Tunisia: Sights, Sounds, Smells, Tastes (Part 2)

SOUNDS:


In the desert there was only silence but walking through the medinas and zocos in Tunisia was like something out of movie. There were so many sounds and languages so unfamiliar to me.

First, the haggling. Everytime we walked by a vendor we were bombarded with a constant "Españolo? Españolo? Entra, Entra!! Solo mirar, solo mirar. Mira, mira!!! Un Dinar, un Dinar!!" Jose and I talked about how easy it is in our culture to find something you like, look at the price, decide if you want to pay that for it, and if so, buy it, and if not, walk away. Not so in Tunisia. Everything is priced triple what's it's really worth. Here's a typical conversation I had everyday with the vendors (translated into English, of course):

Me: (looking at silver bracelet) How much?
Vendor: 35 Dinars each.
Me: Ooo, no. That's too much.
Vendor: Ok, you tell me a price.
Me: I'll give you 30 Dinars for THREE of them.
Vendor: You're crazy! You want me to go bankrupt??
Me: I'm not paying 105 Dinars.
Vendor: Ok, ok. 105 not fair price, but 30 not fair either. Give me good price.
Me: No, you give me one.
Vendor: Take all three for 90.
Me: No, no, no.
(I start to walk out of the store, leaving the bracelets behind. Vendor grabs my arm to pull me back into the store)
Vendor: Ok lady, give me 80.
Me: No, I'll give you 35.
Vendor: Ok, ok. Just give me 70. I'll go bankrupt for this.
(I start to walk out again. He grabs me once again, patting my shoulder)
Vendor: Ok, ok. Give me 60.
Me: No, 40.
(Still holding my arm and pulling me in, and me struggling to walk away)
Vendor: No, no, no. Just give me 55.
Me: 40 is my final offer.
Vendor: Come on, just give me 55.
(This time I really leave the store and start walking away...knowing all the while that he'd come running after me with the bracelets)
Vendor: Lady, lady!! Ok, ok, ok. 40.

So I give him the 40 Dinars (about 25 Euros)for 3 beautifully detailed, silver bracelets knowing that I'd gotten ripped off, because he wouldn't have sold them to me if he wasn't going to make a profit.

We get back to the bus and one of the other tourists showed me the 6 silver bracelets that she had gotten for 30 Dinars!! And the guy made a profit off of it!! Everytime you buy something you feel like you've been ripped off...and you have. You even have to bargain to buy a bottle of water! The first 3 or 4 times was fun, but it gets old quick.

After my purchase, we continue to walk through the streets wiping the sweat off our foreheads. All of a sudden we hear something...something enchanting. Chants, and singing and prayers began echoing throughout the town from the high towers. The sound is beautiful and captivating.

The singing from the towers is only vocal, no instruments, but the music on the streets and on the radio is full of drums, flutes and ethnic rhythms.

Arabic or French is being spoken around every corner. Whether it be bickering or friendly conversation. Cars and motorcycles constantly honking as they weave in and out. The clip clop of horse hooves. An occasion bray from a donkey or grunt from a camel.

It's a different world.