To Market, to Market, to buy a.....

Friday morning took us to the market... 

We didn't waste too much time getting back into the sights and sounds

of Kigali once we returned from our 3 day outing! 

This place needs to be experienced in real life... but the pictures try to 

let you "feel, touch and smell" the market.

 The colors are so rich!

 The Faces of People are so warm...
Avocados and tons of Potatoes in the back.

The Bananas are always displayed in such a pretty fashion.

Innocent always makes sure we don't pay too much for anything
and this lady was fun to bargain with!
Bargaining at the market is part of the play.
When or if you don't bargain, the merchants are really
disappointed....

 The boys in the yellow jackets are always walking around asking
to help you carry your items or to help you bargain.   Each one
has a number printed on his shirt so he can be easily identified
if you would like to have the same guy from week to week.
I'm glad Innocent went with us (and me) usually because
otherwise each of these guys wants a little piece of you.
BUT at least they are trying to earn their own
money and for that, I usually praise them. 

Nelda was having a ball seeing how it all worked.
And so were the merchants.
We were the only Muzungus in the place today.

Piles and piles of these fish line the front of the market.
Can you smell them?  They are dried but still very aromatic!

 Lots of omelets will be made from all of these!!
We have a "usual" girl we buy eggs from that Innocent knows, but
today I didn't get her picture. The other colorful part of the
eggs is that they are never cleaned... so you always get a piece of the farm
(or a little extra from the chicken) with them!  

Kristi captured this shot before they told us not to
take pictures of the shoes.  I don't know if these
are new, knock-offs or what but there are
tons of shoes in each booth. 

 Seamstresses and tailors line one whole aisle towards the
back of the market.  They are rarely sitting idle but
are making beautiful outfits for women and men all the time. 

And nothing can describe the babies and children at the market.
They are either chowing a mango like this little one
or sitting on the floor strewn with veggie waste having the lunch they brought
or at their mommy's breast.
It is very much a family atmosphere in some of the booths. Once in a while you
even find a baby asleep in a little cabinet or on a shelf 
under the piles and piles of fruits and veggies.

 And this sight is particularly refreshing!
This seller was reading her Bible.
She was studying Ezekiel.
No ipads, no iphones... just her Bible.

 This picture was taken shortly after we arrived by the potatoes. 

Sorry it isn't the best picture.. but Innocent was leading and 

the "fresh muzungos" to the market, were taking it all in! 

When we think of markets in the States

this isn't exactly the same thing.  So, it truly is a 

cultural field trip!

"Yuck", Kristi yelled... "someone just splattered blood all over my pants."
Indeed.... it was a rare catch day and this butcher was "cutting up" this huge
fish.  Never did find out what it was.  
But he had just brought down the machete
as Kristi was approaching.  Everyone was gathering to watch.

I went a little closer to capture him splitting the
huge head in 1/2 to carve up to sell.  
Note:  The Carving floor!
No special cutting boards of different colors for different
kinds of foods! Ha!!  Just a flour sack on the concrete that 
everyone walks on.

Where is the health dept. when you need them??  He
would cut up pieces and set them on the table...
No, we didn't buy any.  Fortunately, I don't like fish.

 Nelda went over to take some shots, too and started talking
with the other guys standing near.  I wonder what they thought?


After we left the market we headed downtown to the "other" market.
The western store... where you can get almost anything you want..
  if you are willing to pay for it.

But before we went shopping we stopped for lunch at
Bourbon Coffee... I nice little coffee shop
that has a variety of foods..

and delicious ice tea.

In fact, it was the drink of the day.

 And it was good to sit and talk
without jerking around in the car!


After shopping we brought all of our goods home and washed some of them
before we took off for the 4th of July party at the US Embassy!

This was fun BUT they didn't allow any cameras or phones so
we could not document the evening.
We girls went early but Bruce
came later after some work commitments.

There were lots of red, white and blue things everywhere.
Great food booths with drinks, music, clowns and face painting
lined the party area.
I registered for my absentee ballot at the huge "VOTE" booth.
I asked them if they would mail it if I revealed my party preference.
They laughed.. I still wonder????  Ha!

Several people we knew were there --even Arlene had come from the
children's home.  It was fun to have her there.  Lots of women from Aerobics, Bible
study, church and of course the official people that Bruce knew.
Finally got to meet the ambassador, Dan Koran.  Since his wife Cindy had
held our meeting at their house, I knew her but had not met Dan yet.  So, that was nice.

The most fun item from this evening was that we sat at a table with some plain clothes
police that had recently been hired at the Embassy.  They were a lot of fun and
very informative about Rwanda!  Kristi had the most interaction with them since she
was sitting closest.  Watching all the people was also fun!

Fireworks via the big screen topped off the evening--- but it certainly wasn't like 
being in Pittsburgh with your family and friends!  Missed being at the Point!

It was a very well run event and we had a great, relaxing evening.
Only folks with US passports or Embassy employees were allowed to come.
It was, after all... a time to celebrate America's Independence!

And so we did!

love,
margie

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY, HENRY!!!!    WE WILL MISS BEING WITH YOU!