Anna Aish Henna

Day by Day
by Orlando A.

There are no supermarkets in Luxor, or I haven't found one yet. The closest thing to one I have seen so far is a place expats call plastic alley, because anything (plastic) you want you can find there. They pretty much have everything. The first time there, I suspected there were more floors, last time I was there I went up about three and there seem to be about three more. The good thing about them is that their prices are fixed more or less. They don't bargain and you know what you are paying for stuff, if you can read arabic numbers, which I can, for the most part. Just slow and easy.

So I bought a turkish coffee maker set, or as I was told it is called, a tanica , from plastic alley and it cost 54 LE or less than $10. I was thrilled. I went out and about shopping in a hurry the other day and was offered AAA batteries - 2 for 160LE or about 24 dollars. Of course I walked away, I bought them about a block away for 6 LE, or less than a dollar at brother Ali's spot. Always be prepared to walk out of fruitless negotiations. Never need anything that badly here. There are always two prices and probably a few more, never buy anything here without knowing how much it cost.

My man told me to tell anyone who comes at me with such insane prices, anna aish henna, which he said translates to - I live here, I know everything. When he said it, he said it with such outrage and passion, it was just pure love. Now if I can remember that, I should be fine. Anna aish henna.