As the first small boat made its way towards our cruise ship, bumping up against the bow, people gasped. “Oh no! They crashed into us! Are they okay!” People asked while craning over the railing to get a better look. And then a second boat crashed up against us, and a third, and a forth. They just kept coming. As more and more small boats tied up against us, it became clear what they were doing. They unfurled towels, scarves, large table clothes, shouting at us to look. And then, they rolled it up, and chucked it clear up to the top deck of the cruise ship, hitting unsuspecting Chinese tourists in the head, landing in the pool, or being caught by the more talented tourists. If you didn’t want what they were offering, they should to show it to others. Then throw it back down. Some items made back to the sellers…while others made it into the water. Eventually people gave up and threw it down to the lower crew deck, and then the crew passed it off to the sellers.
Now I had spied one seller who had unfurled a white and blue tablecloth. It just so happened that my mother specifically asked for a…white and blue tablecloth. So I waited…and then he threw it. Some of the others in my group caught it, and opened the package. I could see it was of the medium geese table cloth. Then another package was thrown up, and it was 12 matching table cloth napkins. I tried to call down and bargain, but neither party could hear each other. Another of my group members also wanted to find out the price of a table cloth.
So we marched down to the lobby, and asked the staff to open the doors. They said no, it wasn’t safe…but my group member was very insistent and persuasive, so they gave up and opened the doors. I found my seller, and asked him the price, and played the “No…that is too much.” I then said, and showed I only had 100 EGP. He again said it was too little. Ah he had my 100 in my hand, my friend whispered “No, stand firm, do not give him more!” And so I started to hand him back the tablecloth. He finally went “Fine, 100!” And put the money in his pocket. Before he could change his mind I scurried back inside.
We found out later that the cruise ships use to stop at the small ruins of Esna during the height of Egyptian tourism, but after the revolution all cruise ships stopped going to Esna. So the shop keepers resorted to rowing out to cruise ships and tossing their wears in an effort to make any money. While it was a fun diversion on the cruise ship, the reasoning behind it was heartbreaking.
Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.
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