On Tuesday we started our day with a cab ride to Tahrir to see the Egyptian Museum of Antiquities.

We spent a few hours enjoying the Tutahnkamun exhibit, Akhenaten collection, and other ancient art and artifacts of Egypt.

We then took a taxi to the Citadel.

The views of the city were stunning.

We had some lunch and enjoyed the views while reading about the Citadel on Wikipedia.  After lunch we visited two of the mosques located at the Citadel.

The Mosque of al-Nasir Muhhamed is from the 14th century and was built by the Mamluks.  Again, Wikipedia came to the rescue and we enjoyed a quick history lesson that helped put everything into perspective.  The green-tiled dome of this mosque is visible from afar, but I had no idea what it would be like inside.  It was beautiful.

Next we went in the Mosque of Mohamed Ali, which was built in the 19th century.

Spacious and open inside, the chandeliers sounded like wind-chimes as the breeze blew through the building, and the ceiling was ornately carved with suspended globes of light encircling the interior.

After leaving the Citadel we took another taxi to the Khan Al Kalili.  This 14th century market is still bustling and active today.  We passed fragrant spice shops, souvenir vendors, and craftsman delicately placing pieces of mother-of-pearl for inlaid wooden boxes.  Wandering through the roads and alleyways, we explored antique shops and enjoyed the stunning medieval architecture that makes you feel like you’ve stepped back in time.

This man was selling karkady, a drink made from dried hibiscus flowers.

Passing up the karkady, opting instead for water and cola at the park near the Al-Hussein Mosque, people kept approaching us trying to sell souvenirs.  A little exhausted from the heat, we told everybody “luh shukrun” (“no thank you”), except for this adorable kid.

He was selling bracelets and although I didn’t particularly need any more scarabs, I thought I would give him a few pounds.  He insisted I take a bracelet and also gave one to my mom.

When he found out we were from America, he was delighted and gave me a high five.  Despite our exhaustion from a long day in the sun, and rethinking purchases wondering whether we had overpaid for things, this adorable kid was able to have us all smiling and laughing in no time.