@ the Souk

Found a real souk this morning. No women in sight! Went with young British family. Elle and self had a child each to hold onto. With Jay in front, we didn’t look too uncommon. Man with two wives. Joseph is six or seven. I asked him if he knew why there were no women. He said: I think the women say, in Arabic – You go do the shopping. I’ll stay home and be lazy. He emphasized the fact that they said it in Arabic, not in English. He also invited me to come live with them. I asked him where I would sleep and if he would be willing to give up his bed. He said I should sleep with his parents because their bed is huge and can easily accommodate three adults!

You can find anything at the souk, and I mean: ANYTHING. Streets and alleys and squares. All the shops selling the same stuff in the same street. The fruit-and-veg market is visually pleasing. It looks like a painting, as if it’s set up specially for the likes of me. At the spice-and-nut shops you can feast your senses. And where they have the animal section, you have to quit being sensitive. (SPCA would have a fit) Chickens and doves a plenty. Roosters fetch good prices. Even saw budgies and love birds. One little rabbit in a box. And a snake in a bird cage – no glass! I tell you, that snake looked poisonous enough to me.

Everyone stared at us. I felt like I was on a catwalk. Refrained from doing the catwalk walk with head held high and hips swaying. People at the souk aren’t Saudis. They come from all around. Judged by their clothing - lots of Afghans and Pakistanis. And no-one speaks English. To be understood, you should at least be able to count in Arabic. For the rest it’s “salaam halaikum” and “shokran” as far as you go – the traditional greeting and thank you. Even if that’s all you ever say, you are accepted.