Yesterday and today have been a blur. Yesterday we went to the cinema and saw the new James Bond film. It was pretty fun but it was very loud, mostly fun though. We also ate at Khan's which is an auto parts store during the day and a BBQ at night. Pretty inventive. They big grills out on what is pretty much the side of the street in front of the store and have grilled chicken, beef or lamb and all different kinds of indian-style salads, such as "slaw" with garlic puree or coconut puree, pickled papayas, and some other stuff I don't even want to guess at. They look a little sketch but most of them take good. I had the half chicken and garlic naan bread. It was delicious!
Today Renee and I went into town. We went all over but the most interesting places were the real market and the massai market. The real market is for everyone and the massai market is for tourists. At the massai market I had my first bargaining experience. I think I did pretty well though I ended up giving in a little at the end. I couldn't help it, I was exhausted at the end! Those massai ladies are very tough hagglers. The market is set up so that there are about five very narrow corridors between tiny little sheds where people have their goods. The store owners stand out in front of their shops and tell you to look at their stuff. They say, "Karibu", which means welcome in Swahili and "Looking is free."
The real market on the other hand is more subdued. It was really amazing and a little overwhelming. There is so much to take in. The market its self is a large square with a large covered area set up in the middle where people sell almost every type of food you can think of, including some sort of smoked catfish( the whole catfish smoked folded in half with flies all over and an aroma that I have never before encountered) to fresh delicious smelling pineapples. Then around the edge there are tiny little shops where one or two people sit and sell mostly clothes. The people in these stalls are much more relaxed that the folks at the Massai market but they bargain with you as well. Everyone is looking to haggle, one guy even asked Renee if she wanted to trade her shoes. I bought a very pretty bolt of cloth that I'm going to have made into a skirt. It's amazing how different this place is. The poverty first of all is a bit of a wake up call there doesn't seem to be out right suffereing but it definitely reminds me of the advantages we have in the west. Especially things we take for granted like our general sense of safety. The Tanzanians stare at you alot. I thought it might be intimidating when Renee first told me about it but it's mostly nice how open they are, plus there isn't anything behind their staring it's a very strait forward, "You look weird so I think I'll look at you some more" kind of thing. They're just curious and once their satisfied they look away. I've gone on too long.
Picture time!
me reading
banana tree on base
Arusha downtown with dala dala(bus)
baby on mamas back
roadside fish and chips stand (those tiny silver things are fish)
1 comment:
Thanks for including me. This is a neat way to share your trip! Glad U got to finally go. I know U have been talking about it for awhile. Have a safe and fun time.
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