Khan El-Khalili: A Travelogue of Cairo's Most Famous Bazaar

Today was a riot of colors, sounds, smells, and people. A friend of mine and I went to the super-touristy market of Cairo; Khan al-Khalili. "Khan" is another name for a "Caravansarai" (a hotel/shop for merchants bringing their wares from all over the world that the government provides for nominal fees) while el-Khalili is the name of the 14^th century emir who paid for its construction and maintenance. Some of the shops there sell items that are of cheap manufacture and cater to the tackiest of tastes (it is here you will find the scarab necklaces made of "jade" resin or the Tutankhamen T-Shirts with rhinestones all over it), usually at the most ridiculous prices. But only if you stick to the shady streets with the well-manicured (by Cairene standards) store fronts near the al-Azhar or Hussein Mosque. Being the savvy shoppers that we are, we took to the back streets. The "Market" here is HUMONGOUS! Block after block after block of tight alleyways, "secret" stairways, abandoned buildings, and a massive crush of non-Western people. We hit music stores, clothing stores, restaurants, jewelry stores and so on, getting fantastic deals wherever we went. The sheer profusion of goods is staggering, and the market has been in continuous operation since the mid-14^th century, so many of the merchants there can trace their roots back hundreds of years as the business has been passed down from one generation to the next - sometimes occupying the same shop the whole time!

That being said, finding a bargain amongst the welter of goods offered is not hard, if you educate yourself ahead of time. Scarves, for example, are a popular gift to bring or send home and you can get cotton/silk blends with intricate patterns for the same price as cheap polyester ones. Brass, copper, tin, gold, jewelry, clothing, spices, and perfumes can also be found in "The Khan" (as it is known by Westerners and Cairenes alike) for reasonable prices. The secret, it seems, is to go where the Egyptians go, not where the Westerners go. For example, we (my friend and I) were looking at glass bottles of a reasonable size, and being quoted 25 Egyptian Pounds (LE) for all five of them. Afterward, we went to al-Fishawi's - a wonderful, covered teashop afterward to relax - and overheard some other tourists being quoted 25LE PER BOTTLE at a store near the tour bus stops. It can be intimidating to walk through The Khan, however, as Western sensibilities about personal space are ignored in Egypt - also do not be afraid to assert yourself as if you hesitate to enter a shop, purchase an item, or step into the flow of pedestrians, sure enough it will vanish like a puff of smoke. Also, the streets have existed since long before the age of urban planning, so arm yourself with a map of the streets and constantly check it to get your bearings - some streets do not have street signs, so you may have to ask someone where you are occasionally. A handy map of the market can be found in the links below.

Opportunities sometimes have to be sought out, but other times they seek you out, especially if the merchants are savvy sellers. I was engaged into conversation by a man who said (in fairly good English) "Oh! You are American, yes? Welcome to my country! I hope your stay will be enjoyable." Somewhat surprised and happy to get a chance to practice my Egyptian Arabic one-on-one with someone outside the classroom, I stopped to talk to him. A genial little wisp of a man, we spoke of the weather and our respective countries (seems like he too has relatives in America, in Dearborn, Michigan, as a matter of fact). He said "come to my shop, we will have tea and talk of many things." Oh, sure...why not? right? Well, this is the opening line to selling me some raw oils and extracts used in making perfume. In another instance, I was browsing, wasting time at The Khan when a young man - perhaps 15 years old - invited me to play chess. We played on a chessboard right there on the sidewalk (he won) and at the end, he offered to sell me the chessboard. It is not uncommon, and in fact is often expected, that a store keeper will offer you a drink - usually tea or coffee, but sometimes soft drinks too - as a mark of their generous hospitality. They don't even expect to sell you something (though they desperately hope to!) and will almost invariably invite you to their shop like this in order to lure prospective buyers in.

Most of the time, however, you have to be the one to initiate a sale and to haggle with the shop keeper for the price. A beautiful, hand-sewn dress purchased for my wife was out of my budget range but came down steadily when I asked if it was the best price available and explained that I was short of cash. Sometimes walking away is a good tactic; if they really want to sell to you, they'll lower the price or they will let you go and you will find another shop with the same item and you can try again. The key thing you want to remember is that these sellers are treating you with a respect you rarely find in American shops and you should never offend them with insults such as refusing their hospitality or denigrating their ware (even if it is poorly-made junk). If you decide not to haggle, be aware that prices will be much, much higher for you but, given the exchange rate, you will still get some value for your dollar. It is also advisable that you either stay with a guide (usually provided by your tour company), learn enough Arabic to get directions and ask basic questions, or go in groups so that you can remember the way back to the bus stops, or your hotel (though, if you do get lost, taxi cabs are very common in Cairo and will usually get you home fairly quickly).

Sources used and helpful links:

TourEgypt.net, Egypt: Cairo: Market - Khan el-Khalili - Provides a brief history and excellent pictures of the Khan

A Tour of Islamic Cairo - provides a map of the Khan, important if you want to know where you are going.

Trip Advisor's Khan al-Khalili - Cairo - Reviews - read what others say about this incredible bazaar

Wikipedia's entry for Khan el-Khalili