Hello again! This week was "Operation: Get A Bike." We had been planning for weeks now to try and get some bikes, but didn't have a chance until now. Bicycles are one of the main modes of transportation here, so if you don't plan on getting a car, I would highly recommend a bicycle. We made friends with a fantastic taxi driver named Ali, and he agreed to take us downtown to the bike shops. You see, we went to the mall and found some nice bikes, but they were very expensive. Ali said we needed to head to the "Souq", which is the main open-air marketplace of the city, which is where the locals get their bikes.
So we ventured into the city and it was truly a blast. So many cool shops selling every sort of food, trinkets, electronics, clothing, and all kinds of other random items. We arrived at the two main bike shops in town, which were conveniently located right next to each other. We surveyed all the different types to see what our options were. I had originally planned to purchase a Pakistani style bicycle, which is what all the locals ride. They are cheap and they look super cool.
However, after trying one out, it was a little unstable for me, and I wanted something a little more familiar. So I tried a number of different commuter style bikes and mountain bikes. Most of the options here in Oman are either a fixed one speed commuter, or a mountain bike with gears. The one speed bikes were advertised at 35-40 Rial ($90-$100), and the mountain bikes with gears are 50-60 Rial ($130-$150). Still, thats pretty dang cheap for a bicycle. So we all picked out our favorite styles and colors and moved on to the bartering phase! The two girls picked bikes from one shop, and I found mine next door. Ali told us that we could definitely get a better price than advertised, and that bartering was acceptable in Oman. So I put on my negotiator hat and went to work!! I went up to the store owner and offered 60 Rial for the two girls' bikes. I told him we would buy both bikes if we could get a deal. He countered with 75 Rial, and I said no way. The key to bartering is being willing to walk away. If they think you're gonna walk out the door, they will settle for less rather than lose a sale - most of the time ;) So I told him sorry that was too much and I counter with 65. He then said 72 Rials. We were getting in the ballpark of a reasonable deal at this point. I told him 70 Rial was my final offer, if he would include 3 spare inner-tubes in case we got a flat tire. He said the inner-tubes were 1 Rial a piece so it would be 73 Rials total for the two bikes and tubes.
This is when I had to flex my negotiator muscles and start "the walk." I thanked him kindly for the offer and said it was too much money and I proceeded to walk out the door. That's when he stopped me, and said "Alright, 70 Rials." I told you "the walk" would work! Just don't quote me the next time you walk away empty handed. So they tuned up the bikes for the ladies, while I went next door and did the same negotiating for my bike. List price was 32 Rial, and I got them down to 29. All in all I would say we did pretty good for ourselves! The bikes say "made in China" on them, and are very sturdy and reliable working vehicles. We were all pretty stoked. We took a picture with Ali and said goodbye. He was such a help to us. He drove us all around town and translated for us when needed. If you are ever in a foreign country and need to buy something serious, BE SURE TO BRING A LOCAL. Even if it's just a taxi driver who speaks a little English. Foreigners are easy targets for being taken advantage of, but the whole dynamic changes when you have a local translating all the jargon for you.
We packed up our new bikes and set off to ride back home. We took some side streets to avoid the bulk of the traffic, and had a blast riding through the rest of the marketplace. I can't even begin to tell you how liberating it felt after having lived in a couped up apartment for a month without any means of transportation besides taxis. We were all so excited to be free to travel around. Now we ride our bikes to the hotel, local markets, food stands, the beach, and everywhere else in-between.
Answers to your questions about Oman:
It has been exciting to receive so many questions from readers all over the world, so let me address a few of them! The questions I received were mainly for details about Oman, so let me give a general description. The people in Oman are very quaint. They are very traditional, and more of a "speak when spoken to" kind of people. Aarabic is the main language, but most speak a little English. The original native Salalah people from the mountains also speak Jibbali, and are very proud of their native history, which dates back thousands of years. Woman are treated very equally here. They can drive, work, vote, hold positions in government, and attend all the same universities as men. Oman is one of the few countries in the Middle East where all citizens can vote. People here are very religious. Ibadhism, which is a form of Islam, is the main religion for Omanis. Though 1/4th of Omanis practice Sunni or Shia Islam. About 5% of the rest of the religious population is made up of Hindu and Christian faiths. While Islam may be the state religion of Oman, they do not prohibit the practice of other religions. The government also prohibits discrimination based on religious affiliation. Everyone is free to practice their beliefs, as long as it does not disrupt public worship of Islam. The muslims here are some of the most kind and gentle hearted people I have ever met. They are God-faring people who genuinely try to do good with their lives and serve others. It's clear to see that radical Islam, and Islam are not the same, and these wonderful Omani people oppose the violent choices that others are making in various parts of the Middle East.
Friday is the Holy Day in Oman, and everyone has a special prayer they do around noon, and the shops don't open till after the prayer time is over. They broadcast the "call to prayer" all over the city on loud speakers. This let's everyone know that it's almost time to pray and to prepare yourselves. I really respect these peoples devotion to their faith. It shapes the kind of people they are, and is a huge reason for the low crime rates and the non-existence of terrorism in this country. Regarding the shops, there are tons of little markets all over the city that sell everything from electronics, to clothes, to food and toys. These shops open very early, and are open long into the night. Many people live above their shops, so they just hang out in the store all day incase customers show up. Fresh fruit is EVERYWHERE. There are stands on every corner with fresh fruit. And it's super cheap and very delicious. There are alot of fruits which grow right here in Salalah including Bananas, Mangos, Papayas, Pineapples, Coconuts, Grapes, Watermelon, Dragonfruit, and Cantaloupe(which they call papaya). Their bananas are super tiny, and very very sweet. They make the bananas in America seem tasteless. It must be a tropical weather thing. When I lived in Hawaii the bananas also tasted very good, and were small in size.
Let me tell you about local dress. Every country in the Middle East has it's own distinct traditional outfit for the men. In Oman, this consists of a one piece gown that is usually white (called a dishdash) , and a elegantly designed cap (called a kuma). They sometimes wear a beautifully woven turban in place of the hat.
For woman, there are two styles I have seen. One is the traditional Muslim outfit which consists of loose black robes and a scarf around the head, or a veil over the face. The other is the traditional Omani dress which consists of a very colorful dress, with a beautiful lace scarf over the head, and adorned with beautiful jewelry. Many woman also have temporary henna tattoos on their hands and feet. I have noticed one thing, woman here are VERY good at makeup. Because many Muslim women have their whole bodies covered except for their eyes, they have become masters of accentuating what little they have to show off. Seriously, every single Omani woman in this country has gorgeous eyes.
Next let me tell you about local food. Most restaurants serve some variation of rice, meat, and/or vegetables. Rice is the staple for most Middle Eastern countries, but they all prepare it very differently. A typical Omani restaurant will serve rice that has all kinds of seasonings and spices in it. They will serve hand rolled flatbread with hummus or Bobba Ganoush, and tomatoes and cucumbers. Most people eat chicken or lamb here. They usually grill it over heated stones. It's very delicious. You will also find restaurants from all the other Middle Eastern countries; Lebanese, Iranian, Turkish, Syrian, etc etc. There's also some nice Chinese and Indian restaurants too. If you want American food, you have three choices: Subway, Mcdonalds, and Carl's Jr. Sooooo many options, I know ;) European food is very limited as well. The only Italian restaurant we've found so far is Sabarro Pizza in the mall. At least I can get a slice of pizza when needed. I have realized that in order to make the best of my time here, I have to stop trying to live my "American lifestyle" in Oman. It only makes it harder to adapt, so I just need to eat what they eat, shop how they shop, and experience life the way they do. It's not hard either because they really do enjoy all the best that life has to offer. Whelp, until next week, I think that's enough for now. Thanks again for reading and Ma'a Salama until next time! -Jared
