[6]. Money. The Egyptian Pound (£E, ‘livre égyptienne’) contains 100 Piastres (pias.) of 10 Millièmes (mill.) each. The Arabic for piastre is kirsh, pl. kurûsh (pronounced in Cairo ’irsh and ’urûsh), but the European name is known everywhere. Petty traders often distinguish between the ‘great piastre’ of 10 mill, (kirsh sâgh) and the ‘little piastre’ of 5 mill. (kirsh tarifa). In the following data the ‘great’ is always understood.
The Egyptian pound is worth ca. 20s. 6d., the piastre nearly 2½d. Egyptian gold coins are rare, their place being taken by the sovereign (ginê inglîsi, 97½ pias.), the French 20 fr. piece (bint, 77 pias.), and the Turkish pound (mejidîyeh, 87½ pias.), which are all legally current.
The silver coins are riyâl masri (20 pias.), nusse riyâl (10 pias.), rub’a riyâl (5 pias., 1s. ¼d., often called a ‘shilling’ at Cairo), kirshen (2 pias.), and kirsh or kirsh sâgh (1 pias.). Nickel: nusse kirsh or kirsh tarifa (½ pias.), 2 mill. (⅕ pias.), and 1 mill. (ca. ¼d.). Copper: ½ and ¼ mill.
Eastern European time, which is about 2 hrs. in advance of Greenwich, is observed in Egypt.
Railway Station. Gare du Caire or Bab el-Guedid (Pl. G, 5; buffet), near the old Porte Moharrem Bey.
Hotels (English style). Savoy Palace (Pl. g; H, 4), Rue de la Porte de Rosette 35, R. 40–70,. B. 10, déj. 20, D. 30, pens. 80, omn. 5 pias.; Metropole Hotel (Pl. k; F, G, 3), Rue Avéroff, near the E. harbour, R. 20–30, B. 6, déj. 15, D. 20, pens. 40–60, omn. 5 pias., well spoken of; Excelsior Hotel (Pl. a; H, 4), Rue de la Porte de Rosette 15; Grand-Hôtel (Pl. b; F, 4), Square Ste. Catherine, R. from 25, B. 6, déj. or D. 20, pens. 60–80, omn. 5 pias.; Windsor Hotel (Pl. d; G, 3), Rue Avéroff 7, near the E. harbour, R. from 17, déj. 15, D. 20, pens. from 50 pias.; Hôt. Bristol (Pl. i; G, 4), Rue de la Gare de Ramleh; Hôt. des Voyageurs (Pl. f; F, 4), Rue de l’Eglise Ecossaise 4, pens. 11 fr.; Hôt. Bonnard (Pl. e; F, 3), Rue Champollion 7, pens. from 42 pias.—Hôtels Garnis. Hôt. du Nil (Pl. h: F, 3), Rue de l’Ancienne Bourse 11; Hôt. Continental (Pl. c; F, 4), Rue de France 2.
Cafés (cup of Arabian coffee 1 pias.). Several in Place Méhémet Ali (Pl. F, 4), etc.—Confectioners. Confiserie Albengo, Rue Chérif Pacha 17; Groppi, same street, No. 33; Zola, Rue Toussoun Pacha 3; Sault, Rue Chérif Pacha 26.
Restaurants. Ristorante Firenze, Rue de la Poste 14 (Pl. F, 3, 4); Restaurant Universel, Rue de l’Ancienne Bourse 9 (Pl. F, 4); same street, Nos. 3 and 6, Old Bourse Bar and Spathis; Castelli, Rue Chérif Pacha 1.
Tramways (see Plan), all diverging from Place Méhémet Ali. Uniform fare, 1st cl. 10, 2nd cl. 5 mill., with right to one change of car.—Electric line to Ramleh (p. [436]) every 5 min. till midnight (dep., see Pl. G, 3).—There are in addition several services of Motor Omnibuses plying within the town and to the suburbs.
Cabs (Arabic arabîyeh). In the town, drive of 10 min. 2 pias., with two horses 3 pias.; 20 min. 2½ or 4 pias.; ½ hr. 3 or 5 pias.; hr. 6 or 9 pias.; each addit. ¼ hr. 1½ or 2 pias.; from steamer to railway-station 3 or 5 pias. (See tariff in vehicle as to suburbs). The aid of a friend who speaks the language is desirable in bargaining for long drives.