JUST FOR FUN, a guard thought a picture of me eating or vomiting (I can't really tell what I'm doing here) the Pyramids Khafre at Giza. I'd gone last weekend with a small group of students from the language school where I have learned, once again, just how inept I am at learning languages.

I had separated briefly from the other students to get a closer look at the much smaller (but still big) Pyramid of Menkaure and came upon four Tourism Police lounging at its base. They're very official-looking in blue uniforms and crisp berets, not to mentions they have assault rifles and pistols. In a friendly way, one of the four gestured for me to show him my camera. And it did. Well, he had a gun. And then had me pose in silly ways with the pyramid in the background. He smilingly took the pictures, handed back the camera, smiled amiably, then asked for the tip. Ah. Once again. They got me. I gave him a 10 pound note--about $2.25. And then through gestures I understood he was saying, "Yeah, that's good for me, but what about my friend?" I added a 5 note to the 10. Then it was, "What about my other friend?" I rolled my eyes and walked away.