Shopping in Egypt!

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After our time in Hurghada, we returned back to Cairo and decided to do some shopping.  We bought papyrus, perfumes, jewelry, and alabaster from different shops around the city.

Papyrus



Papyrus is one of the most popular things to buy in Egypt.  This plant was first used by the ancient Egyptians to invent paper.  As soon as we arrived at the papyrus store, one of the employees taught us how to make paper from scratch.

The first thing to do is rip all the leaves off of the stem.

The papyrus plant

Next, cut a section of the stem to the height the paper should be.  Then and peel the green outer layer off.

Peeling the papyrus

Next cut the white centre part into thin strips, pound them with a mallet, and soak them in water for at least two days.



Take out the strips and position them either weaving it like a basket or just laying them on top of each other vertically and horizontally.

Positioning the papyrus

Then place them between two pieces of cloth and into a press to flatten it into paper.  In ancient times, the Egyptians would have used two stones instead of a press. After four days you can remove it from the press and paint it.

Final product

Finally, the employee told us about the most famous papyrus paintings to buy and the stories that go with them.  We found papyrus so intriguing we decided to buy one to bring back to Canada with us to decorate our house.

Perfume


Perfume is also a really popular souvenir to buy in Egypt. All of the essences are found in Egypt and mixed together to come up with beautiful scents.  They don’t have water or alcohol added to them and to prove this in the perfume store, they put a flame inside the glass bottle as the alcohol would have caught on fire if it was not fully natural. There were all kinds of different scents such as lotus, papyrus, Cleopatra, Nefertiti, and many more. They all smelled amazing!


Jewelry


Jewelry is another very popular souvenir in Egypt.  Mikhaila and I wanted to get our names written in hieroglyphics on a cartouche. A cartouche is  “a carved tablet or drawing representing a scroll with rolled-up ends, used ornamentally or bearing an inscription”. We were able to watch a man use a blow torch to weld the hieroglyphics onto the necklace which was really interesting to watch but it was extremely dangerous.

The finished product

Alabaster

The alabaster is very popular and abundant in Egypt. Alabaster is commonly used as candle holders and vases because when a light is placed inside, the colours of the stone are shown and the light shines through it which is really beautiful.  We visited an alabaster workshop and were able to watch and learn how they hand carve all of their work.

The alabaster workshop

One of the most special parts of the Egyptian culture was the hospitality. At every store we visited, everyone offered us tea or coffee and said it was Egyptian hospitality and that it was an obligation for us to accept.

Egyptian hospitality

The last place we went shopping was the bazaar. It sold almost everything, from spices to jewelry to clothing. It reminded me of the bazaar in Turkey.

The bazaar



Overall, learning about the Egyptian culture through shopping was a lot of fun, especially watching my mom bargain because she is one of the best master bargainers out there!


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Comments

8 responses to “Shopping in Egypt!”

  1. Fascinating post! I really liked seeing pictures of the market, And also who were shopping there. Looks like a highly visited tourist area. I wish I’d had a website like this to show my students years ago when we were studying ancient Egypt.

    1. Hi!

      I loved visiting the market because even if you don’t buy anything, it’s still a great experience! 🙂

  2. Looks like it was loads of fun. Great to bring back some souvenirs from your trip so you can be reminded at home what a wonderful time you had.

    1. Hi!

      I agree, souvenirs are really great to remember our adventures 🙂

  3. Sharon Faulhaber Avatar
    Sharon Faulhaber

    What a fantastic journey to add to your memories. I loved all your posts & learned so much. You are so fortunate to have these experiences. It certainly has enriched your lives. Thanks so much for sharing.

    1. Hi!

      Yes, we are very fortunate to be able to travel to these amazing places and learn so much about different cultures.

  4. Sandra Campbell Avatar
    Sandra Campbell

    I had no idea that perfume was a commodity there. I like the idea that there is no alcohol or water. Is it sold here?
    Sandra

  5. That would have been fun to see all the different products being made, and then to have the opportunity to shop! This certainly is a wonderful way to finish your travels! Love, Baba

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