Remembering trips to Egypt...
Small shop in Hurghada. The Arab owner is desperately bargaining with the German for a large hookah. I listen with curiosity to the bargain. The Arab started the bargain with 80 pounds, the German with 20. I estimate that they should agree on about thirty or forty. Bargaining continues, "I'm rooting" for the German ; -). The Egyptian gesticulates frantically, wringing his hands and furiously praises the product, the German calmly points out the unevenness of the casting, the chip on the glass and steadily raises the bid by a couple of pounds. I respectfully glance at the German - his method is working, the Arab has already despaired of getting super profits and is trying to just sell. In five minutes, the sides converge on 35 pounds. I'm about to leave, but I see a terrible picture - the German is counting 35 EURO!! ! The Arab bewilderedly takes the money, looks frightened at the German, he busily packs the hookah from the bag and leaves. The Arab periodically looks at the light of the bill and is shocked silent...
Hurghada, airport, duty free. Two drunk Russian-speaking ladies of Balzac age buy alcohol. They choose two bottles of martini, at the checkout they give the Arab a hundred dollar bill. He gives change without a couple of dollars, motivating this by the fact that there is no change. The lady starts yelling at him (with obscenities and assaults). The Arab quickly gets bored of this, he throws their bill on the cash register, takes the martini and gestures to the exit. One of the women in an indignant voice gives out the phrase: “Well, look, you are completely crazy, YOU WILL BE RUDE IN YOUR HOME!!! ”.
Hurghada, duty free. We buy alcohol, next to a guy and a girl they also choose alcohol for themselves. They are determined with the choice earlier, we stand at the checkout for them. They give the Arab six bottles of liquor and a passport. He takes the first passport, looks into it, and puts it aside with a sigh, takes the second one and... also puts it aside. He looks sadly at the couple and shakes his head negatively, simultaneously putting the bottles back on the shelf. Those in shock begin to resent. The Egyptian tells them in English that due to their age, they are not allowed to buy alcohol (both she and he are not 21 years old). The couple does not speak English, I translate the reason for the refusal to them. The girl begins to persuade the Arab, he is adamant. Desperate, the girl asks me to buy them alcohol. I still have a “limit”, I buy them a couple of bottles. At the exit, the girl sadly says: “We have three children, and he won’t let us buy whiskey... ”.
Cairo, Giza region. At the crossroads I stop an intelligent-looking Arab in a business suit and ask how we can get to the subway. He throws up his hands in embarrassment, but immediately finds a solution - he calls... THE REGULATOR from the intersection! He leaves his post, approaches us and begins to explain the route. There is a traffic jam at the intersection. I look with horror at this transport collapse, which turned out to be my fault, and I try to draw the attention of the policeman to this event. He indifferently waves his hand, and continues to explain the way to us. I pretend to understand, and my wife and I quickly leave. The policeman reluctantly goes to his workplace. And yet, we are different peoples...
Hurghada, Khor Palace Hotel. On my wife's birthday, I decided to give her a gift - to decorate the bed with fresh flowers. He left his wife on the beach and, under a plausible pretext, went away. Where to look for fresh flowers in Hurghada had no idea. Our janitor caught our eye, wandering aimlessly around the territory. I called a boy (he looks about 17 years old) and I'm trying to find out the address of the flowers shop. He speaks English in the same way as I speak Arabic, that is, in no way. Okay, I call him into the room and draw a flower on a piece of paper. He shows on his fingers - one? I show him ten fingers twice. He nods, but hesitates, rubs his hands and looks thoughtfully at his empty pocket. I ask - how much? He uncertainly shows his splayed fist. I (with fake horror) ask - five pounds? The boy shakes his head in a frightened negative and shows three fingers. God, don't be afraid, I take out a twenty-pound note and show on the clock that he has half an hour to deliver flowers. A joyful nod and the Egyptian instantly disappears from the horizon.
I go to the beach, I go to sunbathe. After a couple of minutes I hear Anyuta's indignant voice: "Well, look what these barbarians are doing! " I turn around and see a wonderful picture: our cleaner in the company of another Arab peel off flowering bushes and flowers along the path!! ! They fulfill my order... I actually thought that he would buy flowers, but he decided to earn money without leaving the cash register. In a couple of minutes they gathered an armful and evaporated. The wife says disappointedly that it is a pity to destroy such beauty. I tactfully keep silent, go to the room and pay off the Arab. He makes a conspiratorial appearance, points to the money and whispers: "Top secret! ". Come on, go away, conspirator.
In the evening, Beloved was very pleased that I did my best for her, but still, they scolded me a little for the plucked flowers...
Cairo, bus station at Medan Tahrir Square. Before the departure of the bus "Cairo-Hurghada" three hours, the time is about eleven in the evening. I wander aimlessly around the waiting room, trying to pass the time. All the awake Arabs are looking at me with interest. Finally one speaks to me in Russian. I sit down to him, we begin to communicate in English-Russian surzhik. Aborigine asks me about life in Ukraine and girls, I ask him about the customs of the Egyptians. Our dialogue:
- And why do many Egyptians love alcohol so much?
- It is difficult and expensive to buy it from us, but you get great pleasure from it.
- Well, for example, you got / bought / bartered a bottle of vodka from a tourist, then what, you open it and drink it yourself?
- No, well, why. I have three friends, we gather at someone's house, drive out wives and children, close the windows and drink.
- For four, half a liter of vodka is not enough...
- We have enough. FOR TWO TIMES!!!
- ?!?!? ! How?
- Half a coffee cup is enough to relax for two to three hours.
- F8-) Economically...
Then we talked on different topics until we ran out of vocabulary ; -)
The plane is flying to Hurghada. My wife is tormented by her conscience (they did not let her go to work, and I bought her a sick leave for a week). Anyuta is worried that the director will somehow find out about this fraud. Our dialogue:
- Maybe you should still tell the director about the trip?
- Beloved, well, you understand that in this case we would not have flown anywhere.
- What if she finds out?
- Well, what if something happens to the plane, and it does not fly?
- Anyuta, if he does not fly, then the problem with the director will not bother you! This is shmyak on the ground or water, and EVERYTHING!!!
The wife calmed down, cheered up and the topic of the director's deception did not come up again during the whole trip. Iron argument worked...
