Looking for the perfect holiday gift? Fatemah Farag guides you through the ultimate shopping spree There is more than one way to solve the "perfect gift" dilemma. Today, Egypt boasts state-of-the-art shopping malls -- City Stars or the First Residence -- where you can head to international chains such as Virgin, Mango, Charles and Keith or Versace and buy your Christmas/New Year's presents. But while they sell beautiful things and these are painless excursions into the land of shopping, are they the most original? We may express our frustration with the traffic and crowds, the difficulty of getting from one small boutique to the next small store, but air-conditioned consumer paradise just feels like a cop-out. Perhaps some of the most truly original, and ultimately enjoyable, shopping is to be done on the dusty, dense streets of Cairo. It is not as difficult as you might think. The cool weather has set in so at least you do not have to worry about that discomfort. Choose weekdays if possible: morning or early afternoon hours when most people are at work or school or an evening in the middle of the week when people are just too tired and cold to crowd the streets. Arm yourself in a pair of comfortable walking shoes, loose clothes, a list of people you need to buy gifts for and small bills to make your transactions and any short taxi drives in-between easier. Now head straight for Al-Azhar. I suggest we begin in the Khayamiya (literally tent-makers) district. If you are going by car, head for Bab Zuweila where you can park right behind the Khayamiya. Or head to Al-Azhar Street, keep the Ghuriya Palace on your left and walk straight down till you get to the covered alleyway which is the tent-makers. Half-way down, the alleyway is lined with small shops, where on most days you will find artisans needle and thread in hand working on their latest piece, and to the left is Fattoh Sons. Mohamed, inheritor of both shop and trade, is passionate about his work. If you take the time to sit and have a cup of tea he will pull out his latest works that are not for sale. He will explain the painstaking process by which he chooses designs -- "by going to museums, looking in books and taking in our surroundings" -- then decides on his colours and finally sits for hours, days and weeks on end sewing together the pieces of cloth that will some day sit on someone's wall, adorn their bed or cover their cushions. "You can tell the quality of a piece of khayamiya by the intricacy of its designs -- the Islamic designs are more expensive than the Pharaonic. Also in a good piece the stitching should not be apparent," explains Mohamed. An average bed spread costs in the range of LE800; small cushions which are less elaborate in the range of LE40. Across the street Ahmed Yusri, known as Rora, laments the fact that there are fewer people interested in working within the trade, and even less capable of keeping up its standard. "At the same time, we have become more innovative in the designs of the khayamiya. Today you will find Arabic calligraphy, people and other scenes that were not a part of our repertoire." Another innovation in evidence this year is children's tents made of canvas and trimmed with printed khayamiya material. These are great if you have young children. However, you need to have a garden as they are set up by the use of stakes. There are smaller versions although I am not sure how attractive they are. Tents range between LE40 to LE200. The prices at the many little shops of the khayamiya are generally the same. And most vendors are candid: they up-mark by 10 to 20 per cent to take into account the inevitable bargaining, so do not feel shy to quibble. The key is to look for quality and take your time. Sit down and ask if there are other items not shown in the store. Have a piece under consideration spread out and look closely at the detail of the work. Now walk back towards Al-Azhar Street. Along the way you might want to take a closer look at wool scarves (around LE100) and galabiyas. This is the place to buy if you need cheap towels and sheets. Keep the Al-Azhar Mosque to your left and walk up the street which will turn left, and to your right is the small, unassuming window of Mohamed Abdel-Zaher Ibrahim. Originally a shop and workshop specialised in traditional binding, they also make fine paper and an assortment of agendas, address books, card holders, Kleenex boxes, files and other such things. Many of these items you can have inscribed in the name of the person you are buying it for, a process done manually at the back of the shop. A sample of prices is LE40 for a small agenda to LE80 for a Kleenex box. Move on and turn right and to your left is Al-Khatoun, a shop that takes its name from its neighbour, the House of Zeinab Khatoun. Delve inside and peruse glass ware, copper lamps and chandeliers, pottery from Fayoum, old cinema adds, material printed in Arabic calligraphy, furniture, painted mirrors and a selection of cotton clothes at the back of the shop. They are famous for their intricately latticed copper candle holders and containers. My favourites items, however, are the shadow puppets made out of leather and the silver jewellery which sits enticingly within the glass showcase centre shop. In terms of price, there is something for everyone and here the prices, as in the paper shop, are fixed. Now prepare to cross Al-Azhar Street and head for Khan Al-Khalili and its environs. If you are walking, hold your breath and take the pedestrian tunnel across. If you have come by car, head up to the light and turn right at Azhar University Hospital where overly zealous car attendants will help you park. And do not leave your keys. If you are lucky, in front of the hospital is a public park with some available space. Head towards the Al-Hussein Mosque and turn left into the heart of Khan Al-Khalili. It is easy to feel overwhelmed: a narrow alleyway brimming over with activity; shop owners on the street beckoning you in, showcases glittering with merchandise. It is sometimes difficult to take your time and take things in. Ignore the constant hustling of people inviting you into their store and keep in mind that whether you are buying a necklace or a refrigerator magnet, you must apply yourself to bargaining. Down this street you will find gold, diamonds and semi-precious stones, silver, tourist paraphernalia, cotton shirts in all colours, belly dancing gear and curiosity items such as old watches, African beads and whatnot. There are the big names such as Al-Mawardi for gold and diamonds and Al-Kahal for carpets and the little holes in walls which dazzle nonetheless. This is a great place to shop for cheap gifts: colourful cotton shirts for around LE20, small inlaid wood boxes for around LE10 and bangles with a rural flair for LE10 as well. Want something more original and a little more pricey? Head to Ahmed and Sons and choose your own beads and silver pieces and have them strung up for you in a custom-made necklace or bracelet. Among my favourite shops is Atlas situated half-way down this main street. The left wing of the shop sells jewellery and is known for its copies of old Turkish jewellery. The right wing is where you can find expensive but exquisite embroidered galabiyas, caftans, jackets and shoes. Another favourite is Hagop where an eccentric and opinionated Armenian woman -- "that really does not suit you at all; it's for a younger woman" -- designs and sells gold sets with semi-precious stones. She is only open three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) so if you are interested in her ware try and schedule your trip to the Khan on these days. Soon you will find yourself spilling out into the sagha known for its many gold shops as well as silver jewellery, copper, hand-blown glass items and alabaster vendors. Head for the Samir Amin silver shop and go to the back of the shop where a narrow staircase will lead you up to a second floor littered in old silver jewellery. Baskets full of rings and bangles as well as more fine items behind glass cases -- for the silver buff this is a must visit. Now if it is the glass you are interested in -- be careful, these break very easily -- you can either take the easy way out and buy from this area or walk all the way up the street and past Bab Al-Fetouh, cross the street into Darasa and walk up a narrow alleyway (ask anyone and they will point you in the right direction). At the top is the workshop of one of the few remaining hand-blown glass makers. You can sit and watch the painstaking process and purchase your ware from the small storage area to the side of the workshop. Before you hit Bab Al-Fetouh, copper shops will fade into aluminum and shisha equipment shops. Put together your own shisha and buy yourself a backgammon set while you're at it. As opposed to the Ghuriya area, the Khan is replete with places to sit down and relax. The most famous are the Fishawi tea-shop and the Naguib Mahfouz restaurant and café. The Egyptian feteer (pancakes) joint is great for both sweet and savory. If you are in the mood for something milky sweet, go to Al-Malki for a rice pudding or hot bileela (dessert made of crushed wheat and milk). Another less known shopping hot spot is in Al-Fustat. Take the underground to the Mar Girguis stop and as you leave the station head left and walk to the circle where you will find Fustat Market. That is if you can resist making a couple of stops along the way: this small street is home to the Hanging Church, the Coptic Museum and if you step into some of its alleyways, a synagogue and some of Egypt's oldest churches and monasteries. In front of the nuns monastery is a shop selling their ware: fruit jams, church wine (in front of which is a sign directing customers to buy only if for church use) and handicraft. By car, the easiest way is to head to the Autostrad and turn left with the sign that directs you to the Amr Ibn El-Aas Mosque. Keep the mosque on your left and head straight till you reach the same circle. Parking is generally not a problem. The market is one of Cairo's better kept secrets. Domed shops and alleyways, it is lined with innovative shops such as the outlet of the Zabaleen Development NGO. Here you can buy re-cycled garbage products such as gorgeous Christmas cards that sell at LE6, klims designed to be used as bathroom carpets (LE70 for the set) and hand-made quilts. "We offer illiteracy classes in addition to teaching the people who work on these products new skills," boasts the shop attendant. "Many of the designs of quilts are their own designs," he adds. The quilts are made of textile factory remains which we are assured are cleaned to the highest standard before use. The large bed covers (210cm x 160cm) cost around LE500, the smaller ones to fit a child's crib or bed in the range of LE130 to LE160. Across from their shop is another NGO outlet: the Association for the Sons of Upper Egypt. Here wonderful silk thread tapestries made by the women and children of Akhmeem, a town in the Upper Egyptian governorate of Sohag, are on sale. These range from LE100 to over LE1,000 depending on size and design. They also sell the famous Akhmeem bed covers. A double-faced large size (240cm x 100cm) costs in the range of LE250. A shop selling a comprehensive selection of Nefertiti (our very own version of the Bodyshop) facial and body products is next door and down another alley is Rosehana, a shop specialising in antique items. Rare books, a photo of King Fouad and an old camera are all on display. A delicate silver cigarette case catches my eye and is priced at LE450. Kan Ya Zaman boasts both new and old silver and Walid El-Shirbini's shop displays gorgeous hand-made alabaster light fixtures (around LE350). The bust of what seems to be an ancient Greek is LE100. Orders can be made. There are copper lantern shops, a Tanis (specialty material and furniture) outlet and several others. But my ultimate favourite is Sandouk which sells children's toys made out of wood; old toys that have all but become extinct made today. So for LE350 you can buy a put together wood block Egyptian village. There is also a Noah's ship with all the animals and in the spirit of Christmas, the Holy Family. They also have tops, drums (LE20), siga (Egyptian board game) and a wood duck with leather feet that you push with a stick. A cafeteria recently opened within the complex so you can also stop for refreshments. Now keep the market to your left and head up the street towards the Centre for Traditional Crafts -- artisan shops and outlets run by the Ministry of Culture and recently moved from Wikalet Al-Ghuri -- and the Fustat Ceramics Centre. Both these outlets are set up in the same elegantly domed buildings and are lovely just to walk through. The Ceramics Centre has an open courtyard where objects for sale are exhibited. To the back are the workshops of some 12 artists and the open rooms where a central pottery wheel as well as an oven are kept. "The style here is different than that of the fawakheer (the traditional pottery quarter, much of which was removed by the government and the remains of which are up the street). Some is Islamic, others base their designs on rural heritage," explains Haitham Hedayah who runs the centre. As we walk past the various exhibits Hedayah explains, "the prices ranges from LE75 to LE350 depending on size, design and quality. When considering the purchase of an item you should look at the glaze which should be smooth and shiny. And make sure there are no cracks in the surface," he adds. Across the street at the Centre for Traditional Crafts you can peruse copper trays, mother-of-pearl boxes, and stained glass windows. "The quality here is several notches above what you can find at a commercial market," explains Ashraf Darwish of the centre. "More attention is paid to detail and quality of material. The emphasis is the preservation of heritage, not making profit, and our artisans are employed by the Ministry of Culture and are given the title of 'expert'," he points out. Particularly popular these days are the glass and windows made out of gypsum and stained glass. While they do not make things to order, they will put you in touch with their artisans who will make you an out of store deal. The main drawback of Fustat shopping is the hours: shops at the market do not really have regular working hours and are not open in the evening. At the two centres, work hours are from 10am to 3pm while they close on Thursday and Friday. Of course one does not always have the time to head out to such areas and shop. So if you are in a crunch, consider the following options. If you want to shop and serve a good cause at the same time head to Zamalek and go to Marketing Link which sells the products of several women NGO's. Baskets, wool klims, pottery and embroidered scarves and table mats are but a few of the items on stock. Prices are fixed and ultimately very reasonable. Or go to Al-Maahad El-Swisri Street to the small outlet of the Arab Women's Association where again you can find great embroidery and innovative items such as wood chairs, the seats and backs of which are made of makramiya (woven threads). Finally there is the All Saints Church compound where they sell items made by the African refugee community in Egypt. Here you can find brightly printed bags, wooden bowls and cute animal statues. Other more commercial options are Nomad (outlet in Zamalek, the Nile Hilton and the Marriott and jewellery of which can be found at Safari outlets) which sells exquisite klims, silver jewellery and Siwan scarves, or Bashayer on Mossadeq Street in Mohandessin which specialises in wonderful pottery items. If you want something ethnic at a price, go to the Ein Gallery on Geddah Street in Mohandessin where you can be dazzled by Azza Fahmi's very expensive jewellery (a good place, however, to shop for a man as she has wonderful card holders, cuff-links and key chains) and Randa Fahmi's less expensive but equally gorgeous copper lamps and wood furniture. If you have had your fill of ethnic and want something more cosmopolitan go to Art Zone in the Degla Mall on Hassan Sabri Street where they sell candles set in ornately beaded glass holders. My personal favourite is Maison Merielle where they have hand-painted wood objects such as jewellery and make-up boxes, magazine holders, trays, mirror frames and CD holders. They usually have a nice selection of Mexican objects such as photo frames and painted pottery as well as French-scented candles. During the Christmas season they have baskets full of innovative tree ornaments. A more expensive option is Alef, essentially a furniture store, but where you can also find smaller items such as hand-painted trays for the domestically inclined. So you have no excuses left. Let the spirit of Christmas take over and spend, spend, spend.
