Khan el-Khalili

El Marg is the direction to get into the City

While Mike and Becca are at school, Pauline and I have been exploring with our friend Chris’ help.

On Sept. 18^th, temperatures soared to 38 degrees and we decided it was a good time to check out the Khan El-Khalili market in downtown Cairo.  

We started out with a walk down to road 9 to catch the Metro, Cairo’s subway system. You can purchase a one way ticket for 1 Egyptian pound. (aprox. 17 cents)  p.s. The metro isn’t air conditioned.  The train came on schedule. Each train has two cars designated for women only. We didn’t use these cars on this day because Chris wasn’t confident enough that we’d get off at the right stop … we agreed with him 100%.  On the way to the Sadat stop, the train was fairly full but not packed. We were able to sit together. Once at Sadat, we transferred to another train to go two stops to Attaba and got off.

We went from El Maadi to Sadat, then
transferred to another train. Sadat station is
directly below Tahir Square!

We emerged into a different world. Busy busy busy and it was still early, 11am! Most stores don’t even open until noon. We walked along a busy street where we passed vendor after vendor selling clothing, juice, bikes, hardware, appliances, rope, books …. And we hadn’t even reached the “khan” section yet.

Once at the Khan market, there were streets and side streets and alley ways all packed full of vendors selling their wares. We didn’t come with the intention of purchasing anything, just to look. I was trying to take some photos but found that some vendors do not want you to take photos. Some will let you for a price. Some didn’t notice because I’m fast with my SLR. It’s hard to even look at the goods because they want you to stop and look, touch, ask how much … they want to bargain or haggle with you over the price. It was recommended to us that we find out how much is a fair price for what we want to buy before trying to haggle with anyone. I saw some slippers that I’d like to purchase, but I have no idea how much they should be so I have a bit of homework to do before going back again.

Fresh squeezed Mango juice, a heart pillow with your name in Arabic, A man selling Juice - he
gives it to you in a bag with a straw, some material, Shisha pipes for sale and one of the streets
plugged full with vendors. 

By 12:30 I was dehydrated. (I was hot, very thirsty, had a headache and my hands were swollen) Chris found an wonderful air-conditioned restaurant for us to duck into and we quickly drank two 1.5 litre bottles of water between the three of us.  At the restaurant Chris ordered us a traditional Egyption lunch of babaghanoush, falafel and kofta served with pita bread.  I loved it! I don’t think it was because I was starving and dehydrated, I think I really liked it. I have ordered falafel since and enjoyed it just as much. However, I do blame the dehydration for the fact that I did not take a photo of the food. I promise to get one for you next time.

After lunch, we took a different route through the market alleys with the intent on touring a mosque nearby but the mosque has decided to start charging 100LE per person for a tour. We decided to just admire the architecture from the outside instead.

Minerates from a mosque, comforters, Pauline took a photo with me in it!, outdoor seating
at some of the restaurants, a busy corner.

Bags! another item I have to research the price of, the slippers I noticed (top left corner of the
second photo), Belly Dancing costumes (this one is for you, Amanda!), grain bags
filled with something, more outdoor seating, a magazine rack (all Arabic unlike in Maadi where
you can usually find at least one magazine in English) and fun magnetic Egyptian bottle openers!
(everyone should own one of these)

On the way back to the metro I was spotted by a young man who thought that he would help me get to the metro … for a tip of course. He stayed with me for only a couple of minutes before he was positive that I wasn’t interested. He moved on to Pauline next who rejected him as well. If I was there by myself, and lost, he would have been a huge help. But then again, people in North America will generally give you directions for free.

If I thought I was hot before, I had no idea what I was getting into getting back on that subway after 2:00 in the afternoon. It was PACKED. We waited for a second train to come … it was packed too but at least we could get in the door. We had to stand holding on the loops that hang down from the ceiling. Bodies were everywhere. Let me remind you that the subway is NOT air-conditioned and that the temperature outside was 38 degrees. I have never been so hot before in my life. (can you imagine the smell?) I wasn’t this hot at the pyramids. That was nothing compared to this. On the bright side, the trains were running smoothly and on time. We arrived back in Maadi and made a stop at the corner stand for more WATER.  When I got home, I collapsed on the couch and fell asleep. 

Lori Farrington, I thought of you while I was at the market … I was “overstimulated” for sure.