Kissing in Cairo

I really enjoyed the bazaar in Cairo. (As opposed to the bazaar in Luxor, which wasn't my favorite.) I was able to talk to the vendors and have fun conversations and that actually helped bartering because both sides would explain why their price was set as it was, and it worked out and you felt more…honest? successful?...with your purchase. (As opposed to just bartering on price and trying to reach a number, both of you thinking the other is trying to cheat you.)

One man handed me a charm of the ankh (it looks like a cross with a circle at the top - you know what I'm talking about), saying, "A present for you." Not to be deceived, I asked, "How much?" He said, pointing to his cheek, "For you, just one kiss." Now, bear in mind please that I was exceedingly tired and hot and somewhat less than lucid at this point because it was the last day in Egypt. I, very exaggeratedly so it would not invite further physical affection, leaned forward from where I was standing (perhaps a meter away) and kissed his cheek. He laughed and said, "It was worth it!" And now I have a free charm.

One store in particular was very fun. While waiting for one of the girls in my group to look at football (soccer) jerseys, I chatted with a boy who was perhaps 16 years old at the most. He pointed to a wall of purses and asked if I liked any of them. I looked and noticed that one of the purses was made out of crocodile skin. A small crocodile. With the head attached. The purse had a flap that covered the top and buttoned in front and just below the button, hanging off the purse was a head. He saw my alarm, and I informed him that this was beyond my price range, and also beyond my range of desired accoutrements. "You're sure you don't want it? It's lovely," he joked. "It could be quite useful," I conceded. "If anybody tries to steal your purse you can scare them off or bite them with the crocodile head. He agreed, and put the purse on his shoulder and walked past me, saying, "Try to steal my bag." I obliged, and then he turned and said, "Back, back!!" waving the crocodile at me wildly. I suggested that he make it so you can open and close the jaw to be more terrifying. I asked him if he had other crocodiles. He pointed to some wooden ones that were made of small slices of wood tied together so if you held the tail, the animal waggled back and forth. I attempted to use this as a deterrent as he, in turn, pretended to steal my stuff. We decided that both these items were excellent for this purpose.

I also tried out my limited Arabic phrases with him and the woman (presumably his mother) in the shop. They laughed but said that they could understand me. The boy commented, "If you stay here I will make you fluent in Arabic in one hour." He grinned. A very innocent boy in our shopping group said to me, "Sariah, he wants to teach you the Arabic tongue!" Then he realized an alternative understanding of this phrase and said, "Oh my! Wait…that's probably true, too!"