This first set of pictures in Visual Viewpoints was shot because I wanted to take a picture of a mosque and a young boy told me I couldn't do it. It was our last day in Egypt, our tour was over, and we planned to spend that afternoon in a Cairo bazaar frequented by tourists. Not wanting to give offense, I was putting the camera back in its case when a man nearby told us it was okay to take pictures and even showed me where to stand to get the best view. When we offered him an Egyptian pound for his advice, which seemed to be expected of tourists, he refused, saying that if he again comes to the United States (he'd spent time in Boston and New York) that he hoped we would be show him around our city.
Then, rather than walk with us across the street to the tourist's bazaar toward which we had intended to go, he led us through a bazaar used by ordinary Egyptians. For three hours he guided us down alleys and small streets, pointing out things we would never had seen without him, such as men mixing bread and cobbling shoes. Even better, he gave us a much broader understanding of many things we'd seen in the previous eight days. I got many of my questions answered, which, as anyone who has traveled with me knows, are many.
Here are a few of the pictures I took of the small stores in the old Cairo bazaar. In future Visual Viewpoints I'll share pictures that give a more complete picture of that very special afternoon.
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Egyptians are proud of their cotton, claiming it is the best in the world, and in the bazaar there are many of these small stores selling cotton goods
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This photo of a small produce market probably could have been taken anywhere in the world |
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From spices to beans to cures for "female problems," this store had everything
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When you're tired of shopping, stop here for rest, tea and candy
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