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The Khan Al Khalili in Black and White

Feeling all arty again I have turned some of the photos I managed to take whilst escorting the parents around the Khan Al Khalili Bazaar in Cairo into B&W photos. Just playing around with the contrast and colours gives very different images.

This is the Bab Zuwiela, with its two beautiful towers, close to the Tent Makers Bazaar. I upper the levels on this image to bring out the sky. Notice the election banners at the base.

In the Tent Makers Bazaar, with the sun high and traffic moving along the dirt path the dust made for great photos and I took plenty. Used quite a high contrast here to reflect the bright sunlight and dark bazaar...

On of the towers of Bab Zuweila with wall of the Mosque of Saleh Talai in front giving strong contrast.

The hustle and bustle of the working bazaar was going on around us and I managed to snap this image of one of the guys who collect the cardboard for recycling. They carry impressively massive bags off the stuff to central collection points. This image give a sense of the weight and speed tis chap was moving.

We stopped at the famous Fishwary Cafe for a mint team, a refreshing break so I kept on snapping.

Shisha are everywhere in the souk, and in fact everywhere in Cairo where they are used by the locals and tourists alike.

Most things in the souk are handmade locally. These lamps are made of a light metal (aluminum?) which is beaten and engraved with koranic verses and arabic patterns.

Inside the Mosque of Barquq, on the of the Maramluke mosques in the Khan. I left the contrast high here to show the bright sunlight streaming through the coloured windows.

Another one in the Barquq Mosque, again with the widest angle I could get!

Close up of the detail of the doorway to the Mosque of Barquq whilst I played around with the field of view.

Using the telephoto I managed to get some good images of the impressive Marmaluke towers and minarets on the mosque. These guys did not know the missing of fussy! Spectacular carving.

Some lamps in the Khan, should have played around with the depth of view here....next time

I was struck by the minaret and shishsa together, so got down low and took a few images with the shisha in the foreground

All around in the souk there are open doorways into peaceful mosques and madrassas that promise tranquility from the noise and movement in the bazaar. I like the lamps in this image.

Played around with the contrast and brightness on this image a lot. The beautiful recent building with lovely lattice work constrast against the 14C minaret.

Looking up at the wooden lattice work over several floors in this building in the Khan

Towers and domes of the Barquq mosque in Islamic Cairo.

Istanbul for Eid: Food and random images

Heres some images I took whilst just wandering around following Mrs T into the shops and passing the food vendors.

Pomegranate juice seller

Mussels for Sale at Galata Bridge

Fish in a roll is the national favorite

Pretzel-like bread-things

Sweets n Turkish Delight

Chilli-ville! and a rather large Kebab

Some photos of hats, ceramics, evil-eyes, glass ware

I took a run one morning to the fish market bazaar which was just starting to open.

Istanbul for Eid: Galata Bridge and New Mosque

We stopped by the New Mosque and Galata Bridge on the main day of the feast, the bridge was thick with thousands of fishermen all pulling small fish from the water.....

Istanbul for Eid: The Bosphorous and Golden Horn

We all went on a cruise up the Golden Horn and into the Bosphorous towards the Black Sea, under the bridge which joins Europe and Asia.