Weaving Through the Marketplace.

(Aug, 3)

In the afternoon today most of us took a trip to the marketplace.  We were advised to only take pictures with consent, so it's difficult if not impossible to take a photo of a larger section of the market... but I did mange to sneak in this shot.

 

The entire marketplace takes up what feels like 5 or 6 acres of tightly knit stalls along dirt paths that barely permit two people moving in opposite directions to pass one another.  Not a square foot is wasted.  Some venders have stalls, but others who only have a few smaller items or produce to sell have carefully embedded themselves in nooks along the paths.  It is hard to imagine what it would be like if there were more people.  If not for the fact that all of the women porters carry commodities on their heads, things would surely come to a standstill.

The place is a sea of constantly changing colors, sounds, and smells.  Most all of the women wear brightly colored batik fabric or dresses with large bold prints.  A solid colored dress is a rare sight.  The main dirt road that defines one of the boundaries of the marketplace is lined with stalls as well.  This road is packed with cars and people.. almost as densely as the paths between the stalls in the market place.  Right of way is determined by an entertaining mix of convention and the occasional game of chicken. We were lucky to have George and Ahtu guiding us.

The marketplace swings into action every four days. It is definitely not designed as a tourist destination; it's more like a farmers market/Walmart for the local people.  There is a somewhat open area in the center of the market where fish mongers (all of whom are women) have set up shop.  Most all of the seafood is dried whole fish, and the smell is concentrated...

Laura here. It was smelly all right! I asked George and Ahtu if they liked the fish and they said they loved it... to each their own. While I enjoy shopping, this was shopping on steriods... major sensory overload. Luckily my group was on hand to help me stift through the pleaortha of options amongst the many fabric shops. Suprisingly, Mark found the golden ticket, a beautiful green fabric with a lovely print that will become a new dress. After the market, we went to the tailor in the Kopeyia. I drew a picture of the dress style I wanted for him and he took the necessary measurements. I'm so excited to get my tailor-made dress. :-) 

Thanks for reading!

Laura & Mark