Thread: Cairo tips, tricks, and traps

Our lovely thread about what to see, do, and avoid in Cairo is gone. ..cr.:

So I'm starting this new one in case anybody wants to chime in. Our little group has gotten a bit further on the Egypt travel plans... we're considering the Go Tour Egypt's options, as they have a tour with more emphasis on dance. I also like that we would be taking the sleeper train to Luxor; that sounds nicer than first class.

I've been finding and reading travelers' journals online about Cairo. It's a bit weird to read what they say about bellydancers: "The bellydancer on the cruise was extremely cheesy." "The bellydancer at the show seemed thinner than I thought bellydancers were." Hmph.

Here are some things that most of the travelers agree on for visiting Egypt:
1. You need a hat.
2. You need sunscreen.
3. Be prepared to buy a lot of bottled water, and check that it is sealed.
4. Wear loose and flowing garments and comfortable shoes.
5. Avoid public displays of affection.
6. The only terrifying thing about Cairo is the driving.

Now then, experienced travelers/Cairo residents: have at it!

Oh When are you thinking about going? We are going for the June Nile group and will also be catching the sleeper train to Luxor.
In Cairo EVERYTHING takes much longer than you anticipate so it is best to have a pretty relaxed schedule.
Another tip i think i may have added last time (though not sure), is to buy some of that hand disinfecting lotion to use all the time as the money is where all the bacteria lies. Using this along with being careful about what i eat and drink has meant no pharoahs curse for me in my 3 previous visits (touch wood).
Oh and if you have to catch a taxi, sit in the back! Although that didn't deter one sleezy driver i had you leant over to cop a feel of my legs!

Enjoy!
Julie

My husband and I were in Egypt over Christmas and part of our trip was the sleeper car to Luxor. We absolutely loved the trip. Let me see if I can dig up some of our photos so you can see what it looked like...

Okay, here are some pics. They're not the greatest but you'll get a sense of what the cars are like...





In that second picture, my feet are touching the other side of the car, so they are not spacious but we found them to be perfectly adequate. Not fancy, but we weren't expecting fancy. The staff were absolutely lovely, very kind and helpful.

Bring earplugs...they are useful at night trying to get asleep but also in nightclubs watching the latest dance star - the bands are so large and so loud it feels like your ears will bleed if you don't use ear plugs.

For those going to the dance festivals....please, please cover up when going from class to your hotel room. I've seen students in really skimpy clothes running around the foyers of hotels and it is unseemly...it just reinforces the notion that western women are loose. Yes, you have a beautiful body and you should be proud of it...but there is a time and a place for everything.

* Don't tell the locals you are a "belly dancer", they'll think you're a slut
* Read my articles at http://www.shira.net/advice.htm#Life - look for the heading "For Belly Dancers Who Travel"
* Take an empty suitcase with you. A large one.
* Try drinking the mango juice, the lemon juice, the sugar cane juice, the yansoun (anise team), and the carcadet (hibiscus tea, available iced or hot)
* Take a couple of trashy novels along to help you pass time when waiting at airports, on board airplanes, on tour buses, or anywhere else.
* If you can do some reading about ancient Egypt before you go, you'll find the archeological sites that much more rewarding. One good option is King and Goddess by Judith Tarr, which is historical fiction based on the life of Queen Hatshepsut.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

* Don't tell the locals you are a "belly dancer", they'll think you're a slut

Telling them you're a teacher (of dance/art) is a bit more acceptable, as teaching is a more honourable profession.

1.Wash your hands (especially before eating) after handling money.
2.But get hold of small denomination notes for baksheesh
3.Don't buy cheap fake papyrii, banana leaves contain a toxic substance and you'll notice those vendors have plastic gloves. Go for the real stuff.
4.When shopping, you cannot browse. Only show interest when you mean it. You'll end up with something you don't want!
5.Do be prepared to cover bleached blonde hair...it goes white in that sun !
6. Yes and to reinforce. Do not advertise you are a dancer until you meet up with dancers, musicians and costumiers.

And so to tell you a tale of Luxor airport, picture the scene.
1. Slightly tired Brit woman sitting quietly in airport with 2 other ladies, whilst him indoors retrieves suitcases.
2. "Hello Liz, belly dancer extraordinaire , how are you dear?"
3. Liz looks up in shock to see woman bedecked in sparkly leggings,anklets,wrap over dress which struggles to do so over ample cleavage,hip scarf, bangles,necklaces,earings of large proportions and beaded scarf on head.
4. Liz didn't know her from Eve and just wanted airport floor to swallow one or the other of us up.
5."Have you brought alllllllllll your costumes?" screeches belly dancer unknown to me initially but now known to entire section of airport.
6."Er no, just a gelabeya"Liz replies
7."Oh silly girl, I have.... I'm gonna strut my stuff" (or words to that effect)
This went on for 5 (intermibable) mins as she extoled our virtues to all around.

I did manage to to find out that she was NOT on my boat and the 2 ladies around me after a 30 secs. silence said "Dear God, she wasn't on our boat was she?" and "Are you alright love?" as they saw the palor of my face and my shaking hands.

No............. keep it well under your sun hat

, as teaching is a more honourable profession.[/QUOTE]

So now you tell me just as I retire.

I'm going in June. My teacher told me I should wear a hibaja also to make traversing the city easier. So I will be wearing the veil.

I've been over a few times and one time I did wear a veil-type thing as I was with a group of women who were all wearing them. I noticed no difference at all in the way I was treated. It was obvious I was a westerner either way.

If someone say "is this your first time in Cairo", say "no I've been loads of times before" - people in the market want to check how green behind the ears you are prior to negotiation...

Oh P60 sunscreen. Put it on once, then forget about it. It's fabulous.

Originally Posted by KathyC

I've been over a few times and one time I did wear a veil-type thing as I was with a group of women who were all wearing them. I noticed no difference at all in the way I was treated. It was obvious I was a westerner either way.

No one ever thinks i'm a westerner- wherever i go. I find if if close my mouth people will speak all types of languages to me and almost never english. i guess no one thinks black people come from america. fine by me. i think i'm able to go move places and be more accepted this way.

Rosey announced that the old forum is online and available. Look in the Forums' first section where the announcements are for information. The old topics are there but you can't post there to add to them. So, it should be possible to look up this topic there and continue here.

I'd say go for the real papyrii because it's prettier.,r:;
Now, sorry to go totally off topic here, but I've never heard that banana leaves contain a toxic substance. As a person who lives in a "Banana Republic" I can tell you that most typical Costa Rican dishes are actually cooked in banana leaves. They pick 'em right off the tree and use them for all kinds of cooking purposes. In fact, in most of latin America banana leaves are commonly used in the kitchen and are a cooking staple. They're also used extensively in the south pacific in lieu of pots and pans. Banana paper products such as notebooks and stationary are sold here precisely in all the ecology minded stores. Could it be perhaps the ink and not the banana leaves that causes the Egyptian vendors to use plastic gloves? Or maybe they just don't want to smudge them or get fingerprints on them?


Regards
Priscilla (who has cooked with, eaten on, licked and even swallowed banana leaves)


[QUOTE=lizajuk;4670]1
3.Don't buy cheap fake papyrii, banana leaves contain a toxic substance and you'll notice those vendors have plastic gloves. Go for the real stuff.

Here's the thread from old bhuz forum:
http://ads.bhuz.com/forum/topic.asp?...chTerms=,Cairo

[QUOTE=jessedan;6662]I'd say go for the real papyrii because it's prettier.,r:;
Now, sorry to go totally off topic here, but I've never heard that banana leaves contain a toxic substance. As a person who lives in a "Banana Republic" I can tell you that most typical Costa Rican dishes are actually cooked in banana leaves. They pick 'em right off the tree and use them for all kinds of cooking purposes. In fact, in most of latin America banana leaves are commonly used in the kitchen and are a cooking staple. They're also used extensively in the south pacific in lieu of pots and pans. Banana paper products such as notebooks and stationary are sold here precisely in all the ecology minded stores. Could it be perhaps the ink and not the banana leaves that causes the Egyptian vendors to use plastic gloves? Or maybe they just don't want to smudge them or get fingerprints on them?


Regards
Priscilla (who has cooked with, eaten on, licked and even swallowed banana leaves)

Originally Posted by lizajuk

1
3.Don't buy cheap fake papyrii, banana leaves contain a toxic substance and you'll notice those vendors have plastic gloves. Go for the real stuff.

As we don't have a lot of exprience of banana trees in the UK, we took what our guide said as the truth. I was surprised I admit as people roof houses with them and cook with them. It may have something to do with the processing or as you say with the ink . He was not trying to push us towards his uncle's papyrus factory so we saw no reason to question his notion.

i'm getting ready for my cairo trip next month. i've been buying things to wear. i got some linen pants- loose, some fabric for hijab (cotton- in blue and pink) some cotton shirts (long sleeved). my only problem is finding things to wear at night to the shows. i know i can get dressed up but i have to be covered. i don't know what to buy. should i go to an islamic womens shop here in chicago? i want to look young and still conservative. what do women wear out at night in cairo?

They go fancy. A lot of beads and glitter and colour. Wear what you want and include some really nice scarf. Remember that it's cold inside of the restaurants because of the AC. So something with sleeves will be much warmer and comfortable.
In the festival the most people are dancers and foreigners, so anything is ok. Some of them will dress really clamorous and some of then less.

Don't panic, it's just clothes ..g.:
I would not buy anything I only would wear on Cairo. Save your money to bedlah.

Hi

Only 4/12 weeks till Egypt for us also.
Outi is right, in the evenings you can get all glammed up, as long as you cover up on your way to and from your event.
Are you going to a festival rak girl? Might see you there.

get one of those light pashmina type shawls....they are great for every situation

Just got my visa for Egypt today!! That was a super-fast turnaround -- we just dropped off the applications at the Egyptian Embassy yesterday, and FedEx delivered our visa'd passports today. I'm getting excited...

My favorite clothes for Cairo are long, loose broomstick skirts. They're so comfy, and very modest. I have a special section in one of my closets for Cairo clothes - but this time will have to also pack something glam, since we'll be at the Mena House for at least part of our stay.

Generally, I only wear a headscarf if I'm visiting a mosque, but dress modestly for walking around the city, going to Khan Khalili, etc. The only problem is all the cab drivers chatting away in hopes of getting a green card, but I'm hoping that having my hubby in tow will cut back on that this time. ..l;,

Originally Posted by bintbeled

JThe only problem is all the cab drivers chatting away in hopes of getting a green card.

Interesting. In my 5 trips to Egypt I've never had that happen. Not even once. I've had them try other scamming, such as one guy who tried to persuade me to give him my cell phone (why would I want to do that????). But usually they and I just ride in silence, which suits me just fine.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Interesting. In my 5 trips to Egypt I've never had that happen. Not even once. I've had them try other scamming, such as one guy who tried to persuade me to give him my cell phone (why would I want to do that????). But usually they and I just ride in silence, which suits me just fine.

On my last Cairo trip i had even one(cab driver)ask me out with him... LLOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL..l;,

Yes i'm going to the festival with Rocky's group. I'll see you there. I'm so excited about this trip. I wish it was tomorrow.

Originally Posted by Shimmy_N_Sheik

Hi

Only 4/12 weeks till Egypt for us also.
Outi is right, in the evenings you can get all glammed up, as long as you cover up on your way to and from your event.
Are you going to a festival rak girl? Might see you there.

Originally Posted by *Shira*

Interesting. In my 5 trips to Egypt I've never had that happen. Not even once. I've had them try other scamming, such as one guy who tried to persuade me to give him my cell phone (why would I want to do that????). But usually they and I just ride in silence, which suits me just fine.

I actually prefer to ride in silence. But when I'm in the Middle East, many people think I'm Arab (Lebanese/Syrian, because of my coloring) and they want to chat. It's a good way to improve my speaking ability, which is really weak. I've lost track of the marriage proposals, and don't take them seriously, of course. Actually, the cab drivers in Tunis were more insistent. Somewhere I still have a tape recording of one driver singing to me. He insisted his heart was broken when I said I was married, and launched into a sad Um Kulsoum song. Since I was on my way back from a lesson with my tutor, I had my little tape recorder with me, so I switched it on. Tee hee!

I still can't figure out, with my Irish heritage, why I look Arab to some people! But it does come in handy when bargaining....

Originally Posted by bintbeled

I actually prefer to ride in silence. But when I'm in the Middle East, many people think I'm Arab (Lebanese/Syrian, because of my coloring) and they want to chat. It's a good way to improve my speaking ability, which is really weak. I've lost track of the marriage proposals, and don't take them seriously, of course. Actually, the cab drivers in Tunis were more insistent. Somewhere I still have a tape recording of one driver singing to me. He insisted his heart was broken when I said I was married, and launched into a sad Um Kulsoum song. Since I was on my way back from a lesson with my tutor, I had my little tape recorder with me, so I switched it on. Tee hee!

I still can't figure out, with my Irish heritage, why I look Arab to some people! But it does come in handy when bargaining....

Yeah,that happens to me,too.My skin and hair colouring is darkish and some of them kinda assume i'm from there.

Originally Posted by Sashy

Yeah,that happens to me,too.My skin and hair colouring is darkish and some of them kinda assume i'm from there.

It can come in handy... although I'm fair-skinned and have red hair. Apparently, because of the Crusades (or so I'm told), there are many Levantines who have the same coloring.

*Everything* Latifa just said! including the chatty taxi drivers ..g.: For summertime (read Ahlan wa Sahlan time) I take long, loose broomstick dresses, skirts, and t-tops with sleeves at least to the elbow. As someone else said, you can wear "glam" in the evening, but wear something over bare arms, low necklines, high hemlines on the way to the nightclub. An ankle length duster or abaya would work for anything you would wear. If all your skirts are long, then all you need is a light weight pashmina style shawl or sleeved jacket.

See you at AWS Latifa?

Originally Posted by bintbeled

Just got my visa for Egypt today!! That was a super-fast turnaround -- we just dropped off the applications at the Egyptian Embassy yesterday, and FedEx delivered our visa'd passports today. I'm getting excited...

My favorite clothes for Cairo are long, loose broomstick skirts. They're so comfy, and very modest. I have a special section in one of my closets for Cairo clothes - but this time will have to also pack something glam, since we'll be at the Mena House for at least part of our stay.

Generally, I only wear a headscarf if I'm visiting a mosque, but dress modestly for walking around the city, going to Khan Khalili, etc. The only problem is all the cab drivers chatting away in hopes of getting a green card, but I'm hoping that having my hubby in tow will cut back on that this time. ..l;,

Originally Posted by leylalanty

See you at AWS Latifa?

Yes ma'm yes ma'm! I will have my hubby and brother in tow, so won't be going to too many workshops, but will most definitely be at the opening and closing show.

It'll be good to be back -- I've missed Cairo. I really really really want to go to Fishawi's, drink some karkadeh, and watch the world go by! Oh, and drink fresh mango juice from juice bars!