Walk Like a Camel

Best defense against souk touts: "Walk like a camel."

Egyptian Tour Guide

This morning I read an article on the Edmonton Journal website entitled, "There's no better time to see Egypt's charms" by Carmen Farrell. I was happy to read a traveller's positive reaction to Egypt and its people. Then, as I read further on, I had a good laugh at the advice of the Egyptian tour guide for avoiding hassle from touts in the tourist souks: "'Walk like a camel' and look straight ahead, [make] no eye contact and absolutely no response to any questions whatsoever."

This is good advice so, for the edification of all my dedicated readers, I walked down the road a ways to visit with the two flocks of camels that recently arrived from Sudan. They kindly posed to show just how a tourist should stand in the souk.

And here are the expressions your group should wear as you wander through the narrow alleys crammed full of colourful delights that tumble out of the shops and spill into your path.

Here is the answer to the common question posed by touts, "How can I spend your money?"

I particularly like this camel's rather more haughty demeanor achieved by raising one's nose level to one's forehead. This look will definitely silence pesky touts.

The problem with walking like a camel and looking straight ahead, of course, is that you can't ogle all the wonderful trinkets to find that special something that you really would like to buy. This fine beast exhibits the solution: heavy eyelids and a sidelong look.

Another solution, in order to avoid having flocks of 'camels' herded through the souks and buying nothing, would be to mute the touts. But, alas, they have been pestering tourists since Herodotus came to visit, so reform seems implausible. So . . . Walk like a Camel!