Follow just the donkey's way, watch its barber on tuesday

Oriental market - that sounds as if bustling activities and noisy bargainings about prices, but also the smell of Oriental spices, exotic vegetables are waiting for you. It sounds like exciting adventures. So try out the weekly market in El Qurna. A market which is Oriental but at the same time a little bit different.

It's around five o'clock in the morning on a tuesday. Slowly but surely the sky is loosing the dark black, gradually is changing its colour to a dark grey. The bright starlight becomes pale. The air is pleasant fresh, one cannot imagine that the heat of the sun will change this fresh new day very soon into an fire oven again. So far there is only little traffic on the streets, nearly everybody is still sleeping. Except in El Qurna. In this village a real early rush hour is the order of the day. Pick-ups and donkey carts jampacked with all kinds of goods start to run a race, farmer's wives with loaded cages on their heads whizz along the wayside. All of them have the same destination: the market. Because the early morning is the time when places are distributed, stands be arranged.

A short time later only just after sunrise everything has changed, looks different. The peasants created a small market town. The pick-ups stay parked outside the market area, the donkeys take a nap anywhere in a shady place, the farmer's wives are squating on the ground offering their field crops. The first customers turn up, because early appearance is a guarantee for fresh goods.

Now, when the narrow ways between the stands just beside the Islamic cemetary fill up quickly, now the real life of the marketplace starts. Tourists? No, there is nearly none. Only very seldom a tourguide will find the way to the market with his groups. But who comes alone or with an Egyptian friend can keep memorable pictures - by his camera or just in his mind.

For example there is Mohamed Ali. To find him you have to pass through the whole crowded marketplace. At the very end - and still some steps further - at first you see a donkey with tied up legs. Then you see him. The 50 years old man, who is operating his nearly half a meter long scissors with the precision of a Swiss clockwork. Click, click, click, click - and the coat is blank. Every cut is set with accuracy. Mohamed Ali is one of the last donkey barbers on the West Bank.

Worn-out he puts down his scissors when we meet hin. To give a donkey a new nice haircut he needs up to two hours. Who likes to be nasty may be likes to say: There seems to be something common with Egyptian donkeys and European ladies when visiting their In-Coiffeurs. Mohamed Ali will not waste any thought for such negative remaks. He is more weighed down by the changings of the world. "In former times many people had there income from this work. But nowadays here is nearly our family left only. Slowly this craft will die out. I learnt it from my father, he from his father. But how long it will continue I don't know." Again a piece of tradition is impending to be lost.

Mohamed picks up again his scissors. On request of his client - not the donkey but its owner - he has to cut a special design into the coat of the animal. Are there any meanings for the designs? "No, someone likes pyramids, someone else only a nice decoration for the coat. It is my job to do my best to fulfill the ideas of my clients", says Mohamed. And swings the scissors. The salary for his work? "The price for a dondey haircut depends to the design and length of the coat is from three up to five Egyptian pound." You see, there is still a little difference between a donkey and a lady visiting the In-Coiffeur!

On the market in El Qurna Mohamed trims donkeys every tuesday. But during the week he also works as a barber for camels, horses and sheep at their homeplace. He is a popular man. "With my work only I can feed my family", he says. Mohamed, he seems to us like a descendant of Chingachgook, the last Mohica. With him - at least if you follow the literature and James Fenimore Cooper - a special piece of culture was gone.

Some steps back suddenly there starts a noisy bargain. Some of the pick-ups parked outside the market area are packed with sheep and goats. Of course we are friendly invited for buying. Proud some boys present us their animals. But our apartment has not enough space for a goat or a sheep. Therefore we have to disappoint them. But what's about the prices today? "A small sheep, a lamb costs about 200 Pound, a good wether about 500. A goat? Okay, let's say 150 Pound." This is the basis for negotiations. The bargaining continues - our way too.

We are back on the regular market. Meanwhile it is incredible crowded. Women buy all the next few days needed food stuff for their families. Here you will find a stand with living chickens and ducks, sometimes be carried away by the clients in normal shopping bag. Beside a trader offers shoes and the famous plastic sandals. Nearly everybody wear those kind of shoes, called here "Shibshibs". In a short distance we find cooking pots in every size piled up like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, from his neighbour the typically smell of fresh fish wafts over to us. Again some steps forward the latest fashion of countryside lady wear is displayed. And finally at the next stand visitors can lift the secret, what Egyptian gentlemen wear under the Galabya. Beside all this you can find all kinds of tools for agriculture and stock farming.

And of course the farmers offer their vegetables. Aubergines, potatoes, green pepper, courgettes, cucumbers, tomatoes are just seasonal. In addition always onions and garlic. Apples, melons and pumpkins are piled up at the stands of the fruit traders. Also the traders with spices are not absent. From their baskets waves of the smell of an Oriental market flow into our noses.

Amidst the swarms of buyers a bawker is looking for his way with his push cart full of washing powder and soap for sale. Skillful women are balancing their shoppings on the head, passing by to farmer's wives who offer limes, a baker who recommends his fresh bread.

Meanwhile it's nearly ten o'clock. Bit by bit the market becomes empty, some of the dealers start to collect their unsold goods together. It becomes to hot for fresh vegetables and fruits. And for the daily afternoon nap everybody wants to be at home. A marketday will draw to a close.

The El Qurna souk is a colourful, vibrant market. A market that will stimulate your sense. A market in the countryside that differs completly from the tourist souks. On one hand you will not find any touristic rubbish. There are no postcards, no boy who offers you cheep replicas of statues. On the other hand except from the dealing with sheep and goats there is no bargaining. The prices are fixed, buyers and traders know this secret. And you will not find people who bother you what often makes travelers upset in the tourist souks. At the El Qurna market the dealers offer very friendly what they have to sell, are also willing to accept a kind "la shoukran" (no, thank you).

The very small number of foreigners who find the way are welcomed polite, intend, sometimes nearly like friends. Don't wonder when a farmer is proud if you as a guest from abroad take an apple from him as a gift. But tourists, however, have to show up with respect. The Egyptians love it to be shown on photographs. But to take a photo from a woman without her personal acceptance or that of her male company is respectless. And if you ask you will find women who refuse to be your object, others will turn arround with shame if they see a camera in the hand of a foreigner. And you should take care if some boys quickly take their position for a picture. Not always but mostly they will ask the question for bakshish immediately after the click of the camera.

The market in El Qurna is worth an early morning trip. Particularly for self-caterers, who rented a private apartment. They will find fresh goods for acceptable prices. Unfortunately you will not find fresh meat. And in summertime the fresh homemade butter is available only in the very early morning. "After sunrise it becomes too hot, the butter would be melted", says a trader. On the market area there are no fridges, no electricity or water connections.

Like most of the plenty buyers we also leave the market, pass by some pick-ups loaded with some sheep. The sun rises higher, the market becomes empty and also that click-click-click sound from Mohameds scissors dies away. It is time for a tea in the next coffeeshop, because after a visit of the market you feel thursty. But it is worth a visit. Even you don't trust Mohamed in giving you your next haircut.

Information

The El Qurna souk is open every tuesday and saturday from 5 up to 10 a.m.. On saturdays no sheep and goats will be offered, no donkeys trimmed. Direction coming from the Nile: Follow the main road until the police checkpoint, then turn right in direction Quena. Go about three kilometres straight on until El Qurna, turn left into the street that leads to the Valley of the Kings. On the left side you see the hospital, after around 150 metres just before the islamic cemetary turn right and follow the small sandy alley. After some footsteps you already will see the first traders. Attention: There are no sanitary facilities on the market area. (Text Antje and Wolfgang Sliwka, Fotos Antje Sliwka)