Today we visited a Bedouin market and "beehive" village. Together they presented both an incredible opportunity and a somewhat difficult dilemma. The opportunity to see the market and the residents was wonderful. The dilemma of making too much of an impact as a tourist is concerning and an excellent topic for debate. I'm not in the mood to debate so I'll just tell you what I saw.
The market was excellent. People selling everything from fruits and vegetables, to chickens, to horses, to lamb hides, to brilliantly covered fabrics, to shoes. Lots of shoes. The Bedouin woman, many Islamic woman for that matter, in a way can only express themselves with their shoes. Their basic covered dress provides little latitude for creativity, so shoes seem to have extra importance. This is made clear by the sheer number of shoe sellers and the thousands of shoe styles. Don't get me wrong, there are plenty of opportunities for people to buy other western clothes and I'm sure the women wear them under their covers, but shoes are clearly the "hot" item.
The Bedouin markets were not the same as the other markets we've visited. A few children said "hallo", a few men nodded, but not much else. In Bedouin culture woman are not allowed to look at men, nor men woman, touching can be a serious situation. Bedouin women lead difficult lives and can even be presented with deadly consequences for actions we wouldn't even notice in western culture (i.e., touching). Needless to say, I was on my best behavior.
The "beehive" villages get their name from the unique adobe houses the Bedouins build in the desert. Each house or set of houses look like domed mud igloos, some interconnected. The most noticeable thing about the village as compared to the markets was the return of swarming children, this time yelling "soorah" which means "picture" or "take my picture". I enjoyed the children, but it's definitely debatable whether we (tourists) should create such an impact in the lives of a disappearing culture like the Bedouins. The beautifully dressed girls along with the boys in need of baths made up a group of about 20 posing for pictures, showing off their "beehive" houses, and at times asking for cash... Interesting experience, one that will not settle immediately.
Tomorrow we head for the eastern most point in Syria near the Iraqi border. From there we can give Saddam Hussien our best and make our way toward the Oasis of Palmyra and then Jordan by the weekend.
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