A couple of Friday's ago we got the idea to head to Old Yanbu to hit up the outdoor market. Now, let me explain something really well here...this is in NO WAY like the cute little farmers markets I used to see and shop at in Cali...(or most American cities for that matter) This baby was set up on a side street...cars parked along the road...kids running around, men everywhere, 3 ladies (oh, yeah, that would be me and my girls...yep, the only women there..oh joy). You'd think by now I'd be used to being stared at...um, no.
Anyway...back on track...this was just a park you truck, unload, and sit and hope someone stops by. No pretense, no bragging they had the best stuff, not even much variations in prices. Mostly veggies, a lot of spices in huge sacks, some trucks selling odds and ends (literally...bits of a bike, a pair of shoes, etc)
I wanted to take photos so bad, but there was no way I was pulling out the camera here. (therefore, the true focus of this blog is where we went next...) We ended up with a few nice looking veggies though, then piled back in the car...
Where to next? Well, we figured we might as well stop by the fish market...see what they had going on. You could smell the place from about half a mile away. An extremely unassuming looking building, feral cats wondering around everywhere, and...well I'll be...yep...more men. Sigh.
At least this time we weren't the only girls present...there were three others!
Once my nose adjusted to the smell...(I really wanted to be able to plug it with my fingers like Lily was doing, but didn't think that would be looked at approvingly)..I started looking around. First of all, I have never seen anything like it. Now, I've been to Pikes Place in Seattle...and this well, this...wasn't that. But! I have never seen such unique and pretty fish (I promise next time to get way better pix). There are stalls set up inside for the guys to market the fish. I couldn't name a single fish, but Matt knew quite a few. Did spot some killer looking prawns and some nice fresh lobster! There were shark and octopus too. The girls had an absolute blast checking out all the fish...running from one little stall to the next.
Off to the side are a bunch of men in yellow with REALLY big knives...ready to hack your newly bought fish into pretty edible fillets (unless of course you want to cook your whole fish). Watching them clean fish was both fascinating and morbid and the same time. Scales are flying through the air, knives are chopping off heads, pliers pulling off legs...yeah man, this is quality entertainment here in Saudi! ;)
Lily really wanted some prawns, so with the batting of a few eyelashes and her crooked smile she had daddy trotting off to get lunch. Went home and had shrimp scampi...good day.
I managed to take a few pix that day, but just with my iPad (therefore the lousy quality). So, the next time we went back, I brought along the camera.
This time we were on the hunt for lobster. We arrived early Friday morning...too early...again, only chicks in the man market...I mean fish market. We got there in time to see the guys from the stalls all trying to purchase the freshly caught fish from the sea. My girls were whisked away by a Saudi guy...don't worry, Daddy was right behind them...so they could get an up close look at the buying and selling. (not that it was some kind of southern auction or anything) I stood there and tried not to notice all the rest of the men staring at me...
A little later we ended up picking out a beautiful tuna and a HUGE lobster! Watching the lobster get cleaned about made me lose breakfast (and last nights dinner)...but my girls, well, they just stood there fascinated. First he hacked off the legs...then the head. Then well, then he just started pulling stuff apart...ick. Amazingly my girls weren't bothered and had no issues eating the crustacean they just saw moving a few minutes before.
Again, it's entertainment baby! LOL
The tuna and the lobster were both delish. I won't mind going back again...I'll just keep browsing while the hubby gets the fish cleaned.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
I LOVE reading your comments!