The Night Market

After work one night I went to the annual night market in Male. It is a large bazaar that occurs just before the feasting month of Ramazan. As part of Ramazan, Muslims are supposed to clean out their houses and shops and get rid of old things. The market is organized to give shop owners an opportunity to get rid of their old merchandise at very low prices. For this reason mops and brooms are also vary popular items.

Not only clothiers are at the night market. Music shops, restaurants, plant nurseries, and even pet shops have stalls. The market it very large, going almost the entire length of the island on a road next to the sea.

The bazaar is also very, very crowded. Bargain shopping is not the only reason people go to the night market. It is so crowed that people end up bumping into each other. Many go there just for this reason, it's the most physical contact they're allowed to have in public. Needless to say you have to keep your wits about you.