Daraja Oolah!

We've been out furniture shopping... At first it was exciting and fun but now it's just tiring. There is a range of furniture out there and of course in every shop they tell you 'It's daraja oola' or first class stuff no matter what it is.

One shop we went to had furniture that was so ridiculous and over the top that they had it all displayed in areas closed off with golden satin ropes in order to protect it from possible customers. They had a white velvet sofa in there for 18,000 dinars that was so hideous we were nearly falling on the floor laughing. If someone had the money to buy that they most certainly would just travel abroad to buy the furnishings for their house. The guy working there looked like he spent a lot of time twiddling his thumbs.

We've also looked at the shops that custom design and make furniture to your specifications. There's a whole range of quality to look at there too, and of course they all claim to be 'the best'. For the most part the furniture in those shops looks like it will last about two years tops. Which is the time most Libyan women expect to have a complete redecoration of their houses anyway so that they can have a house with the latest 'style' - At least this is my sisters-in-law's approach. Some shop keepers have even told us that their furniture comes with a ten-year guarantee. I've lived here long enough to know that most shops here don't stay in business for ten years!

Furniture is just one of the things I am doing lately. We still have a list longer than my arm of other things to do before the house is ready. But I am getting excited because I can almost see the end.