A Narrow lane in The Khan El KhaliliOne cannot write about the sites of Egypt without mentioning the famous Khan El Khalili market. On entering the Khan El Khalili you feel all your senses come alive and you are kind of transported back in time as the Khan has a decidedly medieval atmosphere. It is one of those absolutely must visit places - generally not once either, it drwas you back time after time ... it certainly casts it spell on those who 'dare to venture within its labyrinth of alleys'.
Besides the very obvious shopping, it is a lively and colourful sprawling labyrinth of a market with what seems like zillions of narrow cobblestone alleys, zillions of people and zillions of products for sale that spill out into the narrow lanes from the tiny shops, so that people pass each other by walking sideways. A couple of the main laneways are quite wide, but they are an exception.
The Khan is the perfect place to idle away a few hours and quite a few dollars. It is a bellydancers mecca, and you could go nuts with the buying and I am sure many do! I was very conservative. I only bought 6 hipscarves, and placed an order for 7 saiidi dresses for our troupe, then decided to buy 2 more saiidi dresses for myself. That was it!. I did indulge in the lovely silver jewellery ... after all I adore silver and it is quite cheap. So 3 bracelets, a necklace and 3 rings later. I stopped myself from anymore looking.
The Khan is the perfect place to idle away a few hours and quite a few dollars. It is a bellydancers mecca, and you could go nuts with the buying and I am sure many do! I was very conservative. I only bought 6 hipscarves, and placed an order for 7 saiidi dresses for our troupe, then decided to buy 2 more saiidi dresses for myself. That was it!. I did indulge in the lovely silver jewellery ... after all I adore silver and it is quite cheap. So 3 bracelets, a necklace and 3 rings later. I stopped myself from anymore looking.
The shop and stall holders assail you with .. 'let me help you spend your money', 'excuse me you dropped something' and when you turn to look the man will clutch his heart and say something like 'mt heart just dropped at your feet'. The Khan folk are happy, funny and helpful. Of course they will ask you to 'just look, no pressure to buy' but the charm will generally be turned on to try to get you to buy something. I found it wasn't in your face hassling or pressure at all, not like some countries I have visited. it was just a fun and pleasant experience.
On one visit, I got sick of shopping and the rest of the girls were still going crazy in the bellydance shops, so I just stood out in front of the alley where the shop was and watch all the happenings out in the street. Two shop owners stopped to talk to me, and offered me a stool and a cup of tea. They were just interested to know what I thought of Egypt and where I was from.
After about 45 minutes and the girls were still shopping, I decided to go back to Ali's friend Tarek's shop, but knew I would get hopelessly lost. One of the shop owners offered to call Ali, so that Ali could come and get me. Which Ali did. But these friendly and kind men didn't even ask me to look at their goods, just happy to chat. They also told the girls when they finally came out that I had returned to Tarek's shop.
During my several visits to the Khan, I only purchased a few trinket/tourist things as small gifts. A couple of pewter pens, a beautiful pewter jewllery box with Isis on the lide ( for me of course), a handful of fridge magnets, coasters, 3 pretty compact mirrors. and a couple of other knick knacks. But it is the perfect place to shop for whatever you want as memorabilia of Egypt. The traditional coffee houses are great and the 'shisha' (hookah water pipes) quite yum! Of course I had to try it! If I had, had room in my suitcase, I am sure I would have bought a Shisha pipe thing home, but they are a bit big. I just loved the atmosphere and din't feel that I had to buy things. It was a wonderful, cultural, colourful experience and a place that pulsed with life all the time.
During my several visits to the Khan, I only purchased a few trinket/tourist things as small gifts. A couple of pewter pens, a beautiful pewter jewllery box with Isis on the lide ( for me of course), a handful of fridge magnets, coasters, 3 pretty compact mirrors. and a couple of other knick knacks. But it is the perfect place to shop for whatever you want as memorabilia of Egypt. The traditional coffee houses are great and the 'shisha' (hookah water pipes) quite yum! Of course I had to try it! If I had, had room in my suitcase, I am sure I would have bought a Shisha pipe thing home, but they are a bit big. I just loved the atmosphere and din't feel that I had to buy things. It was a wonderful, cultural, colourful experience and a place that pulsed with life all the time.
Coffee House - Drinking Coffee and Smoking Shisha in The KhanThe Khan has quite a long and colourful history, it dates back to 1382, when Emir Djaharks el-Khalili built a large caravanserai (A caravanserai, means home/hotel or shelter for caravans....khan in Arabic) in Cairo because it was a meeting place for traders from all points of the compass. These Trading markets provide facilities for the storage and sale of goods and animals and the revenue they generated not only supported the market but also, the mosques and madrasas in the city.
The term Khan is a actually a Persian word but due to the foreign rulers at the time of establishment that is the term that came into use. Wikala ( the term for warehouse) is the Egyptian term for caravanserai. But the Khan El Khalili is a world heritage listed site so it and the name is here to stay!
One of the wider Streets of the Khan El Khalili(That is me with the orange jacket on)
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