- What to bring valuable from Sudan?
- Sudanese rose
- Where and how to shop in Sudan?
The black continent has always been a mystery to the white-skinned explorer, whom nothing could stop in search of secrets and treasures: neither the extremely hot climate of the Sahara, nor the famous Nile crocodiles, the thunder of all living things, nor the wild African tribes known for their bloodthirstiness. Today, more and more countries located in Africa offer quite comfortable holidays on the sea coast, interesting safaris in savannas, national reserves, ethnographic or ecotourism. This material will touch upon an important topic of what to bring from Sudan, in addition to the world-famous Sudanese rose.
What to bring valuable from Sudan?
The first answer that comes to mind for a traveler who has already managed to explore the markets and trading establishments of Sudan is ivory products. To the delight of ecology fans, hunting for the largest land animals on the planet is currently prohibited. Therefore, prices for goods made from this precious material are also sky-high. And, if a few decades ago you could afford to buy a whole tusk of a real African elephant, today guests are limited to small figurines, interior items, ornaments.
After ivory and its products comes another very popular material in Sudan - leather. As noted by foreign guests, various products are offered, based on the skin of representatives of the local fauna, which are quite exotic for a European. In retail outlets - boutiques, salons and markets - you can find leather goods of the following animals:
- African crocodiles, which live in the largest rivers of the continent, and in huge numbers;
- python and other representatives of the kingdom of reptiles, also adapted to the conditions of the local hot climate;
- exotic iguana and other descendants of ancient dinosaurs.
It is important that there are no large tanneries in Sudan, all beauty is made in small workshops or individually. The pinnacle of consumer interest is crocodile leather, it looks amazing, retains strange patterns, products serve for many years without losing their qualities. Tourists, first of all, pay attention to two groups of crocodile leather goods: accessories of a business person - suitcases, briefcases, bags, covers for diaries, gloves; leather shoes - moccasins, shoes, boots, boots.
Horny growths can be seen on individual leather items; local craftsmen do this on purpose to emphasize the authenticity of the material of the item. Products made of smooth (most often abdominal) leather are used to make bags and gloves.
Sudanese rose
This beautiful plant is a representative of the Rosaceae family, which made Sudan famous all over the planet, although it is clear that it is also grown outside the country. The most popular product is Sudanese rose petal tea, which has medicinal properties and helps to normalize blood pressure.
This drink is an excellent tonic and vitamin remedy, good thirst quencher. Rose petal tea can be consumed hot and cold, it retains its taste, aroma and beneficial properties. It is one of the most favorite souvenirs among tourists, because it costs little, has a low weight, and allows you to make useful gifts for friends, relatives, and colleagues.
Where and how to shop in Sudan?
The country is still at the initial stage of organizing shopping for tourists, so there are no luxury shopping and entertainment centers here. Large centers can be found in the capital; there is a well-organized souvenir trade at the airport and at train stations, where a large number of potential buyers are concentrated.
Local bazaars, which look very colorful, are interesting for travelers and help to see how trade was going ten and fifty years ago. The proximity to the countries of the Middle East region allows us to see some common features in the organization of trade, especially in the markets. A priori prices are set too high, counting on a buyer with money who does not know that it is possible to bargain.
But experienced tourists advise never to buy goods immediately in Sudanese bazaars, having heard the named price, even if it seems very, very reasonable. Why overpay when you can save a certain amount and then spend on other souvenirs. Bargaining is appropriate and even pleases some sellers, since they like not only to receive money, but also to communicate with the buyer. In some cases, the price of the selected product can be halved.
So, Sudan cannot yet offer too wide a range of goods, and yet a knowledgeable tourist can always buy beautiful colorful souvenirs, delicious Sudanese rose tea, and rather expensive, beautiful things made of crocodile skin.
