Khan el-Khalili and more
Last night I passed by Khan el-Khalili. I had briefly passed by it on my first day but figured it was worth a second visit. I honestly found Khan el-Khalili boring but it got more interesting the further I walked away from it. I walked through Khan el-Khalili and into another larger market and then crossed over a pedestrian bridge into another market until I got to the old opera. The walk reminded me of Oxford Street since it was long, packed with people and there was lots to see. I took a ton of pictures, below are 10 I like. Click on continue below to see them.
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Nov 19, 2008
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30 Comments, add your own...
1. chika | November 19th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
wow! I never got to go at night! we went noon(ish) and we were 3 girls alone maaaaaan, we HAD to sit down at the 2ahwe for our friend to come :/ it’s cool though the stuff you find and love the pics!
2. Matt Hanson | November 19th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
Good writing. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed my Google News Reader..
Matt Hanson
3. jessyz | November 20th, 2008 at 12:23 am
I love khan-el-khalili, the whole idea is to walk around and look at all the different trinkets and things. There’s also a small cafe called Naguib Mahfouz where a ud player plays old Egyptian songs and sings, it’s the atmosphere that is so great. It’s the most fun when you have friends with you.
4. Komoto | November 20th, 2008 at 12:39 am
I went there with a map of only old Cairo, you can’t believe how many historic & significant locations are around obscure corners. There were even some stones with hieroglyphs taken from pyramid sites & used in the old city. Finding them was exciting like trying to hunt for treasure.
5. toni | November 20th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Awesome pictures man. The colour saturation is truly intense. The one with the dude carrying the bread is a masterpiece!
6. KinD MaN | November 20th, 2008 at 12:50 am
Don`t forget to buy a medalion with your name in Heroglific letters!!
7. Maya | November 20th, 2008 at 1:14 am
Reminds me of my trip to Cairo. :)
I agree with Toni- the piccy of the man carrying bread is just amazing! There’s a big food crisis thing going on.. poor em :(
8. Kaz | November 20th, 2008 at 1:39 am
If I were you, I would take a felucca from right next to the Grand Hyatt, it should cost you about 50 L.E for an hour for the boat. Get a few friends, and a bottle of your choice, and float along the Nile for a couple of hours.
That or you can head up to Mokattam, sit with a few friends at one of the cliff cafe’s, have a shisha and a tea, and watch the Cairo chaos from above.
Now that you’re in the right mood, time for some nightlife. Bar hopping is a must. Head downtown, midan tahrir, and start at the Horreya bar. Have a stella there (about 6 L.E), then hop to Midan Talaat Harb, about 5 min walk away, and look for Estoril. This is a picturesque bar with some great mezzas. Across the road is another bar called Stella. On top of Groppi, you’ll find the Greek Club, they have cheap beer as well. Take a cab from there and tell him odeon cinema, and pay him 3 L.E. 5 mins later you’ll be infront of the Odeon Hotel. At the top is a rooftop bar called Odeon Palace Bar.
Now some tips. Don’t stay longer than half an hour in any one place. Try sticking to only beer as none of these places have imported spirits. Take a few friends with you. Be warned. Most of the bars and places are dirty and can be crowded.
If that’s not your thing, then head to the Jazz Club in Mohandessin/Agouza (happy hour everyday from 7-9), or La Bodega, L’Aubergine, and Purple, all in Zamalek. Mojito, on the roof of the Nile Hilton have ace mojitos.
I can’t believe you came and ate Mcdees. McDonalds here is better and bigger than any of the Europe branches, but still it’s McDonalds. Try eating some Koshary, and have Feteer from Omda. Go to Arzak, and get a fool saeedy sandwich and a falafel.
And finally, hope you’re having a blast. If you need anything at all, give me a buzz. Will be glad to show you around.
9. salah | November 20th, 2008 at 1:41 am
Those are one of the coolest pics I’ve seen on your blog since I started reading it.
10. Nas | November 20th, 2008 at 2:32 am
hey, nice lookin pics I can see here! What lens did u use n what was it F stop? I’m guessin 2.8, those hand held pics are pretty to shoot that sharp!
11. vampire | November 20th, 2008 at 7:44 am
you’re an amazing photographer my friend,, your shots really are alive
12. vinz-q8 | November 20th, 2008 at 8:24 am
I liked the first picture……its strange color combination…
very very colorfull picture.
Picture of guy carrying the bread is a Masterpiece!
13. ahmed | November 20th, 2008 at 8:49 am
You shout try going to City Stars (nasr city) especially al night
http://www.citystars.com.eg
14. pearls | November 20th, 2008 at 10:53 am
2nd and 3rd pictures are really cool, good job
15. Frankom | November 20th, 2008 at 11:38 am
http://health.yahoo.com/experts/eatthis/20070/americas-best-and-worst-burgers/
16. جمهورية إمبابة | November 20th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
” Oxford Street ” .. really ? :I
ma3alena .
You took ” these ” pics ? come on ! you spend all time jumpin ups ( above ) & downs clickin ?!
17. Ms.Baker | November 20th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
The ancient Khan il-Khalili is one of the real beating hearts of Cairo in my opinion. I cannot tell you how many pieces of brass and pottery, pieces of papyrus, woven Egyptian wool carpets, and misc. fascinating finds I have bought there over the years. I love Khan Al-Khalili as crazy as it is, as well as the Al-Azhar mosque right next door which is so worth seeing (take your camera with you). I can almost smell the hot bread in your pic.
My family and I used to go to the Egyptian star studded theatrical shows ten years ago. They were certainly an experience. It was especially funny to watch the Kuwaities who attended whip out their bags of 7ab and banak and go to it during the performance. Lots of crunching beneath the feet when exiting after the show.
18. Mathai | November 20th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Nice shots Mark, the camera must be going crazy trying to get the white balance right ! especially shot # 4, all three lights are different ! nice stuff
19. Bu Yousef | November 20th, 2008 at 2:00 pm
Nice photographs Mark. A good mix.
20. Amu | November 20th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
the man carrying the break is a really kewl pic !
21. Amu | November 20th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
break = bread – sorry thats the gulf run effect :p all we have in mind is breaks and oils :D
22. Frostwolf | November 20th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Come to bombay !! hehehe ull get lost
23. جمهورية بولاء الطكرور | November 20th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
what ? :I
Ist the squirrel ? :I
LOL !
24. Adrenaline | November 20th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
زحمه يا دنيا زحمه
25. Nobu | November 21st, 2008 at 12:37 am
It looks like a horrible and overly crowded place. I wouldn’t go there if they paid me. Mark, you can get the same effect, but on a smaller scale, if you go to Mubarakia or Souq El-Hareem. Same shit, wretched people selling crap made in Bangladish.
26. toni | November 21st, 2008 at 11:34 am
Nobu,
Do humanity a favour and stick where you are… Philistine!
27. Lexicon | November 21st, 2008 at 12:46 pm
nobu, your comparing an old market in kuwait to a market in cairo? any shop you mock in that market is older that Kuwait it self….its workers have been working on the same craft for generations and u compare it to Bangladesh? the poorest nation on earth? i wonder why it draws millions of tourists every year
You are a CLOWN! good job
28. toni | November 21st, 2008 at 1:49 pm
Well said Lexicon… well said….
29. moses | November 24th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
At the moment, the ONE place you have to go to is:
Kababji Al-Azhar – Fara7at
Just tell any cab driver to take you to Fara7at, and order 7amam Ma7shi, Shorbit 7ammam and Rob3 Kilo Tarb.
peace,
moses
30. Mandy | November 25th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Love markets like these!….it looks amazin…especially in the night..with al the fusion of all the colors n scents!
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