Shopping in Iraq

Hoses:    hoses.jpg (310695 bytes)    And Pots:    pots1.jpg (243053 bytes)

Every variety and colour under the sun. Except the pots. They're silver.

Cigarettes:    cigarettes1.jpg (124799 bytes)

A cartload of coughs!

Artificial Flowers:    artflo1.jpg (241099 bytes)    artflo2.jpg (263614 bytes)    artflo3.jpg (283925 bytes)

In a land with a climate like this one, why, you might ask, are there so many artificial flowers? Well Kurds like bright colours and it's hard to get live flowers into the city when it is 40 degrees outside. These ones simply last longer.

Carpet:    carpet1.jpg (222347 bytes)    carpet2.jpg (255643 bytes)

The best carpets are not made in Iraq. They come from Iran. But you can buy Iraqi carpet or for that matter carpet from China and India. you get what you pay for. There is, by the way, no such thing as a flying carpet. Or so I am told.

Clothing:    clothing1.jpg (190930 bytes)    clothing2.jpg (192413 bytes)    clothing3.jpg (208964 bytes)    clothing4.jpg (146168 bytes)

Just like Moore's or TipTop Tailors. Even the brand names are the same. They are not pirate copies of shirts made by small children in sweat houses, they are the real thing (unless the real thing is made that way). So why can I buy a shirt here for $5 when the same shirt costs $25 at home?

More clothing:    clothing5.jpg (175269 bytes)    clothing6.jpg (277434 bytes)

Textiles:    textile1.jpg (317951 bytes)    textile2.jpg (243899 bytes)    textile3.jpg (250441 bytes)    textile4.jpg (296652 bytes)

Every material and every colour one might imagine. Stitching clothing for one's family is not a dead art in Iraq. The price is excellent compared to textiles at home.

Newsstand:    newstand.jpg (178509 bytes)

These are the pretty much the same all over the world.

Jewelry: jewelry1.jpg (241523 bytes)    jewelry2.jpg (171080 bytes)

Most of the gold here comes from Iran. The price of gold is the same as everywhere else per gram but where the bargain is found is in the workmanship. Labour is cheap so you can buy something for a lot less than you would pay in Europe or North America. Locally, bracelets are a big item for weddings. It is a bit disconcerting though, to buy a nice necklace or ring and see the owner weigh it before giving you a price.

 

Back to the Images of Iraq Page