(Twentieth of a Series of 26)
At the risk of over-generalizing, the people of Cairo are rude. The notable exceptions were the people who worked at the hotel where we stayed, and the tour guides.
Drivers are rude on the road. Hucksters are rude to tourists. At the airport, luggage personnel take turns sitting on your checked-in suitcases. When I objected, the luggage man offered to tag it as 'fragile." Later, X-ray security officials blow smoke in your face as they stand arms-length from the No Smoking signs.
As I approached the Men's room at the Egyptian Museum, a man chases me in. He hands me about six feet of toilet paper to take in with me. Then he asks me to pay for it, physically blocking me from going in for a moment.
The Egyptian Museum is where the artifacts are stored. In one room, we see eleven mummies on display. A whole wing is dedicated to Tutankhaman (King Tut). King Tut was actually a non-noteworthy monarch. He accomplished little during his reign. Evidently, he concerned himself more with building a legacy than ruling a country. He was buried with over 1200 artifacts, most of which are on display at this museum.
Most of the artifacts include a written description, in both English and in Arabic. And I started reading a few as I wandered slowly past the display. Suddenly, a man of about 70 years comes up behind me, grabs my shoulder, says "Excuse me," and yanks me out of his way.
And he proceeds to read the plaque I had been reading.