Here are some of the words to live by that you will hear in the Khan:
“I don’t know what you are looking for, b
ut I have what you need.”“How can I take your money?”
(aka: come into my shop and let me show you all the ways I can take your money!)
“Excuse me miss, you dropped…. (When you turn around to look)….. my heart.”“Spend your money here, please.”
“What are you? American? Oh, yes….I have the best in Egypt and very cheap here. Best price, best price!”
I took a trip down to “the Khan”, as it is called by the locals. It was the very essence of Cairo and I loved it. A maze of streets navigated by the landmark mosques which stand at each end….both of which have been guarding the site since the 10th century! Old, amazing history and architecture combined with heady smells, all announced by the many shop keepers offering you their war
es.I saw the intricate art of inlaying mother of
pearl into wood. I felt the heat of the butane torch as the silversmith crafted a 
ring. I heard the morning calm turn to the afternoon bustle, as the Khan came alive only after the noon call to prayer. I smelled the incense, spices, garbage, wet streets and aysh baladi baking. I tasted fuul and tamaya with pickled vegetables and roasted eggplant, washed down with homemade lemon juice (fresh lemonade). I also got sick from the ice in the lemonade….so it was a truly Cairo-ian experience after all!Pictures are:
Public water fountain (no one can ever say that Egyptians don’t share!)
Egyptian cotton---in the raw
The Khan (examples of Egyptian cotton refined)
Amazing quilters---all male
Spices and anything else you want or need
Famous mosque towers from the 10th century and other ancient buildings
Original city gate for Cairo----built in year 942!!
The Fire tree (Emma says the flowers ar
e called "lava 
flowers")
3 comments:
I don't see pictures! I'll check back later for them :)
I did want to say how descriptive your writing was, I felt as if I could hear the chatter and smell the fragrances of Cairo...great job!
These are SO SO SO Awesome!! How's the sickness from the ice? Hope it didn't last too long!! That's great you get to experience that! I can't wait!!
Beautiful and amazing!!
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