Page 49 - WDT Magazine Egypt

soap powder, pots and pans to spices, underwear,
and designer tennis shoes -- but not much for Joe
tourist. We had also picked a busy market day when
thousands of families from hundreds of miles up
and down the Nile converged to shop before the
start of Ramadan, upcoming in just a few weeks.
The shopkeepers were friendly, shouting out
“welcome” and “take a look” as we squeezed by their
stalls. Many asked us where we were from and often
wanted to chat about family or friends in the states
or places they’d like to visit. Americans had been
scarce in recent years, and the merchants seemed
sincere in their desire to thank us for visiting their
country.
Just as we were about to give up and head back
to the hotel, we discovered the El-Gamaleya district,

WINEDINEANDTRAVEL.COM 49