Though virtually all of the attention right now is on Tahrir Square in central Cairo and the speculation about the forthcoming ouster of President Hosni Mubarak, the massive uprising in Egypt is truly a nationwide phenomenon.

Thus while the media coverage centered on Cairo, hundreds of thousands of people gathered in the northern port city of Alexandria, with major protests reported in multiple neighborhoods and supporters of several opposition factions joining together in what was described as a “joyous and determined” atmosphere.

Major protests were also reported in the cities of Giza and Mahaila, as well as Suez, which was the site of some major violence earlier in the week. All-told, estimates have more than a million people in the streets nationwide for the “Day of Departure.”

But there was no departure, and for the time being Hosni Mubarak remains to titular head of the Egyptian regime, albeit one with virtually no popular support or serious control over the situation. So for now, the protests continue and his ouster remains undated.

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