Craft Market

With many kwatcha in our pockets and ideal gifts in our heads, we headed to the Dutch Reform Congregation Craft Market. The market had many stalls outside in the courtyard, as well as ones under a big pavilion. The cloths were spread out right next to eachother and if they had tents, those were practically on top of one another as well. If you couldn't find what you wanted in one stall, you didn't have to go far to see what you would.The vendors there were a lot less pushy than the market we went to last Sunday. However, there were a few that really, REALLY wanted you to look at all the things they had to offer. I think everyone got at least one animal that came in all types, sizes and material. There were cloth animals that looked like toys, as well as wooden and stone ones that were meant to just look pretty. I decided that after how many elephants we saw at Chobi, that would be my animal. I got a small wooden one from my sister and another that was a bit bigger for one of my friends. Many of the vendors had paintings that were absolutely spectacular. From the size of a notebook to a huge wall painting, they were done on recycled paper to canvas, in lots of bright colors. There were paintings of trees, of women with baskets and chetengues, of all sorts of animals, houses, landscapes and many other things. Another popular gift was wooden bowls that were painted with all sorts of patterns.
Our schedule was to do most of the shopping before lunch, eat from the food stalls that were there, and finish up before the bus came to take us back to the house. There were many decisions for food, from noodles and spring rolls, to tacos and nshima. I decided on the fried spring rolls, which were'nt bad at all but nothing like the ones we had at home. After lunch, once I was completely out of money, it was time to trade. I had brought four pairs of socks and I headed out with Jake to see what I could get with them. We were told by our cousins before we came to bring lots of socks and their advice was not unheard. I got the elephant for my friend for three pairs of socks, and a really cool woven bracelet for
one pair and a hairtye. With all of us feeling very succesful with our purchases and very grateful for the ability to buy them, we headed home to give some more love to kids we will be missing so so so much by the end of the week.