The Real Khan al-Khalili and Pigeons

I have some good and some bad news to start off this post with.

 The bad news is I went to the Pyramids two days ago but I don't have any pictures to show for it.  Being myself as usual I brought along the camera but left the sd card in my computer. Every once in a while my common sense flies out the window and things like this happen.  

The good news is that they were so wonderful that a group of students, myself included, have decided that we need to go back and see them again.  Which means that there will absolutely be pyramid pictures in store in the future.  On top of that last night I went to Khan al-Khalili (yes, the actual Khan) and had Nic take over the camera.  So there are still lots of pictures to show you all in this post!

For those of you who don't know what the Khan, it is a huge market composed of multiple streets in Cairo that sells everything from belly dancing outfits to frankincense to brass-ware and of course knock-off Prada.  It's been around since the 1200's and although the place is definitely a tourist haven, if you go late enough at night you will find the souq populated largely by Egyptians who come to bargain and shop.

We started off last night in Zamalek by grabbing some desert at a cupcake place called Nola Cupcakes.

Sarah and I got Mango Kunefe cupcakes.  They were indescribably tasty.  I ended up telling the guy who makes the cupcakes there just how much of a genius he was for making not only these, but a whole array of spectacular cupcakes.  Really, you could live off of these things.

Delicious. 

  

Sean and Miriam with what I think are cinnamon vanilla cupcakes.

We then took a cab to the Khan where we proceeded to begin perhaps the best group outing I have had so far.  (Although we did do a Faluka boat ride and played tag with kids in Tahrir square the night before).

First things first, Sean Nic and I had to try pigeon.  Yes, actual pigeon.  Turns out it's a semi-delicacy here and Sean had heard that you could get them at the Khan. 

 Since we looked like tourists there were plenty of people asking if we wanted to buy this or that including lots of kids.  Sean and I ended up asking a kid where we could find pigeon and in five minutes we had to kids and a younger man acting as our guides to find this bird of luxury.  at this point Nic took over the camera.

 In front is one of the kids and you can see me and sean talking to the other man.  Also in this picture is Miram and Caitlin.


We were eventually led to of all things a chinese restaurant that served stuffed pigeon.

Success!  The pigeon wasn't the prettiest sight ever nor was it the tastiest or most meaty bird out there, but it was definitely worth a try.

The bird was served with traditional bread like the one inn this picture along with tahini sauce.

Once we had devoured most of our pigeon we began shopping.  First place was a shop that sold copper gilded swords among many other things. I begin to take a look at some of them and the next thing I know the shop keeper is placing a sword used for dancing on his head where it balanced perfectly.  Of course I had to try.

And this was the result.  No, I can never stop being silly.  Even in Egypt.

 This is a picture of part if the main street of the Khan.  

 Another shop that sold just about everything.

As we came across a part of the Khan that sold scarfs and bags I decided I needed another Egyptian scarf.  I proceeded to bargain with guy, who proceeded to wrap my head in this get up.

By the way, this man along with MANY other shop owners in that bazaar we extremely nice and welcoming. Once he realized that I could speak Arabic and was a student who knew a little bit about bargaining we began to make a deal on a beautiful blue pashmina scarf.  I got it down to 25 Egyptian pounds (a little more than four dollars) but wanted to keep searching at other shops.  He told me to go ahead and come back when I found out that his was the best price.  He wasn't joking.  No one else would sell it to me for less than 35 pounds.  I got the scarf and Nic got a new friend since both he and this guy seemed to know a little bit of French, German, and Spanish.  Forget about Arabic.

Alright so I had to try this on. Its a belly dancing headdress but I was told it looked like something 70's Cher would wear.  I then proceeded to act like a hippie under then influence and got this lovely picture out of it.

We ended our trip at el-Fishawi, a 200-odd year-old Arabic coffee and tea shop at the Khan.  I drank irfa bil lebn which is essentially cinnamon mild alongside mint tea.  It was both delicious and surprisingly cheap.  There we met Ali, a shop owner who chatted with us and ended up leading us to a chess shop where Nic and Charlotte bought gorgeous chess sets.

 From left to right:  Sarah, Miriam, Caitlin, me, Nic, and Sean at el-Fishawi.

Nic, Charolotte, Sean and me with the shop owners.  They absolutely loved us and we loved them.  We talked with them about the political situation in Egypt and America and they invited us to come back any time to chat.

After leaving the market with out spoils and having made multiple friends (as in they no longer were trying to sell us something and just wanted to chat) we went back to Zamalek and settled down to a view of the Nile at the Rooftop bar.  

Once again.  A successful adventure under our belts.