A cyclist expertly carries a load of bread through the crowded, narrow streets.

The Khan al-Khalili marketplace was built adjacent to the al-Husayn shrine in 1382 by the Emir Djaharks al-Khalili. A crowded alleyway opens into a square where pilgrims gather before visiting the shrine, which is enclosed by a huge mosque. Non-Muslims are welcome to visit the mosque but not the shrine itself.

The market's proximity to Egypt's holiest mosques means that believers can combine their shopping and religious duties in one trip. The shrine is visited by people asking a boon: women who want to have babies, wives who wish to prevent their husbands from marrying again, or those who seek healing from disease. Even students may come to ask for better grades, and career-minded people often visit when pursuing a job promotion.

Once the religious side of things is done, it's a short stroll into the Khan al-Khalili, where one may sample the worldly pleasures offered by the plethora of goods produced and consumed by Egypt's sixty million people. The Egyptians mingle quite easily with the thousands of foreign tourists who visit the market looking for souvenirs or exotic rugs and hangings for their homes in Berlin, London, or Paris.