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Reputed to be the largest
bazaar in the Arab world, the Khan el Khalili is a collection of narrow,
winding streets packed with shops selling all manner of things. The tourist
can only skim the surface of the bazaar which can be intimidating. By
sticking to the widest streets closest to the 'outside world', there is
still an experience to be had.
You will be accosted by friendly
but insistent shopkeepers who start by asking where you come from (they
all have friends who live in your country) and then offer to show you
their wares.
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Most have basic English, including "Asda price",
but don't believe every sales pitch - we ignored "everything is free
today". A polite and cheery "laa shukran" (no, thanks)
usually enables you to move on.
Having decided where you want
to shop in the souk, the shopkeer will be keen to help you with your purchase. Here's
where the fun starts. Although some western-style shops in Egypt have
fixed, marked prices, most require you to ask and then negotiate. Haggling
does not come easy to most westerners, but it is expected and the first
price will almost always be two or three times what you will eventually
agree. In any case, prices are so low in Egypt that you are sure to get
a bargain.
Typical wares on offer in the Khan el Khalili are
leather goods, gold jewelry, ornate perfume bottles, alabaster carvings,
and almost anything shaped into pyramids and camels.
The bazaar has narrow streets with goods displayed
outside the shops |
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Relaxing with a coffee in the sunshine just outside
the Khan el Khalili |
More places to visit | About Cairo
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