Khan El Khalili Bazaar/Al Azhar

At the end of the first day of our Egypt tour, we visited the Khan El Khalili Bazaar, which was founded in 1382. This was probably my least favorite part of the Egypt tour. I wasn't interested in buying anything and the narrow streets of the bazaar crowded with people didn't really interest me. I wandered around the streets a little, but it was difficult to take pictures without feeling in the way and the bazaar is an area they warned us about pickpockets and thefts. In short, I was tired and there wasn't much for non-shoppers to do to be entertained.

Of more interest to me was Al Azhar University (at left of picture), which is directly across the street from one end of the bazaar. I would have much preferred to go on a tour of the university and mosque. Al Azhar was founded in 975 AD, is the second oldest degree-granting university currently in existence, and still serves the primary site in the world for the study of Arabic literature and Sunni Islam.

Here are the rest of my pictures from the bazaar area.