A friend called me up today and offered to take me along with her as she ran some errands and I could do some of my own. She has been a great help since I arrived last week and I took her up on her offer. One of the items on her list was finding a can of Sterno for her family's annual Christmas tradition of fondue. After having looked high and low for the past week she was still unsuccessful. As we sat thinking of other possible stores we could try she commented,
"They must have it in this country. I'm sure hotels use it for their buffets."
"Well, then lets go to a hotel and ask them where they get it. We may even be able to buy some from them.", I said.
We walked to the nearest hotel, A Sofitel along the Nile river in Cairo. After attempting to describe Sterno to the front desk clerk, a waiter and then a chef we were getting no where. They were going to send us to another block of shops behind the hotel when the bellhop, who had been over hearing the entire thing, came up to us and said,
"Please, madame, may I draw and you tell me if I am correct?"
He then proceeded to draw and chaffing dish with feet and a round can below it and asked,
"You remove the lid and start the fire?"
"YES!", I said with a smile, "This guy knows what we're talking about."
He explained to the clerk and chef in Arabic and the recognition spread across their faces. Yes, they know what this is. How many do we need? Two. Two? Yes, two. It is only possible to buy in a case of 72 in town. Would we wait a moment? We may be able to arrange to purchase 2 cans from the hotel. Sure, we'll wait.
A few moments later the bellhop called us back over to explain that the hotel manager said it was not possible to sell this to us but that he has a friend who works in the kitchen and he has asked his friend to try to bring him 2 cans only and we will wait and see.
We have a seat in the lobby feelingly slightly uncomfortable because now we are waiting to see if we can make an unauthorized Sterno purchase from the bellhop of this swanky hotel on the down-low.
A few moments later he motions for us to come over and hands my friend a white plastic bag with 2 cans inside.
"Thank you so much," she says, "How much do I owe you?"
"I leave this up to you madame. It is big secret."
And with that she handed him the money and we walked casually out the front doors of the hotel, past the security guards and the metal detectors with none the wiser that we were carrying 2 hotly traded cans of Sterno.
"They must have it in this country. I'm sure hotels use it for their buffets."
"Well, then lets go to a hotel and ask them where they get it. We may even be able to buy some from them.", I said.
We walked to the nearest hotel, A Sofitel along the Nile river in Cairo. After attempting to describe Sterno to the front desk clerk, a waiter and then a chef we were getting no where. They were going to send us to another block of shops behind the hotel when the bellhop, who had been over hearing the entire thing, came up to us and said,
"Please, madame, may I draw and you tell me if I am correct?"
He then proceeded to draw and chaffing dish with feet and a round can below it and asked,
"You remove the lid and start the fire?"
"YES!", I said with a smile, "This guy knows what we're talking about."
He explained to the clerk and chef in Arabic and the recognition spread across their faces. Yes, they know what this is. How many do we need? Two. Two? Yes, two. It is only possible to buy in a case of 72 in town. Would we wait a moment? We may be able to arrange to purchase 2 cans from the hotel. Sure, we'll wait.
A few moments later the bellhop called us back over to explain that the hotel manager said it was not possible to sell this to us but that he has a friend who works in the kitchen and he has asked his friend to try to bring him 2 cans only and we will wait and see.
We have a seat in the lobby feelingly slightly uncomfortable because now we are waiting to see if we can make an unauthorized Sterno purchase from the bellhop of this swanky hotel on the down-low.
A few moments later he motions for us to come over and hands my friend a white plastic bag with 2 cans inside.
"Thank you so much," she says, "How much do I owe you?"
"I leave this up to you madame. It is big secret."
And with that she handed him the money and we walked casually out the front doors of the hotel, past the security guards and the metal detectors with none the wiser that we were carrying 2 hotly traded cans of Sterno.
3 comments:
That's awesome!
Too funny! How can you sleep at night knowing the sterno police has probably put an APB out on you two? I had visions of you bringing home 72 cans!
what an aesome story! go sofitel. i'll have to tell the people at marriott to be on the lookout for the black market sterno trade. and i have three cans sitting here in my pantry...
joan
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