Month: April 2019

One of the first things that comes to mind when musing about the highlights of life in a Middle-eastern country is the hustle and bustle of a Bazaar – or a Souq as it is more commonly known in this part of the world.  It’s a magical place where vendors bring every different type of ware imaginable and put them all on display in order to show off and hopefully sell their product.  One might liken it to a street market, or a fair – but this is sells the idea and grandiosity of a bazaar far short. 

In this case, Khan el-Khalili is not only a souq, but the souq in Cairo.  Needless to say, I was excited about the idea of taking a guided trip through it with the assistance of some locals to help point one in the right direction for certain quality wares, and haggle down the tourist-oriented prices.  The morning of the trip was a cool and pleasant prelude to what would assuredly become a hot day.  Given how overwhelming the heat can feel during the afternoon, the cooler hours in the morning before the crowds are an alluring prospect.  With this in mind, we started the day early with purses full of coin (or cash in this case).  The trip to the Khan did not take long, and the morning traffic was light.  It was impossible to tell where the marketplace began – we saw signs of it long before getting dropped off, with various displays of wares and workshops hawking their craft stretching on long before our arrival at the drop-off point. 

Upon disembarking we strode purposefully into the gates of the bazaar, heading for a silver, and glasswork shop that our guide fancied.  The antiquity of the market was striking to me.  Here amongst buildings that seemed timeless, stretch narrow alleyways with glittering treasures, patterns, lights, alabaster and countless other goods drawing ones’ attention onward.  Archways and tapestries draped about above while worn stone and cobble provided character to the walkway beneath our feet.  Some of the side passages opened on to major thoroughfares where streams of people could be seen passing by, while others were seemingly deserted, but lead to hidden shops and merchants all the same. 

I didn’t see anything that caught my eye at the first destination, so I browsed the windows, nooks and crannies nearby as I continued my exploration.  Polished stone spheres on pedestals caught my attention, being strangely Palantir-like in appearance.  I was tickled by temptation, but I knew there’d be other temptations throughout the day, and I’d want to mark things of interest and come back to them later.  Hopefully dropping pins in google maps would do the trick in this labyrinth of passages and alleyways.  We strolled about as a group taking in all the sights and sounds, being called to by the vendors, one even shouting in perfect English “We just want your money!”, a strangely honest and out of place exclamation which drew laughter from our group. 

Climbing a flight of stairs to an upper level building we perused shops of various metalwork and woodworks.  Delicate and elaborate work in both cases, shops were bursting to the seams with furniture and other woodworks with inlaid tile and mosaic, along with other curious and oddities – spent artillery and cannon shells etched with intricate designs, brass trinkets of every shape and size; and while many were in poor condition, they each had a unique and varied character. The epitome of one man’s junk being another’s treasure (I couldn’t suppress the giggle as I wrote that). We continued with further adventures past and through shops of bone, ivory (boo, hiss), jewelry, silver, souvenirs, and other trinkets. Even a shop with clearly marked prices, and even a small pharaoh figurine with a giant dong was reasonably priced. I regret not getting this now, but I did find a few other pieces in that particular shop that I ended up purchasing.

In time, we escaped the midday heat by ducking into one of the more well-known establishments in the Khan, Naguib Mahfouz Cafe, where we were seated at a long table and had our orders taken by mustached waiters in fez hats.  This is where I ordered my first lemon mint, which is a wonderfully simple and delightfully delicious concoction of lemonade and finely shredded mint leaves.  You can never go wrong with a cold lemonade on a hot day, but the addition of that one simple ingredient allows the beverage to transcend entirely.  The flavor differential is not so striking, but the sense of refreshment that one gets from a simple sip is something to behold.  I immediately knew this would be a favorite of mine, and I’ve enjoyed many of them since this discovery.  There is simply nothing better to combat the heat of the desert than this delectable beverage.  The food was tasty, and quite different than the usual fare, with offerings of pigeon, rabbit and other small game, on top of some other standard plates.  The food deserved more attention than I gave it; but quite frankly, I was too distracted with my drink to notice. 

Upon the completion of our pit stop, we set out once again upon the bustling streets of the souq. Being guided through the maze-like series of alleyways and vendors had some distinct advantages, but also meant that it was difficult to get too far off the beaten path and truly explore. There were many tempting side passages that would have warranted further exploration if it were not for the sake of keeping our group together. Thus, there’s a downside to CLO-trips such as this one, as they offer a decidedly on-rails experience, which I’ve come to recognize as a smaller part of the larger State Department picture when living abroad, but that’s a post for another time

We finally made our way to an assortment of lamp, lantern, and lampshade shops. These tend to be my favorite, as I find it an absolute delight to behold a vista of varied and distinct lights, with different shapes, sizes, colors, and hues coming together to form a natural tapestry. It’s something akin to looking at a cityscape at night from a particularly nice vantage point, but with far more organization and order to the chaos. This is again one of those areas where I’ll be tickled by temptation, but with the vast selection it is difficult to narrow down on any particular object of desire. Ultimately it’s the combined effect that they all come together to create that is the most alluring.

Proceeding onward, we made our way towards shops which offered rugs, tapestries and other art. Some of these works clearly intended to provide a muted or subdued ambiance to a room, not being overly garish or loud as to steal the attention, but to provide more of an accent. Others were destined to be centerpieces, stealing the attention away from everything around them – and one of these in particular caught my eye. A selection of original oil paintings on papyrus with depictions of ancient Egypt, ranging from the simplicity of a vista of the pyramids, to the more complex with the backdrop of the pyramids supplemented by palms, camels, the Nile, and falluccas at sunset. I had an immediate appreciation for it and enjoyed the sense of antiquity it seemed to capture. The way that the painting seemed to reflect the light level of the room in it’s own setting of sunset and twilight fueled the desire to live the moment that was captured in the scene. After some deliberation I decided that it was something that myself (and others) were likely to enjoy – so I selected my favorite, worked with the guide to haggle down the price, and walked out with something special. I’ll update this with a picture of it once it’s framed and mounted.

As the day marched on, the sights and sounds all started blending together in my head. It was hard to remember exactly where I had seen what, and the myriad of twists and turns we’d taken through the marketplace was enough to upset my usually keen sense of direction, despite the pins that I’d dropped. It was truly a multifaceted experience that held something for everyone – no matter if one was there to simply take it all in, or fill their home with all sorts of Khan collectibles. While the merchandise and the hawking of wares may be the purpose for it’s existence, the Khan itself is far more with a wealth of cultural character and personal interactions that would make for a stand out-experience on it’s own. From the ridiculousness of watching huge tour buses attempt to navigate down impossibly crowded streets, the impossible balancing acts of cyclists carting around giant boards of pita bread atop their noggins, to the unexpected but adorable display of a pair of well-groomed Khan cats cuddling affectionately, seemingly oblivious to the bustling bazaar around them. Undoubtedly the Khan is one of the stand-out features of Cario, and well worth a visit from anyone that gets the opportunity.

One of the first things I did when I arrived in Cairo was start looking for ways to involve myself in the community and fill some of the weekends I’d have with fun events I could look forward to. As it happens, the Embassy has positions for Community Liaison Officers, which among other things are tasked with organizing and arranging events for the embassy community. I was lucky enough to arrive just in time to catch a slot one of the immediately upcoming events – an invitation to an authentic Bedouin dinner at Wadi Degla with live Oud music. It seemed like the perfect way to dive into this new experience.

Of course, having been in Egypt for less than a week, the vocabulary terms above were mostly lost on me, so I’ll provide some additional explanation. The Bedouin are a historically nomadic group of people that have made their homes in the deserts of Egypt, North Africa, and the Arabian Peninsula. I’m not sure what a traditional Bedouin dinner looks like, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t quite as lavish as the meal we were presented with, but I’ll get to that later. I’d venture that Oud music is music produced by an Oud, which is a kind of like the Middle Eastern version of a Lute, and perhaps joined by percussion, singing or other instruments. For a long while the oud was a prominent instrument of the region, rich with history and tradition. Wadi Degla is a park or protectorate on the Southeast outskirts of Cairo – kind of like an Egyptian National Park if you will. As one can imagine, it’s situated in the desert, but has a natural beauty about it and provides an attractive backdrop for all sorts of outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, climbing, etc.

Our trip out to the Wadi Degla Protectorate was fairly quick. The hustle and bustle of Cairo melted away pretty quickly once we got to the boundaries of the park. It was approaching sunset, so most of the occupants of the park were headed out for the evening, which added to the tranquility offered by the area the further we ventured into it. There were no roads, but simply a defined track in the sand lined by desert scrub, rocks and other markers to ensure vehicles stuck to it. A few more bends in the road and the noise of the city faded out, in fact the city wasn’t even visible through the winding canyon by the time we reached our destination.

On a small plateau a few tents had been erected, and a collection of rugs had been laid on the ground nearby, complete with low tables, pillows and lanterns. There was some time to kill before things actually got started, so I climbed a small hill nearby and took in the scenery with a few of the other guests. From within the canyon the visibility was limited, as the canyon walls obscured anything beyond. However within the canyon itself was plenty of local desert flora, various rock formations and a sense of natural beauty. The geek in me would describe it like a scene from Tatooine in Star Wars, and the sudden appearance of a Jawa or Sand person would have been absolutely fitting.

Eventually we were invited to take our seas as twilight approached. As we selected our seats, we were served a variety of beverages and imbibed in the stock of wine, champagne and other drinks that other guests had brought. The local juices and teas were delicious, though I definitely leaned towards the drinks that provided the social lubricant to interact with the many new faces I was meeting. We sat cross-legged at the low tables, sharing names, stories, and jokes as the staff came around and lit the lanterns, providing a soft intimate glow in the fading light of the day.

Without much further adieu we were ushered over to the buffet which served us a variety of rice, vegetables, a naan-like bread, kabobs, merguez-like sausages, herb-packed grape leaves, and a few other courses I cannot name. Without fail, I found each one of these delicious thought not entirely unique to my own ample experience with food. Still, it introduced me to more than a fair number of new tastes and combinations of flavors that I won’t soon forget.

After the main course we were welcomed back for seconds, and were offered fruits and other desserts – small pieces of kanafeh with almonds, another new mouth-watering experience I quickly acquainted myself with. As we enjoyed our desserts in the desert, the musicians and entertainers started up their fare with the advertised music and associated dance. Turning away from our assorted deserts and drinks, we watched these entertainers in the deepening darkness as a light chill wind kicked up through the canyon.

Guests were invited to join in on the songs and dances, interacting with the troupe as they were coaxed up from their pillows to join in the merriment. As the night drew on the music dwindled and subsided. Our hosts thanked us for our participation and patronage, and we thanked them for the meal and entertainment in turn. When we left later that evening we did so with full bellies and a host of new unique memories to reflect on. Hopefully it would be a taste of the additional adventures to come, and a unique experience to remember for a long time to come.

My first weekend in Cairo couldn’t have come soon enough. I needed to seriously catch up on sleep, and stock my kitchen with something other than pure carbohydrates. I turned in soon after getting home late from work on Thursday and finally had a full night of restful sleep. In the morning I met up with my social sponsor and took a direly needed visit to Gourmet Egypt, the commissary, and the PX.

Gourmet Egypt presented itself as a fairly upscale hole in the wall grocer, which offered freshly baked breads, fresh meats, and other small selections of spices, frozen foods, cheeses, spreads, fruits, and other local fare. It was a good place to find some basics, along with some specialized local goods. I selected some of their garlic paste/spread and was not disappointed.

The next stop was the commissary and PX. The PX has a small selection of household goods, cleaning supplies, detergents, electronics, kitchen supplies, and of course alcohol. There isn’t much to write home about here, but it was a handy place to pick up some quality of life items and to ensure one had all the various home-utility items they needed. The commissary offered the more traditional grocery-store experience, albeit with a limited selection and limited quantities of fresh produce. Of course the meats were almost entirely of the frozen variety. All of this is shipped in rather than procured locally, resulting in a focus on preventing spoilage – which in the case of the produce can happen rather quickly.

In any event, I loaded up at these two stores and filled my cabinets at home with a variety of foodstuffs that I’d probably struggle to get through anytime soon, as I had made it my goal to prevent frequent commissary runs – which were mostly like to take place during my precious weekends.

After this, we regrouped and met up with another new arrival at post to take a stroll down Road 9. As I understood it, Road 9 was Maadi’s “main drag”, which featured a number of restaurants and attractions, while being merely the briefest walk from our residences. It had the makings to be a prominent feature of my stay here, so I was eager to acquaint myself with it. Entering Station Square (the roundabout intersecting Road 9) marked the beginning of the experience, made only slightly less authentic by the lack of considerable traffic and accompanying noise. An overpass crowns the roundabout, while plenty of business storefronts ring the area and small shops, vendors and pedestrians cohabit with parked cars and mopeds.

As we were guided onward, high curbs were the first thing we needed to watch out for, with loose sidewalk and other rough terrain being a close second. At least the sidewalks were predictable! Strolling down the first few storefronts took us past a metro mart or two, storefronts for both Orange and Vodaphone, two mobile providers – situated right across the street from each other, as well as a sandwich shop and some other miscellaneous shops. As one went on, multi-level storefronts were encountered. A cyber café, a radio shack, electrical stores, textile and linen stores, were just a small sample of the variety the street offered.

Of particular notice was a lamp and metalworks shop that had many beautiful looking lampshades, lanterns and other artistic metalworking products. Some of these were quite beautiful and handsomely crafted – I knew that I’d come back at some point to pick something up, but I wasn’t in tourist mode – I’d have plenty of time to come back and peruse their goods later. In one of the larger shops, lampshades and other lighting fixtures and decorations were accompanied with chess and backgammon boards inlaid with attractive patterns made from mosaic and other decorative material – which made for very attractive pieces.

These stores eventually gave way to restaurants dotting the side of the streets, joined by increasingly frequent residences as the road went on. Passing the majority of these, we eventually stopped at a Shawarma place towards the South end of the road, where I enjoyed my first chicken shawarma – a delicious lunch. On the way back up the road we picked up fruit from one of the local vendors and I attempted to sign up for a local mobile plan – which was an exercise in futility that would only be resolved once I had a more permanent resident ID to provide them with.

The language barrier was not as substantial as I had feared, knowing a few simply words and phrases helped with some situations, while other encounters (like signing up for a mobile plan) were simply hopeless without conversing in a language both parties had a decent understanding of. Many of the sights, smells, and experiences were new to me, but nothing stuck out to me as being something that I wouldn’t be able to adapt to or otherwise get used to. There was enough there to keep me going back, and plenty of restaurants and other local fare to try. I had imagined the street would be wider, busier (traffic wise) and more developed – but I wasn’t disappointed with what I saw. It provided some clarity as to what to expect from the public places here, and presented my first sample to what life might be like overseas.