Like Turkey's Kemal Atatürk, President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt has been determined to force his country into the 20th century by ridding it of the relics of the past. To an extent, he has succeeded. Skyscrapers have risen to replace block after block of slum huts in Cairo. Few city kids now roam the streets barefooted. At Nasser's behest, almost no one wears the little red fez any longer. He has even managed to reduce the number of beggars that once plagued tourists.
But one habit Egyptians cannot kick is the galabiya, the loose, ankle-length cotton garment that looks...
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