Heaven above the Squalor

The legendary Khan el-Khalili souk, dating from 13th century CE, is mostly about vibes rather than value, since goods of quality are almost entirely absent. Instead it’s a kind of passegiatura of kitsch, thronged with Cairenes out seeing what other Cairenes are doing. There’s a kind of phantasmagoria in the eyeball-choking displays of Stuff, and glimpses of beauty surprise you with delight no one would haggle over.Read more