Weekly Shopping at the Souk

posted by Nam LaMore | Saturday, September 16, 2006 |  3 speak up! | | back to top |
Peace Corps Volunteer shopping at the weekly souk, MoroccoAn experience that is greatly enhanced in Morocco but greatly diminished States-side is the weekly shopping experience. The souk [weekly outdoors market, sort of like a combination flea- & farmers-market] is the place to see and be seen. If I don't typically see my neighbors and artisans during the week, then I'll catch up with them at the souk -- rain or shine.

Unlike most other Volunteer's site in Morocco, I have the option to go to two weekly souks1: Mondays and Tuesdays. However, I prefer to go to the much-bigger Tuesday weekly souk. Going to the souk is a social event for me, and it includes stopping by the fish-fry tent for lunch.

The souk is the place to go for cheap, seasonal produce; I spend less than 20dirhams (about US$2.25) for a week's supply of fruits and vegetables. If I run out of fresh fruits and vegetables during the week (usually because of visitors or spoilage), then I go to a local green grocer. I don't own a refridgerator, so I've had to learn to shop and cook for one.

I suppose when I'm ready, I can buy a donkey at the souk.

Click on image for a better experience.

Reed-woven goods at the souk,Morocco
Mohamed sells reed-woven goods at the souk. I've bought two straw hats (I forgot the first one on a bus) and two large baskets from him (for laundry, in an effort to keep my place tidy).

Table from Boujad, Morocco
My dining room table comes from Boujad, the capital of cheaply- & massly-produced furniture2.

Fantasia in Boujad, Morocco
Samir and his son, they travel from Boujad to Tangier, stopping off in Khémisset and other places along the way, to sell affordable furniture.

1. Most Volunteer sites, in Morocco, have a weekly souk; however, some sites do not have a weekly souk, so Volunteers at these sites travel out of their sites to the closest souk-town for their weekly shopping.
2. Furniture made in my town can easily go for five times the price of the Boujad-produced furniture.
tags: ..
another point of view ...

Blogger Lester T.

shared this thought, Saturday, September 23, 2006 6:04:00 PM:

Wow, Nam! You must be having the experience of a lifetime, living and learning through a totally different culture. I admire & respect that immensely. You've "survived" for more than a year over there and by the looks of it, seem to be thriving. Awesome!

My apologies for not writing back to you. I will keep in touch somehow though...
 

Anonymous Anonymous

shared this thought, Sunday, September 24, 2006 4:15:00 AM:

Farmer's market!
Wow, shopping everyday from local growers seems very cool. Sometimes I think we are missing out in the US ... I know for myself I feel I miss out on real "community".
 

Blogger Nam LaMore

shared this thought, Sunday, September 24, 2006 9:07:00 PM:

LESTER T: hi lester, thank you for stopping by! hope you're doing well, i've been lurking on your blog but didn't see much activities for a long time (sorta like me when i was on 'blog break'). hope all is well with your health and such.

PERI: well, it's really nice to have local shops to go to, i feel that my local guys will always take care. though i've not started shopping on credit, many volunteers actually shop on credit towards the end of the month when our allowance is running out, and the next monthly allowance hasn't arrived :-)
 

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