I'm often surprised by tourists who tell me that they've been warned about their safety in Egypt. I bet that this guy, the man who collects the cash at the gas station in Maadi, would last about ten minutes in Detroit or Chicago. No one pays for gas with credit cards here. It's all cash and it's all in his hand.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Cash Man
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2 comments:
Unfortunately, I think there are criminals who make a point of preying on tourists, but I know what you mean. In Ramallah, we have money changers who sit out on the street corners, with wads of cash. People here get paid in Israeli shekels, Jordanian Dinars and US dollars, and various items have the prices set in the different currencies, so there are many money changers. I am still amazed that the they can just sit in public with so much cash, and be safe.
When I made my first trip to Egypt, alone, as a naive, younger woman, I must have been a tantalizing target.
Many, many Egyptian men came to my service, with help, advice, and protection. The tourist agency set me up with lovely hotels and fascinating tours. Sure, I paid well, but the hospitality of the Egyptians lived up to every word of praise I had heard about Arab hospitality.
Since then, I have made many interntional trips (three more to Egypt), but that first one remains my favorite.
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