Uzi,turned to our pastor and said, 'This is it, the real deal. I willgive up my life to save everyone on the bus,'" Rossini recalled. "Hejumped out of the bus and stood in front of it, holding his fingeron the trigger."
Rossini said a dozen soldiers exited the cars and there was muchyelling in Arabic before Michele and the tourists learned thesoldiers had been sent to protect the American tourists.
As the arsenal was a target area, she said that she and theothers were escorted out, and by 2 a.m., the group had moved toMohammad Ali's palace within the Citadel.
And at 8 a.m., they got on their bus.
"We had to close the drapes on the bus windows as we left so noone knew our bus had Americans on it," Rossini said. "As we left, Ipeeked out and saw six armored tanks parked in the driveway."
The armed escort saw them safely back to their hotel.
"On the way to our hotel, we saw burned-out cars, burned policevans and four different fires burning in the city," she said.
Once inside the hotel, everyone headed for the television sets tolearn what was going on. There was still no way for them to call outwithout a lot of red tape. The life-threatening ordeal didn't endonce they arrived at the hotel, but now, they were aware of thesituation.
"Our hotel workers stayed all night, guarding the hotel asrioting and looting were going on outside of the compound," saidRossini. "We heard gunfire all night."
When morning arrived, they were told to evacuate to the airport.
"We were only able to take a carry-on and had to leave ourluggage there," said Rossini.
Rossini didn't mind leaving all her clothes and sundries, but shewas not about to leave her pictures and souvenirs.
"We didn't have to go to the main terminal -- we went to theEmbassy terminal several lots away."
She remembered arriving at the airport and seeing only threeworkers trying to process thousands of people. It would be about 13hours before she would be on a flight out of Egypt.
In Walnut Creek, Dost got the word her daughter was on her wayhome.
"That was absolutely glorious, but when she got into LAX, I wasreally relieved."
At home, Rossini's husband was standing watch in front of thetelevision screen. The first flights arriving from Cairo werelanding in Athens and passengers were being interviewed.
"On screen -- right smack dab in the middle of it -- was mywife," said Frank Rossini. "I had a tremendous lift in my spiritsbecause I knew she was OK."
He and his wife were happier once she was safely in California.After no sleep for 48 hours, Rossini and her sister slept for 18hours before the Rossinis got in the car for the drive home toConcord.
"I enjoyed driving from Southern California and knowing she waswith me and safe," Frank Rossini said.
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