Outrigger Boats and Fish Market in Negombo, Sri Lanka

The Wolkenbote (Cloud Messenger) [1] had a really good idea that coped with  jet lag and also made the first day an experience to remember. Immediately after arriving in Sri Lanka that morning, we drove to Negombo, passing a church or school where a service was taking place and many people were gathered in the courtyard. The people were praying. Negombo is predominantly Christian, especially Catholic.

Unlike other regions of Sri Lanka, in Negombo (Sinhala: මීගමුව, romanized: Mīgamuva, Tamil: நீர்கொழும்ப, romanized: Nīrkoḻumpu), 70% of the inhabitants are Christian, with 75% of the population being of Sinhalese descent, approximately 15% belonging to the Moors group (mostly Muslims), and just under 9% being Tamils (mostly Hindus) [2]. When Portugal colonized Sri Lanka in 1505, Negombo was among the first territories to be occupied. To this day, Catholicism predominates in Negombo's population. The Netherlands (1644) and Great Britain (1796) left considerably less of a mark on the religious landscape. Since we're only touching on history briefly, the year 2004 is of interest, because Negombo and its lagoon were only slightly affected by the tsunami; in any case, there were no fatalities.

Then we drove along the lagoon, admiring the boats and herons, and of course, we were taking photos. I was also interested in the Christian statues, which were mostly behind glass. I had to stop when I unexpectedly heard Christian music coming from a bicycle and cycling supply store. Later, I visited one of the many statues of Mary and other saints, and just as I finished taking photos, I spotted three men crossing themselves and praying. I had seen a similar display of piety among Buddhists in front of the dagobas over 40 years ago. Once, I noticed a bus driver let go of the steering wheel to offer his prayer as we drove past the Dagoba of Kalutara (කළුතර).

Then we went to the fish market, locally known as lellama (ලෙල්ලමා). Cats, herons, and crows were scavenging for scraps. The last fish market I had visited was in Jeddah (جدّة), which I wrote about here [3]. It would be a mistake to compare Negombo (population approximately 143,000) with Jeddah (population approximately 3.7 million). Fishing has a long tradition in Negombo, and you can find many types of fish at the market, including tuna, shark, mackerel, and shrimp. Anglers will discover even more. The hustle and bustle of the market kept us from getting tired.

Further towards the quay and the beach, we could see fish laid out on tarpaulins to dry. These were constantly being turned. There were also dogs there. It didn't look very hygienic. Outrigger boats with a single sail could be seen on the water, traveling at 4 knots, as someone remarked. And these are typical for Negombo. According to Wikipedia, there are two types: the Oruwa and the Paruwa. The Oruwa is a traditional, seaworthy outrigger canoe, typical of Negombo. It is estimated that there are still about 3,000 of these boats. [4] The Paruwa is described as a catamaran, but this term actually refers to flat-bottomed boats in the interior of Sri Lanka. The difference between a catamaran and an outrigger boat lies in their structure. The catamaran uses two hulls of equal size, while the outrigger canoe uses one hull and a smaller float. I always thought the word catamaran came from a Polynesian language, but its origin is Tamil! “The word catamaran is a loanword from Tamil, from கட்டுமரம் kaṭṭumaram (from kaṭṭu ‘band, bundle’ and maram ‘tree’, meaning ‘boat made of tied-together tree trunks’).” [5]

After this wonderful start, we continued on to Colombo.

Links and Annotations:
[1] Wolkenbote (Cloud Messenger) is the name of the tour operator, essentially a one-woman operation (Dr. Elvira Friedrichs).
"Cloud Messenger: This is what the Indian poet Kalidasa called his lyrical work, which enjoyed extraordinary popularity. In this poem, a courtier exiled from his homeland commissions a cloud, which is traveling north with all its might, to comfort and greet his beloved who has been left behind. The cloud is to fly over the cities and countries, greeting the friends of the sorrowful man, who himself so longs to set out on a journey through the wondrous landscapes."
https://www.wolkenbote.de/
[2] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negombo and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Negombo
[3] Jeddah's Central Fish Market, Saudi Arabia
https://rheumatologe.blogspot.com/2025/12/jeddahs-central-fish-market-saudi-arabia.html
[4] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oruwa
[5] https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katamaran


.

 

The Souk Al Zal in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

 

The north end of the souk

I was with a group of tourists walking from Al Masmak Palace (قصر المصمك) through Safa Square (ساحة الصفاة) to Souk Al Zal (سوق الزل). Safa Square is also called Deera Square (ساحة الديرة) [1]. As we walked by, we saw some women performing their midday prayer. On the north side of the square is the General Presidency of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (فرع الرئاسة العامة لهيئة الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر) [2]. Punishments were carried out there in the past. But one thing at a time.

The Al Masmak Palace, also called Masmak Fortress or Masmak Fort, was built with mud bricks and clay, planned in 1865 [3]. It was the site of the Battle of Riyadh in 1902. But enough history for now, because we were going to walk across Safa or Deera Square. The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (هيئة الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر) has had its powers significantly curtailed in the last 20 years, and the square is now occupied by cafes and restaurants. Previously, it was the site of Hadd punishments (حد). [4] These punishments, prescribed under Islamic law, are for offenses that infringe upon God's rights. Examples include beheading (decapitation), lashing, stoning to death, and amputation of hands or feet. Today, these punishments are carried out in a military prison. Now it's an open space, with nothing to indicate its history.

But now we've arrived at Souk Al Zal. We simply arrived too early in the day, as the main trading hours are traditionally in the evening. We were able to visit various shops, and in retrospect, it was even better this way with fewer distractions. For example, we saw shops selling men's clothing, shoes and sandals, fabrics and children's clothing, toys, antiques, coffee pots and dishes, incense, frankincense and perfume (some alcohol-free [5]), agal, and more were open – I'll reveal the mystery behind the agal shortly.

In Saudi Arabia, men wear the white thawb (ثَوْب) [6], but we didn't see these shops; perhaps they are more likely to be custom-made or these shops are elsewhere. Women wear the black abaya (عباية) [7], but these shops weren't nearby. We saw them later on the trip, as the women in our group needed to buy abayas for visiting Medina. If Saudi Arabians visit government offices and agencies, they should wear the national dress. But let's stick with the men. Clothing varies depending on the region and the weather. For example, we were in Tabuk in warm weather, and 10 days later it snowed there. There are vests (صدارية) and the bisht (بِشْت), a flowing outer cloak [8].

In addition, the ghutrah (غُتْرَة), which is perhaps known here as keffiyeh (كُوفِيَّة) [9], was offered in the shops. It is a square woolen cloth, woven in red and white in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, for example, but black and white among Palestinians. One of my brothers brought such cloths back from Syria or Lebanon in the 1970s and sold them in Germany. Traditionally, the ghutrah was meant to protect against the sun. These shops also sold misbaha (مِسْبَحَة) [10] and walking sticks as accessories. The misbaha is a set of prayer beads; similar items are found as japamala in Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism, or the rosary used in Catholicism, which probably originated from the Greek Orthodox komboskini (κομποσκοίνι) or prayer rope [11].

Another shop manufactured agal (عِقَال) [12] and also sold pre-made ones. The agal is a doubled black cord made of wool and cotton, required for the ghutrah (keffiyah). The different fabrics are twisted together by machine to form a firm agal that should fit quite snugly so that the ghutrah does not slip.

Besides Western shoes, traditional leather sandals are also sold, which are described as very durable. They have a leather flap for the big toe. But in the cities, people probably already tend to wear Western shoes, sneakers, etc.

I also found the fragrance shops interesting and worth mentioning, selling aromatic wood and incense, but also perfume, which, to be honest, smelled too heavy and sweet to me. The wood is burned on a censer, mabkhara (مبخرة) [13], in such a way that a spicy smoke is produced, which is used to scent rooms and is also held towards guests, who then fan the smoke towards themselves.

If you visit the area around the souk, don't miss making a detour there. If you are more interested in the shops than the shoppers, then afternoon is a good time to go, as it is less crowded, while in the evening you will see more shops and more activity.

At about the south end of the souk

Links and Annotations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deera_Square
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_for_the_Promotion_of_Virtue_and_the_Prevention_of_Vice_(Saudi_Arabia)
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Masmak_Palace
[4] Hadd has two dd, even if one cannot see it in the Arabic without diacritic markers. The plural of hadd is hudud (حدود).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudud
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hadd-Strafe
[5] Traditional perfumes won't contain alcohol. In principle perfumes may contain alcohol according to the sharia, but traditional society banned perfumes for women in public as it could attract men.
[6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thawb
[7] Look at the Arabic and you it should be written 'abaya. 
[8] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abaya
[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisht_(clothing)
[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keffiyeh
[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misbaha
[12] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer_rope
[13] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agal_(accessory)
[14] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabkhara 

PS. A picture of a shop selling abayas.

PS
.

 

The Camel Market in Buraidah, Saudi Arabia

 

Buraidah (بريدة) is the capital and largest city of Al-Qassim Province in north-central Saudi Arabia [1]. The city has a population of 571,169 (2022 census) and is regarded as the agricultural capital of Saudi Arabia. Therefore we find the Buraidah Camel Market (سوق بريدة للإبل), also known as Al-Qassim Camel Market (سوق الجمل بالقصيم), there, which is the largest of its kind in the world. The Arabian camel or “one-hump” camel had been historically the main source of transport in Saudi Arabia, though these days are long gone by, also for nomads!

Every day at sunrise the Buraidah Camel Market comes to life. Where we stopped, only camels were traded, but sheep, goats, and goods such as saddles, halters, and blankets have their own areas elsewhere [2]. I've read: “The markets are pure chaos, with thousands of camels rattling in their rusty pens, men from all over hoisting their purchases into the back of their pick-up trucks, and the screams of animals mixed with sand, heat, and smell!” [3] In a report in German, I've read: “There is a calm chaos at the camel market.” [4] I think the term “chaos” is a misjudgment. There was no chaos, but the order wasn't apparent to us, because there were separate areas for certain classes of camels. Most of the camels here were sold for slaughter. Then, in another area, there were the pregnant female camels and some also females with foals. These camels were sold as dairy animals. Other categories included race camels, which weren't shown to me, "beautiful" animals, and those for breeding. Up to 1,000 camels are sold here daily.

Once the buyer had purchased his camels, they were lifted by crane onto the back of a small truck. The camels tolerated this, but they didn't have much room to move, as their legs were tied together. This may look barbaric, but it's a safety measure for both the animal and its handler, because an animal kicking out while hanging from a crane can injure not only itself but also the people standing nearby.

Sometimes the buyers and sellers glanced at our group, as over half were women, and you don't usually see them at the market. However, this quickly subsided, and taking photos was no problem at all. I noticed quite a few Somalis and asked about them. Many camels come from Somalia, and Somalis are sought after as herders or handlers because they are very skilled with the animals.

Our group set off fairly early. Had I been visiting alone, I would have left at sunrise, if only for the changing light, which illuminates the market, the camels, buyers, sellers, and herders. But no matter when, seek to visit the  Buraidah Camel Market as long as it is possible. 

Links and Annotations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buraydah,_Saudi_Arabia 
[2] If you're interested in these, too, you have to ask the locals.
[3] https://www.hziegler.com/articles/camel-markets.html 
[4] https://futzipelz.de/in-80-tagen-um-die-welt-hautnah-dabei-auf-dem-kamelmarkt-von-buraydah-in-saudi-arabien/ and https://vancouversun.com/travel/burayhah-camel-market 

.

 

Jeddah's Central Fish Market, Saudi Arabia

So, here comes a vegetarian reporting on a fish market. Yes! I should preface this by saying that I've only been a vegetarian for about 30 years and ate fish before that. I enjoy visiting markets, especially abroad, because you can learn a lot about the countries there. The fishing industry in the world's oceans is approaching the state depicted in the film "Soylent Green" [1]. In the movie the oceans did not have any fish left and then there also wasn't any plankton, from which Soylent Green wass supposedly made. So what is it made of, that's the question, of corpse! I had already encountered the problem of overfishing during my trip through Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, because there used to be a thriving halibut fishery there, which has now completely collapsed. Almost 40% of commercial stocks wrldwide are overfished. So-called bycatch, which isn't used, such as sea turtles, sharks, or dolphins, often die in the nets. What I've just described is only the tip of the iceberg, but thank you for following me this far in this digression.

Back to the topic! First, you see many different fish, such as grouper, sardines, red grouper (najel), Napoleon wrasse (tarbani), kingfish, salmon, emperor fish, tuna, catfish, and other seafood (I hate the term frutta di mare!), like calamari, crab, and lobster. But the most interesting was the parrotfish, which changes color depending on the background and was also offered in various sizes and colors [2]. The larger fish tend to go to families, while restaurants prefer medium-sized fish because they can sell a single fish more easily as a portion.

Jeddah's Central Fish Market (سوق السمك المركزي بجدة) is located near the historic Al-Balad district. It was very clean there, and you could see the street sweeper regularly cleaning between the stalls; furthermore, the market is monitored by the state (health department). The vendors offered their goods on ice. Purchased items were weighed, cleaned, and packaged. You could also have them grilled or prepared in other ways right there.

The market opens as early as 5:00 a.m., and the earlier the better, but it's open until 9:00 p.m. So there's plenty of time for a worthwhile visit.

Links and Annotations:
[1] „Soylent Green is a 1973 American dystopian thriller film directed by Richard Fleischer, and starring Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young, and Edward G. Robinson in his final film role.“
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_Green 
[2] https://www.rehlat.com.sa/en/explore/jeddah/central-fish-market-jeddah-saudi-fdl8vo3d and:
https://www.rehlat.com.sa/ar/explore/jeddah/central-fish-market-jeddah-saudi-fdl8vo3d#:~:text=%D9%8A%D8%B9%D9%83%D8%B3%20%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%82%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D9%83%20%D9%81%D9%8A%20%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%A9%20%D8%AB%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%A9%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B5%D9%8A%D8%AF,%D8%A3%D9%86%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AC%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%20%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%84%D9%88%D9%86%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D8%B2%D8%B1%D9%82%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%8A%20%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%88%D9%82%20%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B3%D9%85%D9%83 
as the articles aren't identical! 

.

The Souk Al Musawkaf in Unaizah, Saudi Arabia

 

The Souk Al Musawkaf (سوق المسوكف الشعبي) is located in the city of Unaizah (عنيزة). Have you ever seen Suq or Souq? While I think the latter makes sense because of the (ق), Souk is more common. Lonely Planet even writes about this souk [1]. I read: “beautiful mock-castle, …, excellent place to recline, small museum, …, tall date palms, local handicrafts” – all true!

Unaizah (عنيزة) is a city of about 185,000 inhabitants and lies north of Riyadh (الرياض) and south of Buraydah (بريدة) [2]. The market was built in 2007 after the old market was demolished [3]. The old style of the market was revived, and so there is now a large courtyard with plenty of seating surrounded by traditional mud arcades. Visit Saudi has an excellent advertisement for foods and shops, which turned out to be accurate, but would be a rather long quote. Some shops catered for tourists, but most had a mixed variety of goods as shown in the last picture.

In between there had been the time for prayers.

In any case, I was able to have conversations there. For example, with a young woman who works for a French company and therefore frequently travels outside of Saudi Arabia. She also allowed to take her picture. I also met some Filipinas who work there and were enjoying their day off; they were, of course, also wearing abayas and headscarves, but not niqabs. Interestingly, I spoke with more women than men there, which I hadn't expected. Children said goodbye to us as we walked to the bus. One boy had a painted-on beard, which immediately reminded me of Groucho Marx.

Links and no Annotations:
[1] https://www.lonelyplanet.com/saudi-arabia/unayzah/attractions/al-musawkaf-market/a/poi-sig/1615627/1342759
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unaizah
[3] https://www.visitsaudi.com/en/qassim/attractions/al-musawkaf-traditional-market-in-unaizah

.