I am an American man who came to visit Egypt, but I felt so extremely unwelcome.

I went to the pyramids of Giza and they were truly majestic, but I couldn't walk more than a few steps without being harassed and hustled by the many of the touts trying to sell things or services. They were trying to sell me camel and horse rides, trying to give me a guided tour, trying to sell me worthless crap trinkets, trying to take my phone from me and take pictures of me and my family and then demanding an absurd amount of money.

One guy that I got on top of his camel for pictures asked for money so I gave him $10 USD and he started yelling and screaming at me asking for $100 USD. I thought he is going to attack me, my family and I just quickly ran away from him.

My family member got her phone snatched and the guy took pictures of her telling her to make all these poses, and then he wouldn't give the phone back to her until she paid him $20 and then he kept complaining about how $20 is nothing and that he deserves more.

One guy came up to me to pose in a picture with me and I told him to go away but he wouldn't. He stayed in the picture while my family member was taking the pictures and then he asked for money, I got so extremely mad and I screamed at him at the top of my lungs to go away. All of the other travelers around there heard and were looking and then only did the guy go away.

Then trying to walk around Giza and Cairo, just forget about it. It's virtually impossible. All of the touts coming up to us and asking if we need a ride, or if we can buy their whatever shit trinkets they are selling. We couldn't walk more than literally 60 seconds without someone new coming to harass us.

What is it about this place that makes visitors feel so unwelcome? Why do they do this? There is so much rich history and culture to Egypt that I am sure everyone all around the world would want to visit, but why do the touts push us away instead of making us feel welcome?

When I came back to the US and all my coworkers asked me how it was, I told them the pyramids and temples were amazing, but the touts were absolutely horrible. I told them not to go, and that I would never step my foot back in Egypt ever again.