Nile Dolphin? (Nile cruise)

Brian K wrote:
> Do not go off on your own.

> If you have platinum gray or very light blond hair, Bedouin men may try
> to add you to their collection of wives -- without a proposal.

I think Les said his hair is at least partially pink! (Although I'm
sure that's subject to change based on the season, the itinerary, his
mood...whatever <g>.)

~ Peri

On Mar 29, 12:31 am, Brian K <brian1951B...@> wrote:
> Do not go off on your own. While this applies more to Turkey, Morocco,
> it applies to several other Middle Eastern countries as well. Some
> locals like to augment their income by kidnapping Americans.
>
> If you have platinum gray or very light blond hair, Bedouin men may try
> to add you to their collection of wives -- without a proposal. You'd be
> a status symbol along with the number of camels a Bedouin man owns.
> Stick with the tourist group and you shouldn't have to worry.

Brian,

I wish I could let Peri's witty reply about LES!'s hair color stand as
the only response, but your post is so extreme, I can't.

LES! expressly said he didn't want to hear any "it isn't safe"
replies, so I guess you are presenting this as a theoretical
conversation for the alleged benefit of others who may be
contemplating travel to the places you claim "aren't safe."

I couldn't disagree more with your reliance on stereotype to express
security concerns about travel. The key thing is: Each traveler must
investigate a destination with security issues in mind and reach his/
her own conclusions about their personal comfort level. It's important
to take security warnings offered by others and get to the most
credible information sources you can find before you reach a final
conclusion. Anecdotal lore like, "Bedouin men are adding blonde
tourists to their collection," is...in my opinion...not helpful, but
is just prejudicial hyperbole designed to be inflammatory.

Of the countries you've named, we've visited Egypt (2004) and Turkey
(2007). Both visits included traveling "on our own" with a quite
lovely young blonde.

Diana Ball
Austin, TX

Brian K <brian1951BLOG@> wrote:

>I made that claim based on the experience of my Aunt Marge. She's an
>older gal with platinum gray hair. She was almost abducted from the
>market in Rabat had her group's guide not interceded. Marge hadn't
>wandered very far away from the group either. Her guide, someone with a
>lot of juice a royal licensed guide, informed her that fair haired women
>of all ages are much in demand amongst Bedouin men. Marge was told this
>by a Moroccan female guide. She seemed to imply that this is true of
>Bedouin men in all Islamic countries. Perhaps it is only true in
>Morocco. I took my aunt's experience at face value. All I did was post
>some warnings based on the experience an aunt I know to be honest and
>not given to exaggeration. Since when is my Aunt Marge's experience
>inflammatory?

Her experience isn't. Your generalization of her experience with one
man in one country to all men and all light haired women in a
different country is unwarranted.

The guide may have had her own reasons for telling such a story. They
might have been legitimate, or she might have wanted her charges to
feel a frisson of danger (either to enhance the experience, or to keep
them closer to shops from which she was getting a kickback).