The Tourist Experience in Egypt Shawn, first off, thanks for starting with the positive things about Egypt. There are many more of those to be explored, but not often seen when one is passing through.
The experience you describe is errily familiar to most people visiting the Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum. The hassle, the constant 'hello! hello!" is hard to ignore. Even arriving at the airport provides a foreshadowing of what's to come. One cannot collect one's luggage without several people calling to them (in a manner that indicates familiarity) trying to offer up some service.
Having lived in Egypt, I can say that there are loads of places that offer a break from the sensation of constantly being cheated, though it's no where near the main tourist stops. Being a foreigner in Egypt, whether living there or just visiting, makes you a target. Egypt is a very poor country that is very reliant upon tourism for her livelihood. Any time anyone offers a friendly service (particularly if you're near an attraction), one must assume that the offer is based on financial gain. Even Egyptians are prone to this baksheesh sabotage. They park their car: a man offering unwanted and unneeded help comes out of no where. He wants some money for helping you park. You tell him, 'No, I'll pay later."He says he won't be there. Well, later, when you come back, there is another man there. He insists upon helping you pull out of your spot. Guess what? He wants cash, too.
Those people helping you cross the street? Or opening your car door when you don't need their help? They view tourists as opporunity. Sadly, many of the less educated (and that's a huge percentage of the society) view foreigners as being suckers. Living there made me a bit callus towards people like that. Being rude and making a lot of noise (and knowing enough Arabic to tell them to get lost) helped keep them at bay, but the rude comments, like those of the shop owner who kicked you out, are not uncommon.
There's also a lot of cultural misunderstand going on between 2 parties. Bargaining in Egypt means you're interested. Once you set a price, if the shop owner agrees to it, it is really compulsory to purchase it.
On the papyrus note: I did regular souvenir business with a many in Maadi Road 9 called Tarek. He was incredibly honest, and local foreign residents went back to him again and again because of it. I think I paid approximately 10 Egyptian Pounds (less than $2) for some of the prettier papyrus. Even the ones supposedly hand-painted by a famous artist on papyrus: those are bogus. They've been painted by Joe Egyptian following a pattern. Papyrus is probably the single biggest rip off in Egypt for tourists, along with alabaster. Better to shop in the khan al khalili market than buy anywhere near the Pyramids.
For off-the-beaten-path sites in Cairo, Islamic Cairo (Ibn Talounn Mosque), Coptic Cairo, Bayt al Suheimi, Sultan Hassan Mosque, and the Sufi Dancers at the Citadel are all cheap or free, and must less of a tourist hassle. It's a nice break from the Pyramids and Museum. One might also consider taking an iPod to preserve their own sanity.
http://cairogal.blogspot.com/
We are home Glad to hear you are in a safe place.
Joe and I arrived home yesterday around 2:00.
You said you are coming home on the 19th, I thought it was to be on the 18th, have things changed?
Sure looking forward to giving you a big hug!!!
Lots of Love,
Mom
Patriotic Happy 4th of July to you too! It's kinda funny, i know 3 people that celebrated this forth of July out of the country: You, Matt, and my Brother. You in in Ansterdam, Matt in Canada, and my brother in Korea. Hope you all had/are haveing fun.----JB
My mom is an ER nurse and she used to tell me some nasty things. I must be numb to nasty things because that really wasn't so bad. Sure I probably would have freaked had I seen the woman in person, but the description wasn't that bad.
Glad you're having a good time!
Holy crap Holy Crap! Litterally... sorry, I just think it's amazing that you were at Saint Peter's Basiclica. It is the part of your trip I was most looking forword to. There is so much to see, so much history and art. It must be amazing. I can't wait to see your pictures :)
We Love You!!! Wow! What a neat thing(s) to see! Your writing is wonderful, it helps one see it in their minds-eye!!! Glad you're having such a great time but -- the girls and I are on "Shawn" w/drawal! Sure do miss you, Sweetie! All Our Love, Auntie XXOO XXOO P.S. Say "hello" to "J" for us!
The colloseum eh? I think the Colloseum may be a guy thing...I wasn't that impressed but David certainly was. I could be weird too! Tried to find you online agian, keep missing you. When you go to the vatican, you have to go around the side fo the city through a seperate entrance for the museums and the sistine chapel, they have odd hours so check it out first and make sure you get there in time! also, don't take pictures inside it (under threat of people's camera's being taken and broken- the swiss guards are much more vigilent than the louvre!). Uhm...Rome...getting tired of marble yet? you will be after St Peters! :) Hope you're having a great time, miss ya bud! Come home so we can go go to waterworld soon! Say hi to Jocelyne for me as well, from all of us here at home. Hope you're safe and not getting sick from food or anything...
Direct answer eh? Sorry mate, wouldn't touch a doner kebab with a ten foot pole. I'm glad you're eating a semi balanced meal though if that's what you ate most of the time! (And it's good that you like them)...Have you tried any of the cheeses from franch and italy? You're tired of the baguettes, but what about all the sweets and boulangeries in France? That would be heaven for any sweet tooth!
Package Hi Shawn,
Sorry no package yet, we will keep our eyes open for it.
Sounds like your having a great time ... the ocean sounds wonderful, have you heard if they do diving there? Is the water cold?
Miss you so much!!
Love,
Mom
Yup.. You suck..... I always get so depressed when I read your updates... Wishing I was there instead of sitting at work on my lunch brake reading your blog! You better have like hundreds of pictures to show me when you get back!
BTW, Where is MY PACKAGE!!! lol
Aw!! I'm so jealous of you right now you don't even know. I'm really enjoying your updates and really wish I could be there with you.. Specialy to see Moulin Rouge!!!! That's my Favorite Movie!!! so bitter right now.. lol
WOW Looks great Picture of Eiffle Tower is definitely taller than you !! Night pictures turned out good and donner Kebah looks yummy:)
Nice picture of the Lady!!!!
Nice Pics Nice pictures! They are fun to look at. I looked at some of the pictures you sent Jearime. I look forward to when you come back and give the full picture presentation with explainations. What an exciting trip you are having. I'm glad you got to see more art too. It's really great stuff, especially once you get to Italy. When you get back you'll have to tell me how many of the pieces from the book you ended up seeing. Tell Jocelyne hi and that i really like reading her blog, very interesting :)
hello HI Shawn i;m glad you are have a great time and you are traveling together then i know she is safe and so are you have a great time your young enjoy to shawn mom my e-mail is tower_mom@hotmail .com talk to you soon bye for now
Nice Pics Those are some awesome pictures! The Doner Kebab looks like a chocolate shake, is that what it is? The pictures of the Eiffle Tower and the Moulin Rouge are awesome but I bet they looked much cooler in person. Enjoy the rest of your trip and I look forward to more pictures!
Doner Kebabs??? Ugh! Okay bud, no offence, but I knwo for a fact that there is much better food in europe than doner kebabs! That's the stuff you get at 2 am when you're drunk because it's the only place open! *shudders*
Pics look good- 2 of them are sideways, but they look good. You went to the tower awfully early though, shame you couldn't go back during the day- you can see all of paris and how all the roads were built out, it's pretty cool. You got to see it lit though, which is cool too.
Hope you're having fun dude- Venice is alright (just had someone come back from there) if you search out the art museums, otherwise he said there wasn't much? I hope he's wrong and you find lots to do!
France, eh? Hey Shawn, give some "gros bisous" (fat kisses) to the french for me! How are the baguettes? The Eiffel tower sounded pretty cool. I saw it from a plane! Other than that, Paris is completely unknown. There are some really good arab things called Kabobs (I don't know if they are the same as the doner kabobs) that you may try if you see any. They are really good.
France Sounds like a bit more challenge in France than you are saying...
Anyway, I am reading Da Vinci code right now and it has all these things you are talking about. The Louvre (even the Pyramid), Notre Dame, and the Eiffle Tower. So yeah. Stay warm.
June 1 Can hardly wait to see your pictures at the top, bet they are amazing!! How is the food, it will be interesting to see if we are making things the right way here in the USA. Love and miss you .... Mom
Reply to Auntie:Doner Kebabs Doner Kebabs aren't something you want to try to copy...the meat is on a spit (vertical) and "cooked" (heated) constatnly. lt's really bad scrap meat put with a worchechor type sauce into a fajita with peppers and onions (though that depends on where you get them). They're also usually drunk food after being out very late clubbing or pubbing, most europeans wouldn't dream of eating one without having a pint or two first. Just make a steak fajita if you want that! It's much healthier and much higher quality food.
Hobos & Beer Hall Oh, my, gosh!!! What a crazy world!!! Maybe they see that
special "look" in your eyes from all that delicious beer and hope you won't be cognizant enough to tell them: "I'm sorry. I already spent all the $$ I had at the beer hall -- AND DRANK YOURS TOO!" ;- )
haha! All my love, Auntie xxoo xxoo
Cairogal
Cairo Gal
The Tourist Experience in Egypt
Shawn, first off, thanks for starting with the positive things about Egypt. There are many more of those to be explored, but not often seen when one is passing through. The experience you describe is errily familiar to most people visiting the Pyramids and the Egyptian Museum. The hassle, the constant 'hello! hello!" is hard to ignore. Even arriving at the airport provides a foreshadowing of what's to come. One cannot collect one's luggage without several people calling to them (in a manner that indicates familiarity) trying to offer up some service. Having lived in Egypt, I can say that there are loads of places that offer a break from the sensation of constantly being cheated, though it's no where near the main tourist stops. Being a foreigner in Egypt, whether living there or just visiting, makes you a target. Egypt is a very poor country that is very reliant upon tourism for her livelihood. Any time anyone offers a friendly service (particularly if you're near an attraction), one must assume that the offer is based on financial gain. Even Egyptians are prone to this baksheesh sabotage. They park their car: a man offering unwanted and unneeded help comes out of no where. He wants some money for helping you park. You tell him, 'No, I'll pay later."He says he won't be there. Well, later, when you come back, there is another man there. He insists upon helping you pull out of your spot. Guess what? He wants cash, too. Those people helping you cross the street? Or opening your car door when you don't need their help? They view tourists as opporunity. Sadly, many of the less educated (and that's a huge percentage of the society) view foreigners as being suckers. Living there made me a bit callus towards people like that. Being rude and making a lot of noise (and knowing enough Arabic to tell them to get lost) helped keep them at bay, but the rude comments, like those of the shop owner who kicked you out, are not uncommon. There's also a lot of cultural misunderstand going on between 2 parties. Bargaining in Egypt means you're interested. Once you set a price, if the shop owner agrees to it, it is really compulsory to purchase it. On the papyrus note: I did regular souvenir business with a many in Maadi Road 9 called Tarek. He was incredibly honest, and local foreign residents went back to him again and again because of it. I think I paid approximately 10 Egyptian Pounds (less than $2) for some of the prettier papyrus. Even the ones supposedly hand-painted by a famous artist on papyrus: those are bogus. They've been painted by Joe Egyptian following a pattern. Papyrus is probably the single biggest rip off in Egypt for tourists, along with alabaster. Better to shop in the khan al khalili market than buy anywhere near the Pyramids. For off-the-beaten-path sites in Cairo, Islamic Cairo (Ibn Talounn Mosque), Coptic Cairo, Bayt al Suheimi, Sultan Hassan Mosque, and the Sufi Dancers at the Citadel are all cheap or free, and must less of a tourist hassle. It's a nice break from the Pyramids and Museum. One might also consider taking an iPod to preserve their own sanity. http://cairogal.blogspot.com/