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.
I just managed to leave Cairo to go to Damascus as the Khamaseen wind was blowing up a storm and luckily I was one of the last flights out....A bad weather front from Europe has been sweeping across the Mid East and had certainly left an impression on Damascus when I arrived, over 5-10cm of snow in places. Of course the meeting I was over for did not take place, think the average Syrian looked out from underneath their duvets and said "I don't fancy work today". To be fair tits not a common occurrence. Heres some quick snaps, wish I took the good camera now.....
