Last weekend saw me with an early start as I left home to pick up a New Zealand couple who have only just arrived in Abu Dhabi. Another kiwi joined us and we headed off to Mina Port to check out the fruit and vege & fish markets.
Although I've lived here for 2 1/2 years, I've not visited these markets before. While my neice was here we did venture down to the port at 3am and saw the fishing boats being unloaded but the next stage in the process of consumerism hadn't occured.
As we arrived at 8am the fruit and vege vendors were just opening up their stalls. I would have thought you'd need to be here much earlier but it seems not. So we park up and begin browsing.
One reason why I've never gone is that as a sole, western woman you are easy prey to these skilled salesmen and they target you aggressively. As I don't speak Arabic, being understood is another issue, although all these men are mostly Indian. Not knowing what price to pay is yet another issue and haggling still doesn't come naturally to me.
So with the opportunity of not one, but two, Arabic speakers in tow, I decide it's time to change things. Mastering the phrase of 'how much' I quickly found out prices. But still didn't buy. Best to just take your time and wander around. But the market was huge!
Beginning with the date stalls we opt to enter one. Several tastings later I couldn't justify buying any as I still have two packets of 'the good' dates in my kitchen cupboard, awaiting inspiration. But I learnt which dates are the best and which ones are fed to camels and not to buy them to take into work to share with the Arabic staff. Best quality is best! Saudia Arabia dates are best.
We find out which place is best from a local guy but the wait time is 3 hours! Everyone in Abu Dhabi must have fish on a Friday. Of course by now it's nearly lunch time so prayers will soon be over and Emirates will be ready to eat. I have never seen so much fish lined up ready for cooking or so many bags of cooked fish ready for collection.
Opting for a stall that will do it in an hour and a half we give instructions for the fish to be cooked four different ways so we can try them all.
Although I've lived here for 2 1/2 years, I've not visited these markets before. While my neice was here we did venture down to the port at 3am and saw the fishing boats being unloaded but the next stage in the process of consumerism hadn't occured.
As we arrived at 8am the fruit and vege vendors were just opening up their stalls. I would have thought you'd need to be here much earlier but it seems not. So we park up and begin browsing.
One reason why I've never gone is that as a sole, western woman you are easy prey to these skilled salesmen and they target you aggressively. As I don't speak Arabic, being understood is another issue, although all these men are mostly Indian. Not knowing what price to pay is yet another issue and haggling still doesn't come naturally to me.
So with the opportunity of not one, but two, Arabic speakers in tow, I decide it's time to change things. Mastering the phrase of 'how much' I quickly found out prices. But still didn't buy. Best to just take your time and wander around. But the market was huge!
Beginning with the date stalls we opt to enter one. Several tastings later I couldn't justify buying any as I still have two packets of 'the good' dates in my kitchen cupboard, awaiting inspiration. But I learnt which dates are the best and which ones are fed to camels and not to buy them to take into work to share with the Arabic staff. Best quality is best! Saudia Arabia dates are best.
After tasting new fruits that I've not experienced before and old friends like kiwifruit, a worker directs us to the cheapest stall miles away so we wander down there.
Inside is another market place in itself with numerous merchants all selling their produce. I negotiate a box of mangos down from 45 dirham to 35 and feel pleased with myself. Kiwifruit are always expensive (3 dirhams each downstairs from me in the supermarket) but I get a kilo for 30 dirhams. Then a tray of mangostene, the red spiky fruit which have a large opague fruit inside, a bit like a lychee.
Onto the next vendor where I buy all my veges - getting carried away and thinking I'm feeding an army. I'm not sure if I got good prices but some were, others weren't. I need a box to put them in and a man with a wheelbarrow to carry them all to the car (parked miles away!)
Upon meeting back up with my friend and watching her interacting with her vendor, I realise that you have to be tough to get cheap food here. She queired each item as he wrote the price down, put it into her calculator, added it up then rounded it down and wouldn't pay a cent more. And she got her mangoes for 30 dirham.
Still, I felt pleased with my purchases and had plenty of fruit and veges for around $20-30NZ. A week later and I'm down to my last melon, still a few kiwifruit left and I haven't cooked a potato or pumpkin yet. Could be a good day to make pumpkin soup.
With our man in tow, we headed back to the car. Only to find that all the boxes had to be unloaded in the shade of a truck while I walk down to get the car. The man wasn't allowed to go past a certain point as he could only work in the immediate area. If he continued he would incur a hefty fine and lose his job.
Jacqui
Aven, Ali & Zainab
I was concerned when I approached my car to see the bonnet up.
Upon closer inspection I realised that it was a car parked beside mine that had their bonnet up. The whole huge expanse and one car is so close to mine! Relief flooded through me like a glass of cold water.
Next stop - Fish Market. A coconut drink seemed the right course of action as we were all hot and thirsty by now.
Jacqui
Upon entering the fish market I was hit with the stench of fish. Using all my willpower to keep from turning tail and running, I breathed shallow breaths and tried to stop myself throwing up. I know fresh fish doesn't smell but this place did.
The indoor market is huge with individual stalls lined up in rows.
Immediately we were approached by men in blue trying to entice us to their stalls. Ali was offered a medium size fish for 5 dirhams so grabbed it. He had instructed me on which fish to buy so we wandered around checking out prices. The phrase for 'too dear' was used frequently.
I settled on a kilo of small fish 'Sherry' while the others bought various fish. We all returned to pricing the shrimps but at 60 dirham a kilo no-one purchased them. Next time!
I bartered for my kilo of fish and got them down to 15 dirham which was a good price I'm told.
I found a few recognisable friends but didn't get to ask the price.
Next it is back to the opposite side of the market to get the fish scaled, cleaned & gutted. This process costs 5 dirhams a kilo and stinks to high heavens! Scales, blood and guts was flying everywhere and my clothes were covered in the mess.
These men wore red, to distinguish them from the stall workers. You just wander up to one and wait then hand over your fish. They work at incredible speed.
This man was very happy to have his photograph taken.
The best part came next. Walking back over to the far side of the market we try to figure out how we get the fish cooked. Huge ovens billowing flames open and shut continually. Round trays the size of a small table are laden with fish and put in for cooking. Options abound as to how you can have your fish cooked - marinated with spice and grilled; baked in the oven with a vegetable filling; fried; bbq.
We find out which place is best from a local guy but the wait time is 3 hours! Everyone in Abu Dhabi must have fish on a Friday. Of course by now it's nearly lunch time so prayers will soon be over and Emirates will be ready to eat. I have never seen so much fish lined up ready for cooking or so many bags of cooked fish ready for collection.
Opting for a stall that will do it in an hour and a half we give instructions for the fish to be cooked four different ways so we can try them all.
Our cooks.
Foil covered fish about to enter the oven.
The best cook to go to if you can wait 3 hours.
After a quick drive home for water and refreshing we head back to collect the fish. Stopping to pick up a rice at a restaurant we head to Ali & Aven's for lunch. After whipping up a fresh salad we sit down for a sumptious meal.
Anyone eagle eyed enough will notice that we have prawns. Yes, our order seemed to be mixed up and we enjoyed fried prawns and fried hammour. These two turned out to be our favourites and will probably be my next purchase.
My car stunk of fish when I went to get into it later that day. But I now know that I can phone up the best cook shop and order my fish. They will send someone to buy it, clean it, they will cook it to my liking then deliver it to me sitting in my apartment. Fish and chips take on a new meaning!
Only in Abu Dhabi!
