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Eygpt informations

Basics info

Language Description: Arabic.
Passport/Visa U.S.: Passports and visas needed by Australian, Canadian, U.K. and U.S. citizens. Air passengers may obtain a renewable 30-day visa upon arrival. Others must obtain a visa in advance. Reconfirm travel document requirements with carrier before departure.

Population: 67,273,906
Religion: Islamic (Sunni), Christian (Coptic).
Telephone Codes: 20, country code; 2, Cairo city code; 3, Alexandria city code
Time Zone: 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+2 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is observed from the last Friday in April to the last Friday in September
Tipping Overview: It's common to leave small tips for restaurant staff. Use the 10% rule for bills up to E 200; for bills that are more than E 200, it's acceptable to leave a smaller percentage.

Baksheesh is a word every visitor hears within an hour of arrival. It means "gift," and is usually a justified request for a tip for services rendered (waiters, taxi drivers, porters, doorkeepers, etc.). Keep a supply of small change or small notes ready. But there is a gray area where a request for baksheesh is a request for a bribe to get something done that you might feel shouldn't require additional remuneration. Bear in mind that such bribes aren't considered to be seriously wrong in Egyptian culture. Decide for yourself whether you feel the request is justifiable. There are also those who simply ask for baksheesh without rendering a service. It's not considered rude to turn down such requests.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts. Plugs have two round prongs
Shopping in Egypt
Among the interesting souvenirs that Egypt offers are mother-of-pearl inlaid wood, jewelry, brassware and leather goods (though some of the cheaper items may not be adequately cured). Other items include carpets, shisha water pipes, alabaster and soapstone carvings, paintings on papyrus, rag rugs, Egyptian clothing, silver and copper ware, perfumes and reproductions of antiquities. For the reproductions, the Egyptian Antiquities Museum is a good source. Elsewhere, if an item is presented to you as an antique, it's probably a fake (and if it is genuine, it can't be legally exported). In fact, be very careful when buying something that may appear to authorities to be of historical importance -- the police have detained tourists for days while determining that well-made reproductions were not authentic. Look for campy postcards and stationery that looks as if it were first printed 40 years ago. And do go into one of the herb shops. They carry everything from dried lizards to licorice powder.

The Khan el-Khalili Bazaar in Cairo is a good spot to shop for many of these items, and its fun just to walk through even if you're not very interested in shopping. The streets leading up to it are wild and woolly -- lots of interesting shops can be found. Bargaining is acceptable almost everywhere: Even fine shops will consider bids on big-ticket items. The bargaining process may seem to be a waste of time to people used to just taking items to a cash register, but try to enjoy the process -- the key is to try to keep the price low without being arrogant or insulting. Learn to fake astonishment at a suggested price or walk slowly out of a shop if necessary. But don't bargain if you're not truly interested in buying. (The proffered tea or soft drinks do not obligate you to buy anything.) Above all, keep smiling.


Latest page update: made by valentino3x , Jun 30 2007, 7:26 AM EDT (about this update About This Update valentino3x Edited by valentino3x

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