Currency Exchange: Bank of America, 106 Kasr al-Aini St., Garden City (tel. 354 7788), behind Bank Misr, and on Sheikh Rihan St. This is the easiest place to obtain advances in LE with a MasterCard or Visa, but there is a US$100 minimum. Money can be wired to Egypt through Citibank, 4 Ahmed Pasha St., Garden City (tel 355 1873). Cairo Barclays International Bank, 12 Sheikh Yusef Sq., Garden City (tel. 354 2195), 3 blocks south of Tahrir Sq. along Kasr al-Aini St., accepts traveler’s checks and has worldwide money transfer services. All banks offer foreign exchange facilities. Open Sun.-Thurs. 8:30am-2pm; during Ramadan, 10am-lpm. Foreign banks are closed on Fri. and Sat., but most Egyptian banks are open Sat. Bank Misr branches at the Ramses and Nile Hiltons, the Marriott, the Shepherd and other major hotels are open 24 hrs.

American Express: 15 Kasr an-Nil (tel. 574 7991/2/3/4/5/6, fax 574 7997), just off Tala’at Harb Sq. toward Ramses St. Card or Travelers Cheque holders can have money sent and use the USA Direct telephone service and Client Letter Service (Poste Restante). Non-AmEx clients can use the Letter Service for a mail inquiry charge. Open daily 8:30am-6pm. Letter service closed Fri. Other locations: Cairo Airport (tel. 67 08 95), Nile Hilton (tel. 76 43 42), Marriott Hotel (tel. 341 0136), Meridien Heliopolis (tel. 290 9157), Pullman Ma’adi (tel. 350 7851), Ramses Hilton (tet. 77 36 90), SemiRamis Intercontinental (tel. 354 0614), and Sheraton (tel. 348 8937). All Cairo offices provide LE for Travelers Cheques, but you need an AmEx card to purchase them. Hotel offices provide faster service, but sometimes run out of cash; they are open Sat.-Thurs. 8:30am-5pm.

Thomas Cook, 17 Mahmoud Bassiouny St. (tel. 74 39 55 or 74 37 76, fax 76 27 50), half a block west from Tala’at Harb Sq. Offers a travel agency, money transfers, and cash advances on MasterCard. Cashes all traveler’s checks. Open daily 8am-5pm. Also offices in Cairo International Airport, Dokki, Garden City, Heliopolis, Mohandiseen, and Ma’adi.