THE souk

Today we went on a little adventure to Souk Omdurman- the mother of all Sudanese markets. A quick taxi ride across the river, and we were in the middle of a huge, bustling city market. Said to be one of the biggest markets in Africa, it was street after street of plastics and spices and meat and vegetables and clothes and fabrics.... the list goes on. And on. Prayer mats. Scarves. Goat heads (Skinless? They have that too!) More amazing than other souks. And more intense.

I can't even really express the chaos- taxis, rickshaws, horses, donkeys, carts and people all trying to move through narrow, dirt streets.

Perhaps the most amazing thing is not the varied selection of goods, but the hospitality of the people. They don't harass, but welcome you. While they are surely trying to make a sale, they also seem so eager to introduce themselves and practice their few words of English.
Our friend Tony actually had a smiling man approach him, reach out, and grab his chin! The guy just smiled and went on his way. What? While not necessarily appropriate, it also seemed innocent enough. And funny. Very funny. But, that was the closest we got to a negative experience.
We didn't take pictures, but I borrowed this one from online. Its a fairly accurate representation of the grains and spices aisle. Without the people. We never had a clear path!

I don't think I have ever been to a country that has so little tourism. There are a lot of expats here, but they are working. And there are restaurants and cafes that support their tastes, to some extent, in the city. But they do not have goods and handicrafts for "the tourist".
I have never been to a market that wasn't, in some way, filled with silly knick-knacks hoping to attract tourists' dollars. There are no souvenirs here. You might find beautiful things, created by local people, but that serve a local purpose. That's pretty amazing. And refreshing.