Shopping at the Souk

Today is Sunday, which is the day of the weekly souk (market) in Mohammedia.  I think at some point it was the main shopping opportunity for the week, but there are now many small stores, a daily market, and even a “European market” called Marjane, which is basically like a Super-Walmart, selling all kinds of food as well as housewares and electronics.  I think Marjane is too expensive for the average Moroccan family…I haven’t been there yet on this trip but when I go I’ll report back on who is shopping there.

We drove by the location of the souk yesterday and it was completely deserted.  Today there were hundreds of vendors and countless shoppers.  It’s like a giant flea market except with very narrow paths, lots of yelling, and unexpected animal parts, like rows of brains, displays of cows’ feet, tongues, etc.  The souk is roughly divided into an area for fruit and vegetables, meats, spices, housewares, clothes, and gold.  Mixed in there were vendors selling mint tea, roasted chick peas, fresh bread, sandwiches, hardware and car parts, and corn being grilled right on the ground beside the walkway – yikes!

It feels totally chaotic, and the street beside the souk is filled with people, donkey carts, scooters, and cars flying by.  I’m a wanderer so I had no problem meandering through the market checking out the options, but Ben was on a mission.  His sisters said that they didn’t need anything, so his mission was to get all of my picture-taking done.  I realized right away that whenever possible, it’s easiest to buy a little something and then ask if it’s ok to take a photo.  I have never been turned down for a photo when I’ve bought something.  So we bought mint, parsley, salt, candy, squash, tea, and roasted chick peas.  When I was alone and I approached someone, especially a young person, and asked in Arabic if I could take a photo, they all said “yes”.

The tough nuts to crack are the butchers.  They have really interesting displays of meat – no refrigeration…the animals are blessed and killed in the morning and sold the same day.  They sell every part of the animal.  The parts that can’t be sold are given to beggars who go stall-to-stall asking for a handout.  Since we’re never shopping for meat, we can’t use the purchase technique to get a photo.  Last time I was at the souk, I asked several butchers if I could take a photo and they all said no.  Finally one shop allowed me to take some photos, and I shocked them by whipping out a small battery-operated printer and printing their photos for them on an abandoned butcher’s table.  After that the entire souk was calling me to take their photo as word got around.

Today when we were walking through the butchers’ area I spotted a familiar face and he recognized us at the same time.  It was the butcher who let me take his photo 6 years ago.  He let me take some more photos, and I’m going to print them and bring them back next week.  I even have the original ones on my external hard drive.  It was surreal to see him again but things don’t change much here.  I’m going to print some of the other photos from today too and if I see the vendors again I will give them their photos.  It’s a good way to make friends.

The street that passes the souk:

Donkeys are used A LOT:

Mint tea…this guy was really upset that Ben gave him 20 dirhams ($2.24) because it was too much.

Giant squash:

Salt:

More photos from today on the following post.  The computer’s giving me trouble.