The Big City

So today I was the naive girl in the big city. I got seriously scammed, but it wasn't too bad. It was a good experience and now I'm just a bit wiser.

The Egyptians here are so nice. They will take your money with a smile and make you feel happy about it. Even though you know you paid too much. Its pretty typical.

So I took the metro to the Egyptian Musuem today. I got off the metro but I couldn't find the museum. So I read the sign pointed to the museum and it said to go down the stairs to the metro. I thought, naw I wanna look around and walk around. So I walked in the direction my map said it was. I found another sign that pointed to the museuem and headed that way.

They do have traffic lights in the city but no one bothers to go by them. You cross the street when you can. I was super intimidated, because the cars dont stop here for you, even if you are a woman. So I just followed the locals and when they went I went. I was doing pretty good and just looking at the shops as I walked.

Now I really stick out as a tourist because I am white and I'm by myself. So I was easy bait. This guy came up told me where the musuem was and stuff. I was wondering so I was glad. He was just walking and started talking to me, so where you from, blah, blah. I talked with him and he said his brother lived in New Jersery blah blah. Then he said that his family lived in Egypt for 130 something generations and so on. I was like thats cool.

Then he told me the musuem was doing group tours right now so I had to wait to get in and could get in in an hour. So I was like oh ok. I was still planning on heading over, but he then "invited" me to meet his wife. I thought thats cool, I guess I have time. Sucker!!!

So I go into his shop and his wife is there and she's cleaning and he briefly introduces me but keeps walking. Im thinking wait what? So then he leads me into this room and tells me to have a seat and offers me tea. So Im sitting there and his brother sits down and talks with me and basically is shooting the s... So Im like what the heck?

But their business is making oils and stuff and I smell some oils and long story short I bought some. Yeah big sucker. But on the upside, it is made from egyptian lotus flowers and it does smell good. So thats cool.

If your wondering what I paid lets just say I know I paid too much. It was cool so Im good with it. I wont give in so easy next time.

Shortly after I buy the perfume he trys to sell me some papyrus. Im like cool, no thanks. Honestly I didnt have a lot of spending money and just brought some for the museum, food and the ride home. I did have a little extra but didnt want to spend it all. So good thing.

This guy doesnt quit though. He tells me he has some jewelry if I want to see it. So I say ok. He then takes me down the street a few doors and tells them I'm American. Ha ha, like I dunno at this point. He then tells me this guy is his brother. Yeah right. It was pretty entertaining at this point.
He gave me the whole memorized speech on papyrus and how they make it and they are government guaranteed that its real and quality and blah blah. I was laughing at him and he was so serious. It was cool to see it and stuff but I was not down for the whole sales pitch after I just gave those other guys my money. So I thanked him and told him I would come back later and buy stuff.

It was fun I have to admit.