Part 2:
Once we’d finished exploring the area around Hussein Mosque, we figured it was time to find the big bazaar. That task proved more difficult than we anticipated. We wandered here and there, and even consulted my map, but it still took a while to figure out that the market seemed to consist of many smaller markets – one selling clothing and assorted housewares, a spice market, a jewellery and metal-work area, etc. Of course, some areas were much more touristy than others. And the more touristy stalls featured some hard-selling vendors. I left without buying very many souvenirs (which I later regretted as I had few little gifts to distribute once back home). But, I just can’t stand super-pushy vendors, and my ultimate response to them, if they won’t back off (and they seem pathogenically unable to) is just to exit the shop, often with the salesman in hot pursuit, waving the contested souvenir and shouting angrily at my back. Not an enjoyable shopping experience. I really think Middle Eastern (and Mexican, for that matter) vendors need training in effective soft-sell techniques suited for American customers. We just can’t take the hard-sell; in fact, we (I) find it personally affronting.
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