At the Khan

The Khan el-Khalili, Cairo, Egypt

“Shopping“

Touring Egypt 33: The Khan el-Khalili in old Islamic Cairo has been a bazaar for centuries. Originally, it was the Cairo terminus for camel trains across the great Sahara desert. Today, completely surrounded by the city of Cairo, it is a warren of fascinating shops, peopled by wonderful, warm, friendly merchants. It is a “must-do” for tourists, whether you seek souvenirs, a fabulous meal, or just a wander through one of the great bazaars of the Arab world.

“Main Street“

“A Very Long Day“

A wander through the Khan el-Khalili bazaar can be a marvelous experience. Colorful shops and stalls line every free space throughout the district, in every alley or narrow street. Hawkers try to befriend the shoppers (especially tourists) wandering through the crowded alleyways and narrow streets. Politeness is expected and everyone is friendly. Sometimes, the sale seems almost secondary. Since the shopkeepers are there all day, they are happy to chat and laugh with any passerby — no purchase required. The shopper walking through the crowd is greeted with friendly hails from smiling (sometimes laughing) shopkeepers. My favorite was, “I don’t know what you need, but I have what you want.” Seeing a western tourist emerging from a shop with a purchase in hand, the vendor across the alley may exclaim “My turn!” with a friendly gesture and a warm smile. For the photographer, it is a wonderland of colors, shapes, lights, and willing subjects at every turn.

“Spices“

“Bottle Wall“

(Top [“Shopping”]: Nikon D200, Nikkor 35mm prime lens, ISO 250, f/2.2 at 1/160 sec. in ambient light, with exposure compensation of -4/3 to permit faster exposure in low light.)

(Center left [“Main Street”]: Nikon D70s, same lens, ISO 720, f/7.5 at 1/30 sec.)

(Center right [“A Very Long Day”]: Nikon D70s, same lens, ISO 1600, f/3.5 at 1/15 sec. in ambient light. Photo permission is available from both individuals in this shot.)

(Lower left [“Spices”]: Nikon D200, same lens, ISO 250, f/2.2 at 1/30 sec. in ambient light with exposure compensation of -4/3 to permit faster exposure in low light.)

(Lower right [“Bottle Wall”]: Nikon D70s, same lens, ISO 1600, f/5.6 at 1/30 sec. with ambient light.)
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This entry was posted on Thursday, October 22nd, 2009 at 18:45 PM. It is filed under Land & Air, thePhotoTourist and tagged with bazaar, bottles, brass, Cairo, destination, Egypt, Khan, Khan el-Khalili, lamps, lights, market, night, not_uw, shoppers, shops, spices, stalls, Touring Egypt, vendors. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.