Gifts to return from Egypt?

Question

From USA, traveling to Cairo at the end of the summer, and wondering what unique items to return.

Answer 1

At places such as Khan El Khalili the variety of souvenirs and gifts is incredible. The number of stalls selling them seems endless. Ranging from the absolute kitsch to intricate and beautiful handmade items that will likely become treasured heirlooms.
Although the variety is vast, souvenirs are no exception,like everything else you get the quality you pay for.
Check everything you are interested in very well and decide on how much you are prepared to pay for it before even acknowledging the sellers spiel.
Never give an indication that you actually want the item,
appear hesitant regarding the price and quality.
Make an offer of about a third of the asked price.From there you will finally come to an agreed price,if not just shake your head in disbelief and walk away towards the next seller.You will get the price you had in you mind 99% of the time,as the seller quickly changes his mind.
If the item is price marked ( you will find this in shops not the markets), then always still ask for a discount ,using your best smile and cajoling manner.
I suggest you keep gift buying and souvenir hunting till the end of your stay in Egypt as it is all extra to carry around with you. The exception is alabaster,of which the best and cheapest is found in Luxor.That is where it is traditionally found and crafted.
Be extra careful here, if you intend buying alabaster do some homework on the different qualities and how to identify them, before you go.
If you can find the right quality and price, a simple shallow translucent bowl is an elegant timeless object to have in any home.Just watching the craftsmen turn the rock into such a fine object is an experience. The same time consuming methods are still used, just as they were in the days of the Pharaohs.
Think of the practical side,weight size fragility etc when choosing gifts. For females the gorgeous scarfs and shawls make a great gift. They are about 80% cheaper than at home. That is if you could find one as unique in fabric and design as are available at the markets.
Someone special would love a wooden, velvet lined "personal treasure's" box inlaid completely with mother of pearl that is set in a stunning Islamic design.The boxes are in all shapes and sizes, the better quality set with real mother of pearl inlay and come with a lock and key.
There are 1.001 different souvenir T. shirt designs.
Scarabs are good luck symbols and come in all sizes and are made of various stones.
Papyrus prints can make good gifts.Just know that there is no real papyrus available in quantity at present.It became a very rare plant due to over use and no replanting. So papyrus "farms" have been initiated in the delta area,hopefully in a few years you will again be able to buy the real thing. Banana leaves are dried and processed by the same method.
Watch out if its hand painted,or just mass screen printed. The mass print type are worth only around 4LE and they are everywhere. The better examples are available from the factories were you can see them being made.Expect to pay 80LE upwards for a good piece.
Silver jewellery is everywhere but the quality varies a lot.
Remember,"The Eye of Horus" must always be in silver, never gold.
There is also plenty of colourful stone and bead necklets and bracelets.These are quite cheap and look great.
Gold is sold by weight,but watch the actual weighing yourself. Some lovely ancient Egyptian designs are available such as an ankh,and other symbols of health and good luck. Or have your name or message put in a cartouche(an oval frame on an ingot) in hieroglyphs. It will be spelt phonetically as there are no vowels in the hieroglyphic alphabet.
Actually what ever the imagination can think up its there on sale at markets such a "The Khan".A few more random suggestions,chess sets,scorpions in plastic pyramids,"coin" scarfs for shakin' yer boody,brass ware,perfume oils and exquisite little bottles to put it in,waterpipes or sheesha'sand much, much more.
Just remember to check the quality and decide on what you want to pay , before beginning the bargaining process.
You will find this can become a challenging game.
Also,if the seller has no change and gives your cash to some young lad to go and change it,don't worry,.I have never heard of someone not getting their change back!
But its a scary feeling the first time you see your money disappear into a mass of people!Actually the Egyptians are very trust worthy and reliable people.Plus, they have a great sense of humour.
Have fun and have a memorable stay in Egypt.

Answer 2

I'm not too sure you should make any plans as to what gifts to take back with you. It's one of those things where "you'll know it when you see it". I bought several "galabeya's" to give to friends back here. Without exception they seemed to enjoy them, but I don't know if they actually wear them. But they are very nice, 100% cotton, well decorated, perfect for lounging around the house, and the women in my life are especially "special" when that is all they have on at my place.

They are also the easiest things in the world to pack. They take up nearly no space, fill in gaps in suitcases, and can be used by anyone.

I also brought home some pyramids, statues, "special" oils that were "graranteed to get women to tear their clothes off". It has actually worked at least once per week, the same lady, but it is outstanding that she likes to smell so good, look so comfortable, and share herself with me. I give the credit to an old man in Egypt that convinced me to buy a four-pack of oils.

I mostly brought back memories and pictures. I have traveled to many places and never bothered to take pictures, until Egypt, where I took over 300 digital pictures. Ride the camels to the pyramids! Hire a taxi driver that can speak your language a bit, and pay for his meals. He will take you to places you would never locate. I also really enjoyed reading the daily newspapers there in English. Some of the Headlines were extremely funny. I took pictures of the headlines instead of tearing out the pieces of the paper.

Answer 3

i think of the difficulty has continuously been that there is a terror that a number of those antiquities would be stolen or fall in the hands of inner maximum creditors or destryoed by non secular fundamentalists. i think of what Egypt ought to do is lease out the shows for a quantity of time to different museums. They nonetheless have the valley of the kings and the pyramids to entice tourism into the country see you later as they are in a position to artwork on risk-free practices at those websites, of course.

Answer 4

Papyrus is found only in Egypt. It is the first paper in the whole world.It is light in weight too. Ladies bags, caftans, small rugs made of camel wool with scenes of the Nile and the pyramids, scarabs and many other things found in gift shops.

Answer 5

Egyptian paintings on Papyrus. Just roll it up and put it in a tube and get it framed when you get home. But you also need to make sure they are authentic. (Any kind of street vendor is usually fake and don't last.)

Answer 6

you can buy leather products ( bags/ shoes )
also galabia from Kerdasa . Some souvenirs from Khan AlKhalili

Answer 7

they said it all dude