Does anyone know the "procedure" for bargaining.. or if it is really done there?

yes, tell them it's much too expensive and start to leave, they'll grab your arm and say how much do you want to spend?, you lowball it, they'll highball it, you agree to a price in the middle. very easy and most if not all souks do it.

Yes, it's really done. I lived in the Middle East for years, and always bargained in the souks, especially when buying gold. The more you buy, the lower the price, so if you're in the market for several items, you're better off buying from one shop. Sometimes the longer you stay in the shop, the lower the price gets.

One technique is to ask the price, then act shocked and start to leave as mentioned above. You'll usually be called back immediately and the price will drop.

Another technique is to ask the price, hem and haw for a bit as if you're thinking about it. The shopkeeper will often lower the price while you stew. Then go in for the kill, asking for the "very best price".

Some shopkeepers will tell you they'll give you a good price because you're the first customer of the day, or they'll say "for you, very special price". Don't believe it, keep bargaining.

It's all a big game, and actually kind of fun once you get the hang of it.

It helps if you have an idea of what you'd pay for the item elsewhere or have an idea of the maximum you're willing to pay for a specific item.

the funny part is they carry a calculator and when you say no the first time, they get out their calculator and punch in a bunch of numbers and say, I can give it to you for this and show you the calculator....way lower than the original price, but not as low as they'll go. Keep at it and have fun!

i´ll give it a try. i´d better do some pricing homework here, first, though!

Absolutely have an idea of what things would cost at home. Whether from a strictly retail store (even when items on sale), discounters, the shopping channels. This gives you a range and then figure out how much you'll actually want to spend.

Then... shop to your heart's content. The experience can range from downright frustration to lots of fun.