Selling tobacco in Oman is a little different than popping round to the local store for a pack of twenty.
This is a stall holder in Seeb near Muscat, a small fishing village with an interesting souk frequented mainly by locals and a few tourists. All the usual produce is available, the aroma of fragrant spices drift between the stalls and savvy women select items for dinner from the colourful fruit and vegetables on offer.
There is a variety of leather goods on offer and it is possible to get any overdue repairs to your shoes done while browsing the stalls. Chillies not only provide a splash of colour but a bite to any dish that the more adventurous traveller is willing to try.
Tobacco seller in Seeb
Some traders in the souk sell the raw tobacco leaves separately, the buyers will then be able to use them as they wish. The leaves are fully dried out so they can be broken up as rolling tobacco maybe for cigars or even sheesha pipes with some flavouring. I am certainly not an expert on tobacco but there are probably lots of other uses for the raw leaves.
There did not appear to be many tourists buying any, there were only a few there anyway but maybe the lack of a govenment health warning puts most off!
Incidentally you can still buy a pack of twenty from the local stores in Oman.
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