posted
hi! iīm writing in this forum because iīm very interested in egyptian culture and because i have a little question for you guys. in march 2005 i went on holiday to egypt, to hurghada. it was very nice, i had never been to egypt before. your country totally impressed me and i would really like to return. but always when i was walking through the city, i saw these western tourists, from germany or britain for example. many of them, especially women, were wearing clothes that shew a lot of skin. they were actually dressed too "sexy" for an islamic country. and now i wonder if tourists are really welcome with the egyptian people, because what the tourists do doenīt show a lot of respect. so my question is: do the egyptians in cities like hurghada like all the tourists? or do they hate them? or are tourists accepted because they bring money into the country? i would be happy about honest answers of you. thank you!
Show Time Member # 8513
posted
quote:Originally posted by germanjulia: hi! iīm writing in this forum because iīm very interested in egyptian culture and because i have a little question for you guys. in march 2005 i went on holiday to egypt, to hurghada. it was very nice, i had never been to egypt before. your country totally impressed me and i would really like to return. but always when i was walking through the city, i saw these western tourists, from germany or britain for example. many of them, especially women, were wearing clothes that shew a lot of skin. they were actually dressed too "sexy" for an islamic country. and now i wonder if tourists are really welcome with the egyptian people, because what the tourists do doenīt show a lot of respect. so my question is: do the egyptians in cities like hurghada like all the tourists? or do they hate them? or are tourists accepted because they bring money into the country? i would be happy about honest answers of you. thank you!
I don't think that people in these cities hate tourists; mainly they are the engine for such cities, as the life there depends on such industry. But going around in the city will attract attention and looks from all people around especially in down town of such cities. Of course some people will feel offended, for that such tourists will face many comments they would not need to hear if they dressed normally.
* 7ayat * Member # 7043
posted
julia, open the thread called "boobs all over hugharda" that tigerlily opened, it discuess this topic. glad you liked egypt
best
akshar Member # 1680
posted
I don't think hate ever comes into it but respect does. We had some lovely guests, really nice and the people in our West Bank village liked them. But the question was asked me, 'why do they dress naked?'
Egyptians know that differnet rules apply abroad but they are stunned by them, they think them so demeaning to women.
And having gone back to the UK after 2 years here and seen what was on offer I have to agree. I mean unless you have a super model figure most of these fashions look awful with love handles and tummies hanging over jeans, turkey neck on display, flabby underarms. The lovely fashions in Egypt are so much more flattering. Smoothing out all these lumps and bumps. I have a gorgeous black abaya with lots of sparkly biys on it and always feel very femmine and sexy when I wear it.
germanjulia Member # 8781
posted
hey sam, thanks for your reply. as people were very nice to us tourists, i was almost sure that they donīt hate us. but i just had to ask that question, because i was very surprised when i saw these half- naked men and women in my last holidays. i must say that iīm very sorry that many of my compatriots dress like that in egypt. as iīm a western girl, i also show a bit of skin when iīm AT HOME, at a party for example. i think in an islamic country like egypt, western women donīt need to dress like arab women, but there is no need to wear a mini skirt either.
hi 7aya, thanks for your answer. i have now read "boobs all over hurghada". it is just what i was searching for.yeah, i liked egypt a lot.itīs so different from germany and the culture is very different, too! got a bit scared sometimes, but it was alright. everything was just very new to me.
best wishes, julia
germanjulia Member # 8781
posted
hello akshar, what you say is interesting! you say that you feel very feminine and sexy when you are wearing your "abaya". now i donīt exactly know what an abaya is (could you explain it to me?), but itīs surely something that covers the whole body. and there is the difference between the arabic and the western women: western girls only feel sexy if they SHOW naked skin.
akshar Member # 1680
posted
quote:Originally posted by germanjulia: hello akshar, what you say is interesting! you say that you feel very feminine and sexy when you are wearing your "abaya". now i donīt exactly know what an abaya is (could you explain it to me?), but itīs surely something that covers the whole body. and there is the difference between the arabic and the western women: western girls only feel sexy if they SHOW naked skin.
An abaya is the ladies version of the galabeya, an all in one garment the covers from head to toe and wrist.
quote:Originally posted by germanjulia: hello akshar, what you say is interesting! you say that you feel very feminine and sexy when you are wearing your "abaya". now i donīt exactly know what an abaya is (could you explain it to me?), but itīs surely something that covers the whole body. and there is the difference between the arabic and the western women: western girls only feel sexy if they SHOW naked skin.
Hmmmm, I don't know if it's the *showing skin* part that makes them feel sexy as much as it is wearing something beautiful and dressy. Of course, current styles in the West show *everything*, but I went to my 20th high school reunion wearing a dress to below the knee with a shimmering gold/copper long-sleeved top. Not so much skin, but I felt good wearing it. Of course, I'm not built like a 19-year-old either.
I think men and women both look sexiest when dressed in fine, well-fitting materials, with, most importantly, something left to the imagination.
Oh, which means *no Speedos* on European men at the beaches! What's with this?????? Ew!
[This message has been edited by Snoozin (edited 27 August 2005).]
germanjulia Member # 8781
posted
snoozin, i agree with you. you donīt need to be half-naked to feel sexy. thatīs right. but iīm not even 20 years old, and when i look at the girls in my age, i realise: none of them would find an abaya sexy and none of them would dress in an abaya when going out.
daria1975 Member # 6244
posted
quote:Originally posted by germanjulia: snoozin, i agree with you. you donīt need to be half-naked to feel sexy. thatīs right. but iīm not even 20 years old, and when i look at the girls in my age, i realise: none of them would find an abaya sexy and none of them would dress in an abaya when going out.
No, that's true. Actually I find the fashions for teens a bit *too revealing.* I'm 38. Don't know if I'm showing my age, or if it's just inappropriate.
germanjulia Member # 8781
posted
ooops, donīt get me wrong- i wouldnīt do that myself! but at least with many of my friends, legs just have to be shown at a party. that is seen as sexy here.
* 7ayat * Member # 7043
posted
quote:Originally posted by germanjulia: ooops, donīt get me wrong- i wouldnīt do that myself! but at least with many of my friends, legs just have to be shown at a party. that is seen as sexy here.
you know you'd be surprised at how some egyptians wear. there are some summer places in alexandria like agamy, caribiano beach, and marina and the north coast where egyptians walk around wearing the minimum. bikinis, even g-strings, and at night in the nighclubs my god mini skirts, cleavage showing backlass tops its unbelievable.
RaniaMe Member # 7590
posted
And even in Cairo...When I used to go dancing at night, I was even shocked by the way some Egyptian girls were dressed!! And some of my Egyptian friends are less shy than me in showing some parts of their body. They don't give a **** to what guys in the street will tell them (the difference with me..)
[This message has been edited by RaniaMe (edited 27 August 2005).]
* 7ayat * Member # 7043
posted
quote:Originally posted by RaniaMe: And even in Cairo...When I used to go dancing at night, I was even shocked by the way some Egyptian girls were dressed!! And some of my Egyptian friends are less shy than me in showing some parts of their body. They don't give a **** to what guys in the street will tell them (the difference with me..)
[This message has been edited by RaniaMe (edited 27 August 2005).]
you know i used to know this norweigan girl a long time ago, who lived in egypt for a year. she was just shocked at how some egyptians girls dressed. she told me even in norway we don't dress like that. and even though i haven't been to agamy for a long time, a friend of mine is a regular there, and she told me that she saw a few toples EGYPTIAN girls on the beach in the past 2 years!!!
RaniaMe Member # 7590
posted
I hate topless girls...This summer, I spent one month in my family's house on the Coast, and I had to bear, everyday, all these ugly boobs all around...What's strange is that you will find very few young girls topless, all the topless ladies I saw are around 40/50/60s...I really hate that. But I really admire all these Egyptian girls who refuse to follow the norm, who get dressed as they want, who don't care of what people will say...I wouldn't get dressed like that, but it's my own choice, and I really want people to be free in their way of dressing.
daria1975 Member # 6244
posted
quote:Originally posted by germanjulia: ooops, donīt get me wrong- i wouldnīt do that myself! but at least with many of my friends, legs just have to be shown at a party. that is seen as sexy here.
Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that at all! I was commenting more on my own aging process and how I am now seeing younger women as being *much, much trendier* than me. It's very American to say *if you've got it, flaunt it,* so I guess it wouldn't be any different in Europe. Here in the US, as I'm sure anywhere, there are different ways to show skin. One woman could pull it off and be the classiest woman you have ever met, while another could look like total trash. Does that make sense?
But I still believe a woman can *wow* the room, at a club, a dance, a dinner, whatever, wearing something gorgeous with a gorgeous smile.
germanjulia Member # 8781
posted
wow, i didnīt know even some egyptian girls wear bikinis and g-strings!! i thought swimming etc. was forbidden for islamic girls. i also heard that some families kill their daughters when they run around like that! but i guess thatīs not very often, is it?? so i reckon the "city- girls" (cairo...) are allowed to do more "western stuff"?
* 7ayat * Member # 7043
posted
quote:Originally posted by germanjulia: wow, i didnīt know even some egyptian girls wear bikinis and g-strings!! i thought swimming etc. was forbidden for islamic girls. i also heard that some families kill their daughters when they run around like that! but i guess thatīs not very often, is it?? so i reckon the "city- girls" (cairo...) are allowed to do more "western stuff"?
julia egypt is a very complicated country, and its filled with extremes. some places the people are so rich the spend thousands a day on food, and others are so poor they spend a hundred pounds a month on food. in some places you will find women covered from head to toe and in others like i stated above women are running around in g strings. as i said egypt is a very complex country and even i who have lived her all my life am confused
belly_dancer Member # 7078
posted
I think the point to be made here is that Egypt is an Islamic country and it is WRONG to offend against another's culture and religion, ESPECIALLY if one is a visitor.
It seems a lot of you are getting caught up in "how the people look" It seems to be the general concensus that if the girl is young and pretty then flaunt it ........... this is saddly wrong ........ surely if the girl/woman is comfortable in her skin then she should be free to do as she pleases BUT NOT in a country whose culture and religious beliefs scorn such behaviour Those who want or desire an all over tan .... or want to dress in skimpy clothes, then feel free do do so in a country where this is not an issue ......... This is all about RESPECT .
I am western and indeed have gone topless on a beach many times, but i have done this in countries where the I did not offend against a culture or religion (altough may have offended the odd individual who looked at me because i may not live up to their expectation of the "body beautiful", but "one man's meat is anothers poison" ....... we cannot please everyone ..)
So I ask all those who read this post and are thinking of going to Egypt (or any other Islamic country) Cover up out of RESPECT for the people of the country you are VISITING ..
Just another thought ........ to those so called free and easy people ..... if you were going to visit the Queen / President of your country I bet you would dress appropriately ....... you would do this out of RESPECT ....... do you get my drift?
Regards .............
belly_dancer Member # 7078
posted
I think I should also add ........ I am saddened to see the decline in values held by the "Powers that be" ..... tourism does bring in megga bucks ...... but at what price to the nation / culture and religion as a whole? (Perhaps not today, but tomorrow.)
Some responsibility should lie with the Government to enforce the nation's moral standard. Outlaw "unsuitable" dress codes and further, they should ensure that travel companies make prospective visitors aware of this (Would this affect the tourist industry?)
Indeed, some of these "naked" tourists may be simply ignorant to the cultural and religious values of Islamic countries and so do not realise their "disrespect"?
Egypt once regarded as being -> steeped in achient history; the "gateway" to the Middle East .............. could end up another IBIZA (I am ot slating Ibiza here, honestly, but Ibiza is IBIZA it doen't exactly have The Pyramids or The Sphinx or the wondrous corals to attract tourists!)
Regards ............
[This message has been edited by belly_dancer (edited 27 August 2005).]
[This message has been edited by belly_dancer (edited 27 August 2005).]
Suzanna Member # 6258
posted
I applaud you Belly-Dancer-- I have yet to read such a well-versed and thought out post as yours-- it should be placed on a billboard for SELF-RESPECT !!
posted 
everything was just very new to me. 