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Thursday, December 27: My newfound friends from Abu Dhabi, Anne and Mark, pass through Nizwa again on their way back from spending Christmas and celebrating their anniversary at the Sifawy Boutique Hotel near Muscat. I meet them at Nizwa souq and we wander around shopping.
Anne and Mark at Nizwa souq
Anne is preparing to go home to Nevada for three weeks to celebrate some family birthdays and she wants to buy some gifts to take home. I wander along with her and Mark, seeing many things I’d love to buy: colorful lanterns, jewelry, colorful beaded strands with camels, jewelry boxes, and gorgeous photography books featuring Oman.
a new lantern shop at Nizwa souq. I would love one of these…. 🙂
But as you will see when I post my New Year’s Resolutions on Tuesday, I am trying not to spend money on anything non-essential. For once, I just enjoy looking.
Anne and Mark and the pottery of Nizwa souq
It’s such an easy-going morning, I feel like we’ve been friends for years. Anne buys some jewelry, a walking stick, bead strands, and three pots handmade in Oman that you hang on the wall.
Anne trying to decide on which pottery to buy
I loved experiencing the fun of shopping vicariously through her, since I’m on a spending freeze.
We come across these lively old men having a little tea and dates in the souq.
relaxing in the souq
After our shopping expedition, we find a little restaurant where Mark orders fish, Anne orders vegetable curry, and I order an omelet. Anne and I get our food while poor Mark waits patiently. After we’re about halfway through our meal, the server comes to inform us that there is a problem with the fish. It’s “not awailable,” he tells Mark. Oh well, Mark’s been nibbling on Anne’s curry and is fine with that.
After lunch, they head back to Abu Dhabi. I invite them to come back and go to the Ibra ruins and Jebel Akhdar and the Sahab. They invite me to come visit them in Abu Dhabi. I hope to have more to report on this continuing saga!
a nomad in the land of nizwa 
I loved this post Cathy. What a fun shopping trip. I’m also not buying another thing but LOVE going around markets like this and looking at everything. Thanks so much for sharing it with us.
I’m glad you liked it, Rosie. I too love shopping at a souq like this, but I usually want to buy everything in sight. It felt good to walk away without making any purchases. I can be happy looking at the pictures!
OMG those lanters are AMAZING!!! And that blue rug… I gotta go there and so some shopping!!!!
I adore those lanterns too, Jasmine, and will have to buy some before I leave Oman. Mutrah Souq in Muscat is much more extensive than little Nizwa souq…. 🙂
Oh well I hope you find some beauties!!!
I’ll post if I buy any! 🙂
Cool!!
Those lanterns are amazing. I love wandering around in markets like that. 🙂
Me too, Robin!
Everything looks very ‘manicured’ and tidy, I must say, Cathy – very picturesque 🙂
Yes, Meredith, it’s a really nice and well-organized souq here in Nizwa! 🙂
Beautiful photos Cathy! I am surprised at how ‘tidy’ everything is too! Rather different from other middle eastern souks and certainly different from the bazaars in India! But I like tidy 🙂
You’re right, Madhu, it is quite tidy, possibly b/c the government is trying to encourage tourism and Nizwa’s souq is one of the town’s main attractions. I’m glad they keep it neat and tidy. Many souqs throughout the country are not so clean or photogenic.