[oman-l] Re: shopping in Muscat

[Tommy Erik Back]

>Hello,
>Please do tell us about the souq-shopping.
>Nicole


Mina Qaboos has a wonderful vegetable souq. A lot more colorful and
interesting to shop here. It's manned by Omani men and women and still some
Indian vendors. Fruits and vegetrables from Oman and the Far East are piled
up attractivly. Prises here are lower than in the Supermarket, but it's more
a treat for the eye and the camera than for the wallet.
Side by side lies the Fish Souq with fresh new captured Hamour, Shark, Tuna,
Prawns, Lobster, Squid, Flatfish and much more. You buy or bargain and then
you watch the friendly old men sharpening their knives and with finess
slicing and making filees.

Ten minutes walk along the Qourniche is the real Souq, greta for walking
around, maybe buying some Frankinsence or an old Omani Khanjar. But most of
the things you find here is just cheap things that you probably have no
interest in buying. The charm with the Souq is really watching the people.

If you're living near the University you would instead go to the Vegetable
Souq in Seeb, not as attractive but a lot more choice. The old Souq here is
newly renovated and probably a treat to visit. I never had the chance to see
it finished, but walked around in the old cool Souq very often.
The Fish Souq in Seeb is new built and really more fish shops than a Souq.
You can still buy buy fish at the see shore in the early morning, fresh
captured. Beware of frosen defrosted fish sold as fresh.

If you really are looking for cheap vegetables you will not go to the Souq,
but to Oman Green, which is Government run large vegetable markets. Here you
seldom see a western face, just Omanis, other Arabs and Asians. Some greens
are half the price of the supermarket. Guess Billyboy doesn't shop here
=;-))

Now, if you're gonna buy your jeans, T-shirts etcetera you can do that in
tye shopping area around Sabco for near European prices. If you wan't to pay
Asian prices for the same quality you shop it in Al Dhofar and similar
shops, how about a pair of Lewis for 5.5 RO (18 $).

I'm not a great shopper, so that's all I have to say.

Tommy