From world heritage sites, to some of the region’s most insistent tourist touts… welcome to Cairo.

Originally published on Kipp Report, January 2010

“I don’t know what you are looking for, but I have exactly what you want,” is the cry of tourist-tat touts in Cairo’s Khan Al Khalili bazaar. The spiel has a nice ring to it, but crudely carved scarab paperweights, papyrus scrolls and Pyramid ashtrays are not exactly what I want. What I’m after on this short trip is a snapshot of the bustle and history of Egypt’s capital city. And there are plenty of people waiting to tell me what I want. Read the rest of this entry »