Trabulusna: December 2008

Art Market, Tripoli, Libya

	The is the main entrance of the Art Market, just next to Tripoli Museum. It looked like a castle also. We arrived there at about 4.30 pm, the museum already closed (close at 3.30pm), otherwise we will visit the museum also.
	There are many special items sold in the market, including many banned items in our country, like leopard skin, snake skin, turtle shell and etc. Some of these items looked disgusting to me, because there are real animal skin. Like one of the crocodile skin hand bag, it makes you feel that you are bringing a real croc with you, because the croc head is still intact.
	This is one of the shop that sells golds and jewellery. Inside the shop, it is well decorated, but from outside, it doesn't looked nice, not even properly painted. I asked one of the locals, he said this is because the bulding belongs to the government, and the business owner is renting the shop from government. As such, they will only renovate the interrior of the shop, the exterior will be the goverment's responsibility.
	This is the clock tower in the market, it is so different from other building simply because it is well maintained and painted. It is the land mark of most tourist, because it is considered a tall building in that area and easy to recognise.
	I heard from our local guide, this is one of the government administration department, it looked beautiful. Very contract as compared with buldings at the surrounding area.
	This row of shops is just opposite to the goverment department in the photo above, doesn't it looked very different? Someone told me this street looked like just after war (as in some of the movie), some more the car is old and with horse as transport. Actually this country has been out of war many years ago.
	This photo was taken when I go really near to the clock tower. It is really a very nice bulding and well maintained.
	Opposite the clock tower, there is this castle type of bulding which I don't know what is inside and who owns it. I think people in Libya like this type of building which looked like a castle.
	These are hand made sovenirs, quite a number of shop selling this type of product. Quite expensive also, some of these are sold at about 100 to 150 Libya Dinals or more (1.3 Dinal exchange 1.0 USD).
	This photo is taken from the walking path inside the market. The roof top of one of the abandoned shop is broken and can see another tower outside.
	This is my favourite car, "Smart-for-Two" inside the market. I think with the narrow road inside the market, this is the most suitable car to drive here.
	These are junks (or they call it ancient stuff) they collected (don't know from where), and they are selling these to tourist. Quite expensive also, about 50 Dinals.
	The people staying here are exposed to outside technology also. As you can see, there is parabolic antenna and air-conditioner installed.