Of Souqs and the One in Matrah

One of my favorite places back home in the Philippines is Quiapo and its surrounding markets, its dirt, noise, and chaos is nothing compared to the posh malls of Manila but I bask in the variety and bargain it has to offer. Plus the fact that I think that flea markets can be a central location to studying a country’s culture as well as finding great discoveries.

In the Arab world, markets are called Souqs and like in Quiapo, everything that represents a country can be found such markets. When we were in Libya my not having a car only made me visit the Old Souq a couple of times, and even so, I was truly amazed every time I visit. I am reminded of Babalhiriya in the Old Town, wherein remnants of Roman ruins can still be found in nooks and corners all around the walled city. When I stayed in Tunisia, the Souq in Djerba was not as big and as historical as in Libya but what made that one great were the friendly locals manning their stores. JG who has travelled to Turkey boasts of having visited what he believes is the biggest Souq in the world.

So it wasn’t really a surprise when I grabbed the chance to visit Muscat’s Matrah Souq. Unlike the beach, I was disappointed to find out that I lived fairly far from the said Souq. I had hoped that I would be able to visit such a place as often as I did Quiapo back home. My having a car is still not an answer to my logistical concerns as driving there can be a bit scary as I have to go through some major highways to get there. Not to mention the fact that JG discourages me to go to places wherein major possible spending may take place. But I digress…

So when the opportunity came for me to go, I hurriedly took the chance. And Matrah Souq was no disappointment. What made it stand out for me was that unlike the ones in Tripoli and Djerba, the place was really clean and orderly, plus the fact that the interior had some great detailing and furnishing including wooden ceiling panels and tainted glass ceilings which were really an impressive touch.

the ceilings of the market were decked with wood panels and tainted glass.

One of the first things that I read about Oman was that it was a country that was very much concerned about showing off their art and culture, and such designs in their souqs is to me a testament to that characteristic.

As you can see the Matrah Souq is really clean and orderly.

Like most Arab countries one of the commonly sold in their Souqs are scarves and pashminas. Ever since JG brought me my first one from Istanbul, and since living in Libya I have become a scarf/pashmina feign and now have an assorted collection and truly believes that one cannot have too many. One of the first stores we went to was manned by a young guy who was very keen on hard selling his products but did it a very personal and friendly manner that we could not help but come back and buy from him. Not to mention the fact that he gave us a good deal. I also learned a lot about such garments, as to why some of them were hella-expensive. As it turns out the pricey ones come from the wool shaved from the softest parts of a sheep like its neck and belly areas, as well as how intricate the sewed designs are. Of course I really couldn’t afford the really pretty and soft ones but was happy with my purchase nevertheless.

Something like this Pashmina costs around 30 to 40 rials which is like 4000php back home

Another major highlight that can be found in Matrah Souq are Myrrh and Frankincense made famous by the three wise men who visited the baby Jesus in the stables and brought such priceless gifts in honor of the prophesied Messiah. Aside from Gold, the two gifts that are always mentioned during Christmas were really a mystery to me. I’ve always wondered what they looked like and 20 odd years later I finally get to see some.

The one in the bigger jar is the Frankincense, and the brownish looking one is Myrrh.

So in case you don’t know Frankincense is an aromatic resin from Boswellia trees, while Myrrh is also a hydrocarbon secretion of a thorny plant.

“Religious ritual across the Mediterranean and the East depended and, in places, still depends, upon thick, sweet frankincense smoke to transport supplications heavenwards.” (http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/middle-east/oman-going-for-gold-frankincense-and-myrrh-1844723.html)

Now aside from religious practices, store owners also swear to the affectivity of burning Myrrh and Frankincense when used as a mosquito repellant.

And like all Souqs, the one in Matrah is no exemption to finding anything Arabic…

Everything Arabian plus the lamp, magic genie sold separately.

Hello From Muscat

So here I am in Muscat, the truth is I haven’t decided if I like it here, I have only been here about a month so I do not want to make judgment until I have stayed at least six months. It’s not that it is bad here, but I have decided that I want to make sure that while I am here, I get to see and know as much of this country as much as I can. I really do not want to repeat what happened in Libya where I spent most of the day inside doing nothing, and thankfully unlike there, there are a lot of things to do and see here Muscat.

I regret that I did not do my best to get to know Tripoli better, I guess I took for granted the idea that we would be staying there longer so I put everything on hold thinking that I had a lot more time to do it. In fairness to me though, it wasn’t so easy to go around Tripoli, compared to Muscat, for one thing they did not have street signs in Libya (the few places that had them was written in Arabic) so imagine trying to find your way around there.  Another thing that whole Libyan crisis taught me is that you really shouldn’t hesitate and do what you can because things can change very quickly.

Thus I declare that my mantra for Oman would be Carpe diem. Now I realize as quickly as I typed that I, can be very fickle sometimes, also have a very solid track record of not following through, but I would really like to make the most of this. Hey if all goes well, we’ll be here four years so it would really be a waste of a lot of time if I at least did not try.

So how is it so far? It’s okay, there are a lot of places to go to, and it’s great that I can walk around by myself because it is pretty safe here. There are a lot of Indians, which is only logical since India is only an ocean away, but another great thing is there are also a lot of Filipinos here. And they are mostly in the customer service department so buying stuff for the house wasn’t so hard; I hardly had to speak English or pantomime with my hands like what I usually did when I encounter language barriers.

The funny thing is I’ve talked to people from India, from Egypt, from Sudan, from Sri Lanka, even from Ireland, but I rarely speak with a real local yet. My landlord is one of course but I only spoke with him briefly; I had dinner with another two with other Filipinos, but we hardly said much to each other. I see most of them in their cars (btw most of the cars here are really bad @$&m [sorry]. On my first day I saw nine different kinds of Porches); going in their homes, but not much interaction with an Omani. If you don’t find that weird, imagine going to someone’s home, meet everybody else, except for the owners.  I read that they are a really friendly and hospitable bunch of people, and I am very curious to learn more about their culture and way of life.

On the downside although they have massive malls, great places to shop and eat, it’s a little bit pricey here compared to Libya where everything was in the budget. On the marital basis, these are one of those cases where JG and I are being tested with different views. For example, another thing I did not want to repeat was no not live in an empty house again, so I was determined to make sure our house here is a place I we can really live in, as a start get more furniture. JG is okay with it but of course puts on the brakes on some of the things I believe are crucial to everyday life. For instance a small rug which I thought would look nice in the living room, he said it wasn’t necessary but I bought it anyway.  Nevertheless I can really understand where he is coming from when it comes to that, so I do my best to control myself as I go about buying things for the house. Well, at least I try…

And as expected with a Middle-Eastern country, the heat can really get to you. Same as the Libyan dessert summer, it feels like being baked in an oven, you stand outside long enough and you are sure to expect to see a mirage, or faint. It isn’t so bad anymore compared to when I arrived a few weeks ago, but if you are ever here, I suggest you refrain from trying to go outside between noon and three. If you can’t help it, loose clothing, comfy shoes, and a bottle of water is always wise to remember.

So there, my very first impression on my new home away from home, maybe you can look forward to more posts on food, and nice places here. I hear they have great beaches here as well.  Plus the diversity of people makes the food choices really varied and fun. For now I leave you with this beautiful mosque near my house…

Said Bin Taimur Mosque in AlKhuwair, so far I only know that it is named after the father of Sultan Qaboos Bin Said, but when I find the time I'll try to find out more. It's not after all everyday one gets to live so close by to something this grand.