At the looma, one can find almost anything; fruits and vegetables, cloth, jewelry, and much more. There are also a few men who sell carved wooden figures at the looma. They don't have stands but they wander around with thier bags of carvings so keep an eye out for them and be ready to bargin. Bartering is part of the culture and is expected by most vendors who don't have permanent structures in the market. For those who don't visit on looma day, which is Wednesday, there are a couple of options for buying souvenirs and gifts for those back home:
Ismael's Boutique:
This small straw structure across from the caiman hotel doesn't look like it has much but when one walks in the are greeted by a wide array of beautiful wooden figurines, masks, and key chains as well as paintings. this store has a wider selection of goods than the artisans at the looma and friendly customer service.
Ndef Lang:
This training center for women and girls, which is located a couple of blocks behind the garage, sells clothing, embrodered and tye died goods, and juice and jams from local fruits and vegetables. if one wants to have traditional clothing made, ndef lang provides quick service at a reasonable price.
The Handicapped Association:
A short walk from the market, one is unlikely to find the handicap center unless they know to look for it. but it is worth the walk to visit their boutique which sells bags, clothing, tye dye cloth, and an assortment of other handicrafts. the center was created to provide training for the handicapped population of sokone so that they can earn a living. in order to provide financing for the center and make the classes afordable, they've created a boutique which sells some of the products they are teaching thier members to make.
Afric-Art:
A recently opened store located in the main market, they currently have jewelry, postcards, shoes, and traditional drums. with a convenient location, friendly staff, and expanding stock, this store is another good option for for finding mementos of one's visit.
money
The national currency of Senegal is the CFA Franc. The CFA is pegged to the Euro, so it is permanently fixed at 650 CFA to 1 Euro.