Prices & Paying in Egypt - Advice sought

[Nepenthe]

I'm going to Cairo next week! I have my list of costumeries to check out thanks to Meissoun and Amity and other people who have lists on the web.

I am wondering
a) do you have to pay cash, or do they take credit cards? Do they take US dollars or Egyptian pounds?

b) What's the approximate price of various costume items, so I'll know what to bargain to?
- a bedlah
- a two-piece costume
- a dress
- a galabeya (like the kind Nancy Ajram wears in the Ah W Noss video)
- a hipscarf (I have plenty but just in case my mom wants one or something)
- a meleya for meleya leff...

Any other tips for shopping and bargaining?

I was planning on checking out Mahmoud's and any one else in the Khan. I think we're on our own for transportation that day (I was going to take the Metro from Giza into town?) - so I didn't think I could get out to Pharaonics, and besides I already have a lot of Pharaonics costumes. I'm hoping to find something really unique when I'm there, something I couldn't buy on Dahlal.

[Lauren_]

I don't think there's a lot of bargaining at Mahmoud's or at Raqia Hassan's or Yasser's (the other not-to-miss shops in the Khan). Unless you're buying large quantities and looking for a wholesale deal.

Someone may come along and correct me if I'm remembering wrong...

I can't remember details about pricing, but I'd say expect to pay roughly half what you'd pay over here. I'm sure someone with a better memory will be along shortly.

Yasser especially had a lot of those cute Nancy Ajram galibeyas, and unique dresses and costumes.

Oh, I found they took dollars just fine (preferred them, actually, but they won't take paper money that's torn or worn out), and credit cards.

[*Shira*]

You can pay with either cash or credit card at the bigger vendors, but some (including Mahmoud) will charge more for credit card because of the surcharge they have to pay. Smaller vendors might not take credit card.

Don't bother with traveler's checks. Most vendors don't accept them, and even some banks won't accept them. The bank in a 5-star hotel would accept them, but some neighborhood-type banks won't, and those in a 3-star hotel probably won't.

I concur with Lauren's suggestion that when you get your cash from the bank you should insist that your bills very very crisp and new looking, not worn. Many Egyptian banks and vendors will reject bills that show any sign of wear.

It's okay to pay in either Egyptian pounds or American dollars at most places that tourists would go.

Some vendors bargain, while others don't. Mahmoud doesn't.

[kajmir666]

Yasser's takes credit card, Amira takes cash and Eman cash only(set prices).....I'm pretty sure the stores in the Khan take credit....that was my experience for music, dvd's, shisha, etc....

[Nepenthe]

Good to know - I hate to embarass myself by bargaining when you're not supposed to! Thanks for the extremely valuable info everyone!

Where is Yasser located? I don't think I have the address for Yasser.
People told me that Sahar is good too but I don't know where she is either.

[Border_Lord]

I was just in Cairo in July, yes the shops (most of them) take credit cards. Problem, your credit card company will probably charge you a 3% currency conversion fee on the total amount spent. If you plan on using a credit card, don't forget to call them ahead of time and tell them you will be overseas so they don't freeze your card for potential fraud activity.

I had no issue with cash, in any state of wear. The bank in the hotel changed everything we had. They do want US currency if possible, more than the Pound. Last time I checked, the exchange rate was 1:5.7

[outi]

There is some information in my website, too

Outi of Cairo - Shopping in Cairo

[Nepenthe]

Outi - thanks I printed some of that out!

[mahira-michelle]

Can I ask why they wouldn't take cash that is worn? sorry, I don't mean to thread hijack, I'm just curious.

[Nepenthe]

Mahira-Michelle,
If it is anything like other countries I've been to, they are concerned that they won't be able to exchange it for their own currency, or have it accepted by others. Once everyone thinks this way, no one will take a worn bill. This happened to me a lot in Peru - a slight rip in a 20$ and they won't take it. I ended up trading some friends when they returned to the states before we did - I gave them 2 ripped 20s in exchange for Peruvian soles.

[mahira-michelle]

Oh. I didn't realize. Thanks.

[leylalanty]

BE sure to pay attention to what Border_lord said about calling your banks and credit card companies to tell them the dates on which you will be in Egypt!!!!!! I to do that last year and had to make a couple of very expensive calls back to the U.S. to the bank to get my account and credit card authorized for use in Egypt!! (so embarrassing that I that... )

A money belt or a travel wallet that is worn on your body under your clothes is advisable because of carrying large amounts of cash. The usual cautions about keeping your bag, purse, backpack, whatever in front of you when in very crowded situations. While Cairo (and Egypt in general) is not as crime infested as many US large cities, there are pickpockets who might take advantage of very tightly crowded situations.

My friend and guide Ahmed or his son Karem can take you to Yasser's which is much harder to find than Mahmoud's. (see Amity's blog).

Say hi for me to Mahmoud, Yasser, and Amira if you see her.

[Nepenthe]

I actually hired the guide that Leila recommends - Nibal. I wasn't going to hire anyone, but something about her site really clicked with me. We only have a guide for a day (then we join our tour), but she has a nice little shopping itinerary for me, meanwhile taking my family out to sightsee while I shop for costumes.

Ack money - I saved up all my tips for three months and now I look like I have "package" wherever I hide the wallet. :-/ And I haven't even gotten out the big bills yet - that's just my wad of ones. My old standby though is hide it in the bra. Surely I will know if someone tries to put their hand down my shirt.

Yes - I have to call my credit card companies tomorrow. thanks for the reminder.

[gypsybellydance]

Would love to hear about how the costume shopping goes when you get back!! The best of luck and I am going in june...so I will love those pearls of wisdom~

[Nepenthe]

I'm back!
I got to see Outi perform on the Nile Pharaoh boat (her performance was way too short - could have watched for much much longer!)
I bought a costume from Mahmoud's and some folkloric stuff all over the country in various places. Tons of cds and videos.
Nibal was an amazing guide to have on our first day - I would highly recommend her.

[Elianae]

OMG, I would love to go to Cairo! Best of luck. Have a wonderful trip, and tell all of us about it when you get home!

[Nepenthe]

Prices I paid for future reference...
(I may have overpaid in some cases)

About 35$ American for a melaya with sparklies on it..
About 40$ American for a turquoise velvet beledi dress with elaborate sequins on it.
About 200$ American for a full dress costume at Mahmoud's.
About 6$ each for hip scarves in Mahmoud's
costumes at Yasser's ranged from 100-400 - didn't buy any as as soon as I got there, the shop attendant left for Friday prayers and didn't come back.
14$ for a pashmina (though a lot of people in my group paid as little as 4$ - better bargainers!)
22$ for a Nancy Ajram style galabaya (striped, with spanglies on the sleeves & hem) - this was the price when I bought 2, so I was able to bargain him down a bit.
40$ for an embroidered Egyptian cotton galabeya, covered all over with Pharaonic scenes. Overpaid again I'm sure but loved the family and spent over an hour in their shop, as my mom & dad were buying galabeyas for the cruises' galabeya party and we were getting my mom dressed up like Fifi Abdo, and the grandmother of the shopkeepers was talking to me in my limited Arabic, and etc.
Finally, cds and videos were cheap but of varying quality. For 7 cds and 5 videos, I paid a little under 100$usd.

Finally theft is not an issue in Egypt afaik. I did not have to worry too much about my things. The people were incredibly honest to a fault. One story - a tourmate had left her wallet/passport/etc in her pillowcase to keep it safe. She about it and the cleaner who changed the sheets (who make less than LE20 per day!) found it, replaced the pillow-case with a clean one, and reinserted the wallet untouched! Or when my stepdad gave a moneychanger too much money to change (he said he was giving 100$ and gave over 120$) - and the moneychanger returned the extra explaining the mistake. Overall, no one experienced any pickpocketing or theft or cheating. Yes you have to bargain hard but when the bargain is struck, it's done. (unlike in some other countries where you get cheated when it is packaged up or when change is made).

[ejaghana]

Nepenthe! I can't wait to see the pics of your new costumes! Post, post, post!

[phillyraqs]

Nepenthe, I am using Nibal in June, so glad to hear that you really liked her!

Thanks for this information, I can't wait till I go! (And please post photos of your goodies!)

[Nepenthe]

Oh more tips - I bought some DVDs in the Khan from a place that Nibal recommended. The CD recommendations were great. However, the DVDs turned out to be vcds and are not of a high quality. The Dina dvd did not contain any Dina at all. The Fifi and Amani dvds are scratched and do not work. The Sohair Zaki Dance dvd just contained things that I think came from youtube clips - really low quality. The movies are cheap but they are a crapshoot.

Spend your money on CDs. The music selection was great and really different from what we can get in the US, although careful because you may not get what you think you got (like some albums are sold with differnet titles and covers, and maybe you already own it under a different name).

Here, I have one picture of the costume I bought at Mahmoud's. I'm very very happy with it, even though it wasn't the priciest or fanciest costume.
http://www.bellydancernepenthe.com/i...ile_cruise.jpg

The rest will have to come later when I get a chance to try them on (and after I lose all this "falafel" weight).

[tigerb]

Nepenthe, great report! We leave on March 13!!

[outi]

Originally Posted by Nepenthe

I'm back!
I got to see Outi perform on the Nile Pharaoh boat (her performance was way too short - could have watched for much much longer!)

Yeah - it was nice to meet you! There was a major problem with the boat on that night. The one dancer from the other boat got fired and the other just didn't show up. I did both the boats, Nile and Golden, that night. Just running from one to the other or taking a small boat with my band. That's why the show was so much shorter and there wasn't opening number. In the beginning it was ment to be only the first part but they put the costume change too.

Next time I hope it will be the whole show.

[caroline_afifi]

Yassers is now one of the most miserable places to visit, I usually only go with someone else who wants to see it. His brother and the other fella who works there are miserable and try to rip you off.
Mahmoud is generally consistant. If you want something m