VIP beggar

My journey in Algiers has ended and we headed to the airport today 11/1 for a flight to Sarajevo.

In the airport parking lot as we were hauling suitcases and excess bags out of the car, an old woman in veil and face mask approached us asking for money. Nadir and I and Hawley gave her some coins and she responded, "Merci. Bon voyage!"

Nadir, interpretor-snob that he is, picked up on her use of French, the language of the educated and elite here. "Oh," he said in a snippy tone, "a VIP beggar, I guess."