The Muttrah fish market in Oman30

The Muttrah fish market in Muscat, Oman, gives a glimpse of the more traditional times, where small fisher boats go out at night and return at first light to the harbour, where they sell their catches at the local fish market. At the harbour the fish get off loaded of the fisher boats that are manned by only a couple of men. The fish get sorted and carried inside with wheel barrels, where the market takes place during the early hours of the day. The fish market is small scaled and aimed for locals. The ambiance is captivating and vibrant, with buzzling noises of conversations and bidding. This is a place where people come together, not only to trade, but also to converse and socialise. The fish market is unpretentious, characterised by bloody and muddy floors, salt in the air, stray cats trying their luck to get their part of an abandoned piece of fish, and senses that get stimulated by the sight and the scent of the fresh product of the sea. The merchants sell a big variety of fish: Tunas, sardines, calamari, king fish, prawns, crayfish, mackerel, and all the other fish that is caught and eatable. At the back of the market, the fish gets cleaned, descaled and gutted by skilled and fast hands. This is a place where no machines, technology or pretences are present. It is a place where one of the oldest trades in the world can still be lived in a traditional manner