Shish Kabob
I arrived in front of the market the other night in downtown Cairo, Khan El Khalil. I had set out that early evening on a suggestion from a friend in Cairo to photograph the lights of the mosques of downtown from the alleyway near the jewelry stalls. As soon as I exited my taxi I was approached by a local man that asked where I was going, as I had caught on to how people asking me for money here in Cairo operate I was at once reluctant to answer him but he pressed. I started out with “I don’t have any money to give you”, he explained that this was his neighborhood and that he owns a business here and was just trying to help me. I told him where I was headed and he offered to show me as I expected he would.
This man escorted me through the centuries old spice market tucked away under a mosque, showed me the woodworking district, introduced me to a few of the local craftsmen, and through the vegetable market! In the hour and a half or so that I spent with him I saw some things that night that most locals in downtown never see.
As we headed down this dark alley we passed this shish kebab cart and the men standing there waiting for their order; I asked if I could take a couple pictures and my guide always had the same answer “you take pictures of whatever you want” as he barked at the men in Arabic that I was going to take their photo! I came away with some amazing photographs that night and 2 other things occurred too…I never made it to the jewelry alley to shoot those mosques and in the end my new friend demanded a donation to help his family!