Travel: Communicating in Egypt

Northern Life (Jane Stokes)

Come to explore any and all of the timeless temples and tombs along the utterly incomparable river Nile-and once here, expect to engage with Egyptians eager to cloak their daily needs with a sunny disposition, like this:

“Canada!” you’ll get with approval from street vendors everywhere. Then: “I like Canada... Canada Dry!”

See you later alligator, I said without thinking to a rather affectionate little boy in our port-of-call, Aswan. He spoke no English, but now his eyes popped: “Down the Nile crocodile,” he responded to me eagerly. Now that’s communication! Even more so when I remembered that Aswan on the Nile is indeed the home to crocodiles just around the river bend. See you later alligator, I called back again with obvious delight. And he finished it, and we did it, over and over again.