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| Must know about Egypt |
I have seen lots of foreigners, tourists coming to Egypt and being surprised by cultural things, that for a local or someone who lives here for a long time, are regular, normal, something not out of ordinary. On the other side I kind of blame the foreigners for not making a basic research before they come here...but maybe they do and they do not find those details. So here I am to present some things you might meet in Egypt and like this nobody will be flabbergasted.
1. I will start with the religious part. As you know already (I hope you do) Egypt is a country majoritarian Islamic. That means Muslims are dominating as belief. But there are also Christians, Coptic. So there are mosques for Muslims to pray in and there are churches for the Christians. If you are a Christian you know that in the church can enter men and women in the same space and pray together. However, in the mosques there is a more solid segregation. In the main space can enter only men. There is a separate place for women only, in the mosque. So respect this and I wish I do not see anymore foreigners who are so shocked about this and they comment rudely about it. Respect the culture and the religion. If you do not agree, do not enter this places.
Also, that sound that you hear 5 times a day around the city it's a prayer call. So do not be that scared cat when you hear it first time; nobody will attack you. I know you all are influencers and have traveling vlogs, but don't dramatize to get views.
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| mosque in Egypt source: New York Times |
2. For the girls who arrive at the airport in Cairo (or Dubai even- I've see also some surprise princesses) and when they see people dressed in the traditional clothes, they think that they did so to welcome the tourists. No, ya habibty. This clothes (galabya for men, abaya for women) it's something very common and normal to wear in Egypt. The people from the countryside they still keep this clothing style. In Emirates is the same thing when you see the the way they dress. They do not do it to entertain you.
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| Man & Women Traditional Clothes in Egypt |
3. You can't buy alcoholic beverages from anywhere, not even super/hypermarkets.
Yes, for those who want to have a beer at the end of a long day traveling as a tourists, I have to disappoint you. It wont be easy to get that beer. Good news though. There are shops that sell, but not obvious or famous. Also there is a website/app that sells alcohol and you can order online and get it by delivery. There are some local brands for beer...in case you want to try them. Also. you won't see women smoking on the street as it's considered not appropriate. This doesn't mean that women do not smoke. They do it, but at home or in cafes.
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| Alcohol in Egypt- beer local brands |
4. If you come as a couple, married or not, be aware of not making too much physical contact in public space. Not even mentioning kissing. Hugging you wife/girlfriend on the street might be a random thing in your country, but in Egypt won't be a good idea. Especially if you want really care about the woman next to you. Keep a decency. Nobody will do or say anything anyways, but the eyes will be on you.
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| Couple in Egypt |
5. For those who get to book and stay in a hotel placed in a very local, peripheral area (like that next to the pyramids) please do not emphasize in you videos or public posts on social media that Egypt is just like that. It is a reality in Egypt, but it's only a face of it.
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| Egypt old vs. modern |
Please do not come to Egypt to put it in a dark light for the others. Maybe it wasn't a pleasant experience for you, but for someone else might be a great experiment.
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