Things I Have Learned In the Middle East, The Final Chapter

Here it is:  the final chapter of things that I learned on my most recent vacation. 

1.  A small can of Pringles costs $3 in Egypt, however you can get 5 scarab beetle bracelets for $1 (sometimes 6 beetles).

2.  Don't drink the river water in Egypt.  Seriously, you haven't seen what these people throw in it.  Let's start with the dead donkey....

3.  Cats have bigger ears in Egypt, and bigger egos, too -- if that is even remotely possible.

4.  Some cats in Egypt will graciously allow you to take their picture.  Those living with vendors will demand food first.

5.  Vendors in Egypt are everywhere.  Just ... everywhere.  They come on the sailing skiffs, follow tourists through temples, and even paddle up to cruise ships and tie on.  I was really quite surprised to see none of them hang gliding outside the aircraft when we took off for home.

6.  The most powerful piece of currency in Egypt is the one pound coin.  It is what lets you in the public bathrooms.  Getting in does not guarantee toilet paper, though, no matter what you read.

7.  One pound coins are very hard to come by.  Pleading with bankers while crossing your knees only works sometimes.

8.  Bathroom humor is international.  (It wasn't me this time!)

9.  Street markings in Cairo are -- at best -- suggestions and are more likely to be mere decoration.

10.  The driving in Cairo is the scariest thing I may have ever experienced, but I think I understand Egyptian cab drivers in New York now.

11.  The second scariest thing  ithink I have ever experienced was hearing a member of our tour group say that Egyptian driving made a weird kind of sense to her.

12.  After two weeks of watching soccer on TV, I don't think I understand it any better.  Of course, the Arabic commentary wasn't much help.

So there you have it.  Much wisdom, is it not?