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I had been wanting to go to the Manama Souk for a while. I had been to the smaller one at Riffa and had breezed through the one at Hamad Town, but I had heard this was one I shouldn't miss.
First of all, if you are like me, when you hear the word "Souk" you pictured this:
Looks like a bar in Key West I've been to...
While this isn't too far from the truth, you would find that this isn't necessarily the case. Yes, there are shops everywhere, but they are "real" shops with "real" signs and "real" faded logos.
Instead of the nameless stalls you see above, you are basically surrounded by shop after shop that looks like this:
And this:
And of course one of these:
And when you put them all together, this is what you get:
While not the stereotypical mental image I had, it was still very much like I imagined. Store owners showing you their wares as you walk by.
Store owners following you down the road showing you their wares.
Store owners following you into other shops so now you have two store owners showing you their wares.
But it was quite marvelous. To begin with, the Manama Souk lies behind this very impressive gateway, the Bab Al Bahrain, built in 1945:
It was difficult to get the fountain water to hold still for this picture...
A friend of mine who accompanied me for my first run at the Manama souk told me this gateway used to be basically beachfront not too long ago. As it now lies in the center of the city, the rest of the land around it was put there by people who wanted to make more room for roods with no names.
I don't know how his neck doesn't hurt...
So this is my friend and I being led by a store owner through the souk. It was amusing to see the defeated looks of some of the other shop owners as they saw this guy with his great catch walk proudly through the souk. After some light negotiating, (I will wholeheartedly admit I was not feeling "The Haggle" that day - and while I paid a fair price I know I could have gone lower if I wanted to. Next time, next time...)
I bought a few things for my family - some CENSORED and some CENSORED. Oh, and I got this really nice CENSORED. I think they will love the CENSORED especially.
(Nice try Mom, I know you read this thing...and I know how you are about Christmas presents...no hints!)
But all in all it was an amazing experience - I mean where else can you get one of these:
YES THAT IS A TURTLE ON A TURTLE ON A TURTLE THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
And who doesn't want one of these?
Your pinkies had damn sure better be out when you drink out of these...
You can get clothes and lamps and puzzle boxes and camel bone jewelry and stuffed animals and flags and RC Helicopters and spices and felafel and hookah and bedazzled scimitar desk ornaments and human kidneys and you name it - the Manama Souk has it.
After spending about CENSORED BD (which is about CENSORED US dollars...NO HINTS, MOM!) we packed up and left for home. I had a good sized box of goodies for the family, and my friend had priced some really nice looking lamps and picked up his gift for his wife at GOLD CITY! GOLD CITY! GOLD CITY!
Seriously, this place was crazy. However, the name did not disappoint...
BUT WHAT DO YOU SELL!?!?
There are 52 gold and jewelry vendors here...
JUST ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
I don't think there is any real way to describe how many stores to give you the full effect other than to simply provide you with a listing of the shops which are inside of the aptly named "GOLD CITY!"
| GROUND FLOOR | ||||
| Sl. No. | FLOOR | NAME | ||
| 1. | GF | ARIHANT JEWELLERS (P) | ||
| 2. | GF | JASS JEWELLERS | ||
| 3. | GF | KHAN ANTIQUE JEWELLERS | ||
| 4. | GF | CHEMMANUR JEWELLERS | ||
| 5. | GF | ALYAFY JEWELLERS WLL | ||
| 6. | GF | MATTATHIL JEWELLERS WLL | ||
| 7. | GF | FAREEDA JEWELLERS SPC | ||
| 8. | GF | VIKRAM JEWELLERS (P) | ||
| 9. | GF | MALABAR GOLD WLL | ||
| 10. | GF | J & P JEWELLERS | ||
| 11. | GF | BANSARI JEWELLERS. | ||
| 12. | GF | ATLANTA JEWELLERS WLL | ||
| 13. | GF | SAHIL JEWELLERY | ||
| 14. | GF | SKY JEWELLERS WLL | ||
| 15. | GF | ROSARY JEWELLERS | ||
| 16. | GF | ALLSEASON JEWELLERY | ||
| 17. | GF | MR. PADATHODI USSAN | ||
| 18. | GF | CITY JUMBO JEWELLERS | ||
| 19. | GF | DAMAS WLL | ||
| 20. | GF | KAPIL KHANNA PERFUMES | ||
| 21. | GF | KHANNA JEW | ||
| 22. | GF | MISK JEW WLL | ||
| 23 | GF | NATURAL PEARL PALACE | ||
| 24. | GF | POINT CENTER WLL | ||
| 25. | GF | TIME ZONE WLL | ||
| 26. | GF | OLYMPIA JEW | ||
| 27. | GF | AMEENA GIFT | ||
| 28. | GF | NEW LOOK JEW WLL | ||
| 29. | GF | ORITZ JEW WLL | ||
| 30. | GF | ABU YAHYA JEW. WLL | ||
| 31. | GF | RAMZANA JEWEL WLL | ||
| 32. | GF | KINGDOM JEW (P) | ||
| 33. | GF | KANSARA JEW (P) | ||
| 34. | GF | SHOBHA JEW WLL | ||
| 35. | GF | CHICAGO JEW WLL | ||
| 36. | GF | DHAKAN JEW SPC | ||
| 37. | GF | RAMA JEW WLL | ||
| 38. | GF | ANAND JEW WLL | ||
| 39 | GF | CITY CENTRE HOTEL | ||
| 40. | GF | M G JEWELLERY | ||
| 41. | GF | ALUKKAS JEWELLERY | ||
| 42. | GF | MOHD.IQBAL JEW. | ||
| 43. | GF | RAINBOW JEWELLERS | ||
| 44. | GF | SHRINGAR JEW WLL | ||
| 45. | GF | MR. ABDUL HADI | ||
| 46. | GF | JAIN PEARL JEW | ||
| 47. | GF | PINTO JEW WLL | ||
| 48. | GF | CALIFORNIA JEW | ||
| 49. | GF | SAI JEWELLERS | ||
| 50. | GF | SHARIF GIFT CENTRE | ||
| 51. | GF | AJMAK JEW | ||
| 52. | GF | AAYUSHI JEW WLL | ||
| FIRST FLOOR | ||||
| Sl. No. | FLOOR | NAME | ||
| 53. | MF | HARI JEW WLL | ||
| 54. | MF | KAPIL JEW (P) | ||
| 55. | MF | MUSARRAT JEW WLL | ||
| 56 | MF | SAFA JEWELLERY | ||
| 57 | MF | MF MR.SAEED AHMED | ||
| 58. | MF | MAHARAJA JEW | ||
| 59 | MF | DESERT DIAMOND WLL | ||
| 60 | MF | APOLLO JEW | ||
| 61 | MF | EDWARD JEW W L L | ||
| 62 | MF | ARABIAN CENTER WLL | ||
| 63 | MF | ALSARRAJ GEMS | ||
| 64 | MF | MALIM JEW (P) | ||
| 65 | MF | F G LIGHT HOUSE (P) | ||
| 66 | MF | MRS. BALQEES AHMED MOHSEN | ||
| 67 | MF | THAI JEW | ||
| 68 | MF | SEAN ANTIQUE CENT WLL | ||
| 69 | MF | SAMI KHAN | ||
| 70 | MF | ALSADIQ TRADING | ||
| 71 | MF | SHINE JEW WLL | ||
| 72 | MF | ELITE CITY GEMS CO. S.P.C. | ||
| 73 | MF | EVER SHINE JEW | ||
| 74 | MF | NEW SHINE JEW | ||
| 75 | MF | ZAIN EST. WLL | ||
| 76 | MF | GOLDEN CHANCE | ||
| 77 | MF | MR.THOMAS (SHINE) | ||
| 78 | MF | MESHKAT JEWELLERS | ||
| 79 | MF | AMAROOS JEW SPC | ||
| 80 | MF | BURHANI CORNER | ||
| 81 | MF | DURAT ALMADINA FOR JEW. | ||
| 82 | MF | CENTURY DIAMOND | ||
| 83 | MF | GOOD LUCK JEW WLL | ||
| 84 | MF | PRESTIGE GIFT JEW.CO.WLL | ||
| 85 | MF | DECOR JEW WLL | ||
| 86 | MF | GOLD ART | ||
| 87 | MF | SILVER STOP JEW WLL | ||
| 88 | MF | GN JEW W L L | ||
| 89 | MF | JASMINE JEWEL | ||
| 90 | MF | STATE JEW WLL | ||
| 91 | MF | MR. DAWOOD OTTUKULOTH | ||
| 92 | MF | VICTORY DIAMOND | ||
| 93 | MF | REAL JEWELLERY WLL | ||
| 94 | MF | CAMPUS JEW WLL | ||
| 95 | MF | RIDHI JEW WLL | ||
| 96 | MF | CITY TIME WLL | ||
| 97 | MF | CHARAN GAYIL EST | ||
| 98 | MF | SILVO JEWELLERY | ||
| 99 | MF | BLOSSAM JEWELLERY | ||
| 100 | MF | ATLAS JEWELLERY | ||
| 101 | MF | PURE JEW WLL | ||
| 102 | MF | ROHIT JEW (P) | ||
| 103 | MF | NEW GOODLUCK JEW | ||
| 104 | MF | SHAMSHUDDIN EST.WLL | ||
| 105 | MF | LALWANI JEW. WLL | ||
| 106 | MF | MUNAWAR | ||
| 107 | MF | STAR MARK JEW | ||
| 108 | MF | FASHION INTL WLL | ||
| 109 | MF | FLOORA JEWELLERS | ||
| 110 | MF | FADHEELA JEW | ||
| 111 | MF | ABU YAHYA JEWELLERY | ||
| 112 | MF | RAMU ELECTRONICS | ||
| 113 | MF | MULLOILI JEW WLL | ||
| 114 | MF | MR. ANWAR SIRAS | ||
| 115 | MF | LAZIM JEWELLERS | ||
| 116 | MF | MR. SANJEEV KUMAR | ||
| 117 | MF | ALZABEEL JEW WLL | ||
| 118 | MF | DIAMOND TECH WLL | ||
| 119 | MF | DEVONI EST. WLL | ||
| 120 | MF | ALOBEID PERFUMES | ||
| 121 | MF | ANSON JEWELLERY | ||
| 122 | MF | AQSA JEWELLERS | ||
| 123 | MF | SAM JEWELLERS | ||
| 124 | MF | INDO ARAB CO WLL | ||
| 125 | MF | FAWAZ JEW WLL | ||
| 126 | MF | PAK MART EST. | ||
| 127 | MF | CARMEL INTL WLL | ||
| 128 | MF | SEVEN STAR JEW. WLL | ||
| 129 | MF | MGE CONSULTING WLL | ||
| 130 | MF | MAHENDRA JEW | ||
| 131 | MF | SHRI SILVER JEW | ||
| 132 | MF | SILVER STONE JEW WLL | ||
| 133 | MF | PANDARIPARAMBIL JEW CO.WLL | ||
| 134 | MF | JAFFAR JEW | ||
| 135 | MF | ALIF TRADING EST. | ||
| 136 | MF | PRAVEEN JEW WLL | ||
| 137 | MF | BABER JEW WLL | ||
| 138 | MF | NEW SKY JEW | ||
| 139 | MF | CITY CHARM JEW WLL | ||
| 140 | MF | VIJAY KUMAR EST. | ||
| 141 | MF | ALAN TRADING EST. WLL | ||
| 142 | MF | PAROOS JEWELLERY | ||
| 143 | MF | SAMASH TRADING CO. | ||
| 144 | MF | ALTHEQAH WLL | ||
| 145 | MF | HAFSA JEW WLL | ||
| 146 | MF | SULTAN MAHMOOD JEW. WLL | ||
| 147 | MF | SHRI HARI JEW | ||
| 148 | MF | SHAUKAT ALI JEW WLL | ||
And on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on...
I had to look up photos of the actual gold pieces...I was fairly certain if I took a picture my camera would have melted from the sheer karat-oscity of it all...
So if you do end up in Bahrain, and let's face it, everyone does at some point right?, definitely get your Gold City experience in - and then take a quick walk to the Manama souk where you can argue with the same store owner in three different stores...seriously...I think the guy that led us around has an interconnected system of tunnels...he was everywhere!
As you leave they have some sculpture art, and I'll admit I kinda like it...
Side note: I didn't know where this fit in with this blog entry so I will just tack it on at the end, but I was at the school gym the other day and our order came in...in one of the boxes was this:
A bag of squeaky rubber chickens. Don't tell me you don't love this place...
