Travels to Metropolitan London Experiences of Two Early Twentieth-century Muslim Women

Atiya Fyzee's and Zeyneb Hanoum's European trips in 1906 were unrelated, and their geographical origins, personal circumstances and travel purposes were different. However, interestingly, there are striking similarities in their experiences in Europe, especially those involving the metropolitan city of London. They stayed in various places on the continent, but the British capital city was a common destination where both spent relatively longer time and dwelt on their experiences there in more detail. Since transnational journeys were not common at that time, and even less so for women than for men, their travels to Europe deserve research attention. In this essay I shall examine their appreciation for and wonderment at the elegance and orderliness of London, as well as the sophistication and abilities of its people. I shall also discuss their disappointments, especially with some aspects of the lifestyle of the female inhabitants of the city.