GOAT MARKET & FAMILY LIFE Blog # 2

GOAT MARKET,  SOUK, GORGES AND OUR GUIDE'S HOME

Friday, February 22
Blog #2 

After a few hours last night trying to determine if I could be a blogger I thought I would try again after a very exciting day- hope my first blog has been received but not sure I sent out correctly? Using positive self-talk to convince myself old dogs can still learn new tricks I persist.

NIZWA

Off at 8 am with our guide, Said, to Nizwa, an oasis city at the foot of a mountain famous for its large & immensely entertaining souk. We arrived in time for the weekly friday goat market. Hundreds of men dressed in their angle length, white dishdashas with perfumed tassels at the neck, sandles and  a kumah (small cap embroidered with geometric designs) or turbans were engaged in bartering intensely over goats.  

There was a sort of race track around a center stage where people sat viewing the spectacle of men pulling resistant goats or holding them like babies. As the men and young boys walked around the circle countless times they shouted in Arabic the goat's virtues, at least that is what I thought they were exclaiming as they showed them off. Occasionally an exchange of money occurred after considerable bartering and a customer would leave with a goat. 

All these men ranging in age from those that looked quite ancient to young 6-8 year old boys were intensely involved either as onlookers or active buyers. It was clear the young boys were being groomed for this job which likely has been passed down for centuries. Scarcely a woman could be seen and those we did see were robed from head to toe in black abaya and burka or face mask.

Following the goat auction, the same men brought in bigger cows and bulls who resisted the process even more and occasionally tried to bolt the experience or try on some sexual advance.  

Several times I jumped aside to avoid being trampled on by an angry bull. Even Said said he was nervous about being attacked. 

By 11 am the cacophony of exchanges has died down. We didn't want it to be over.. it was a spectacle that is hard to believe was real. 















The men put the goats and cows  they purchased in the back of their trucks. I am ready to buy a turban and wonder how they keep their dishdashas so clean. 

The Souk 

New Market 

Next we walked around the souk which has two parts.. the modernized more sanitized market built in the 1990's but really this is a facade for the authentic souk which has mud, narrow streets with medieval smells & authentic looking vendors. 

Old Market

We viewed date souks, fish souks, and vegetable souks. John waited for me patiently as I wanted to stay longer watching transactions and taking pictures. 















He bought some dates that are best I've ever tasted and I learned that this market has over 40 different date palm varieties. Entire farms in the area are devoted to farming prized date varieties.  This is a little like beer or wine connoisseurs who have refined their tastes for this luxury. I didn't even know dates grew on palm trees! 

During all this time I have not seen any women. (they are likely at home washing and ironing dishdashas) But for the first time I see a few women shopping ~ a rare event. How can women live without shopping? I would need to be born a male in this country. 

I want to stay all day in this wonderful market.  While I obssess endlessly whether I will buy a basket (a personal fetish), John sneaks away for 10 minutes and comes back bearing  a camel basket that he is sure  he got cheaper than I would get (I don't like to barter). I am delighted and buy another one anyway because the vendor has seduced me. 

In the middle of the city, formerly the capital of Oman is a fort which took the Sultan 12 years to build.. we couldn't enter because it was Friday -- the Sunday prayer day for Islamic people. Shops and most tourist places are closed by 11 am. 

BAHLA 

We were behind on our guide's schedule and I tried to explain to Said that I would rather observe people and interactions in detail and take pictures than rush about seeing forts. John tried to explain that this is what I do in Seattle for a living. I think our guide did understand because even though we did drive next to a fort, we did not go in.  We stopped to take a picture of a beautiful mosque built by the Sultan (with his personal finances) but could not enter because only Islamic people are allowed in. Said assured us that we could enter the mosque in Muscat.  We talked about Islamic religion with Said. 

AL HAMA 

This was the traditional town.. where people no longer live because it was built with clay & logs and no mortar or metal.. and these homes have no sewage system or indoor bathrooms.  The government decided these houses could not be renovated so they moved the town to a place nearby and since the 80's new houses have been built for all the inhabitants. Once again we see the traditional ways being replaced with modernity in a short time frame.. most of it in the last 20 years. Our guide lived here and he had his house built 2 years ago for his family after living the prior 10 years in his family home with his 9 siblings. He drove us by the home where his father grew up.

Our guide's father lived in house on right

JABEL SHAMS

Wadi Wakhor Gorge

This has the tallest peak in the mountain region (10,000 feet). We drove up into Wadi Wakhor gorge and the Grand Canyon of Oman - we saw spectacular color, gorges and ravines with breathtaking heights. We had a picnic lunch at the top with a goat family.. a very newly born baby goat. 

We looked down vertical drops of 1,500 feet.. to see some tiny villages perched in the sides of the rock. How do people live there?

MISFAT AL' A'BRIGREIN AND HAMARA

We drove to these old villages to see what they looked like back in the 70's before everything was modernized.  They were very basic.. it is so hard to believe that since the 80's families have moved from houses without electricity or plumbing to brand new modern houses with all the amenities; from 50% of children dying before 1 year to much longer life expectancies; from a country with only three schools for all of Oman boys only to one now with over 1,O38 government schools with equal opportunity for boys and girls.  More over all children get education and possibility of college and all receive health care. While in USA we seem to have changed very little since the 70's and our hippie days. 

SAID'S HOME

This incredible day ended with tea, coffee and fruits at Said's home.  We arrived and were greeted with handshakes by Said's four children (ages 11, 9, 6 and 3) oops one more his 1-week only baby boy who I got to hold.  

Said's sister also was helping out with her 3 young children. 

Said's daughter

We met in their entertainment room that had a large flat screen, painted walls and ceilings and a beautiful rug.  The children were adorable and well behaved.  Said's wife and sister were there... this time without black abaya and instead 
beautiful colorful long robes and scarfs. 

They were gracious hosts even though they couldn't speak english. We felt honored to be invited to Said's home. It was modern but felt very Omanian. We were taught how to only use our right hand to take coffee and how to signal with hand movements whether or not we wanted more coffee. We have alot to learn and likely seemed impolite. I tried to remember not to show the souls of my feet.. although I was barefoot. 

Said and his friend

A good day we were sorry to say good bye to Said and tried to convince him to come to Muscat.