SAUDI ARABIA: This month is worth a year
The cries of the hawkers started up as soon as midday prayers finished at Medina’s Mosque of the Prophet.
“Fifteen riyals! Fifteen riyals!” shouted a young man named Badr, switching between Arabic, Farsi and Urdu.
A crowd of women descended on his box of black and red abaya gowns, rifling through the contents and initiating polyglot negotiations.
Ten feet away, a man who identified himself only as Abdul Rahman sold multicolored scarfs for 5 riyals (about $1.50) each. The crowd nearly engulfed him, pulling fresh packages out of his hands before he could unwrap them.
Always keeping one eye peeled for the baladeya — the local police — the hawkers were doing a roaring business. Inside the more legitimate Medina storefronts, business was equally brisk.
“This month is worth the rest of the year for me,” said Ahmed Ali, an Afghan merchant who owns a clothing store.

