Most of the items we bought on our trip were purchased from the souks and medinas of Morocco. Totally touristy and largely full of toss-away tchotchkes, it was nevertheless easy to find hundreds of gems if you searched just a little bit. Mary and I both bought beautiful earrings, hers silver danglers, mine old tribal pieces which I believe come from Oman. I bought a simple black dress and a handmade braided leather belt, both for the unbeatable price of $13.
Wading through the wild medina is such a unique experience. Vendors call out to you in three or four languages until they see a flicker of recognition in your eyes, then chat away about the many wonderful items they have for sale before you can politely slip away. Though not as aggressive as the shop owners in Istanbul, Mary and I still got suckered into a carpet shop for a cup of mint tea and a 'special showing' of one gentleman's wares. We didn't buy a carpet but he made a great show of wishing us goodbye like he would family in front of the next suckers who wandered into his store. Hopefully they bought a carpet.
I wish I could do all my shopping this way, eye-catching merchandise everywhere and everyone wanting to make a deal. Haggling is expected and gets easier with time.... so I say, I'm certainly no pro. This is just a tiny sample of the many enticing items available.
1 comment:
Amazing photos!! It's like I'm there! Really fun to read!
Mary~ hope you're doing fabulous!!
Post a Comment