Festival at Sable Square

On a Sunny Saturday (and it's very American of me to keep referring to the weather; it's not rainy season so of course it's sunny.  Every Saturday in February is almost certain to be sunny and warm), Beth and I took the kids to the Arusha Lifestyle Market Festival at Sable Square.  Sable Square is a SouthAfrican-style complex including two grocery stores along with a few smaller shops and restaurants that is on the outskirts of Arusha in our direction. They have a festival two or three times a year; I missed the one in October when I was sick, but made it to this one.  Booths and tents are set up on the lawn and on the back parking lot; several of my favorite restaurants had booths, although most of the shopping was more touristy stuff.

It was fun to poke around the booths, and of course I ended up buying a few things.  I got a couple of cute little succulents in terra cotta pots as well as a wallet and bag in colorful kitenge fabric.  All of us except Rebecca decided to have lunch from the Taste of Mexico booth; the burrito I got was pretty good, though as usual I miss real sour cream.  Rebecca went inside the grocery store and bought pizza from the deli.  We were lucky to find a bench in the shade where we could eat.

Watching a demonstration of toffee candy being made.

Arusha Market

I've posted pictures more than once before of our local market in Monduli, but for even better selection, we sometimes go to the big fruit and vegetable market in downtown Arusha.  They have broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, limes, leeks and a variety of other things that aren't available in Monduli.  Michela is by now a good market shopper; she knows what good prices are and how to bargain.  

The setup feels a bit chaotic; there are narrow aisles with people pushing past and stopping to bargain, and the stalls start at about shoulder level and go up, so we have to yell up to the proprietor perched high above. It's an important part of Tanzanian life, though, and worth it for the good food!

Rain Boots!

I'm now prepared for the coming rainy season!  I bought boots at the Sunday market this afternoon.

Sunday Market

As I mentioned a few days ago, Monduli has an open air market on Thursdays and Sundays; I posted a few pictures from Thursday's, but I went back today with Beth and Michela, and the light was perfect and I got much better pictures this time. So here are a few to give you a bit of a look into life in Monduli.

The goods are mostly laid out on tarps on the ground; clothing and shoes are usually a pile you dig through.  

The was no haze at all today; Mt Meru stood out in spectacular detail in the distance.  It's about fifty-five miles away, but it's visible in good weather from some parts of Monduli and then when driving towards Arusha we drive right towards it most of the way. I love seeing such a grand mountain so often.

View out towards the plains, desert-like and dusty this time of year.

Vegetables are generally pre-portioned into little piles or stacks or bundles so that you can quickly buy a set amount without having to wait for it to be weighed or fuss over how much to get.

Monduli Market

Like most towns in Tanzania, Monduli has an open air marketplace.  There is a large roofed structure for a vegetable market that is open every day, but on Thursdays and Sundays the market stretched out across the surrounding grounds, and includes not only vegetables but clothes, shoes, bags, and various household items.  My first trip was on my second day in Tanzania; there is an ATM at the corner where I was able to get some Tanzanian shillings, and then I walked around with Beth and her kids and the girls.  It was a quick stop today to get vegetables for the next few days.  Most of the sellers have their vegetables in little piles so that the shoppers can just buy them by the bundle easily without having to wait for weighing and such.  

I look forward to exploring more later.  I did get a few quick pictures; I hope to get better ones sometime soon (before I've been here long enough that I don't want to risk looking like a tourist by taking pictures at such an ordinary part of life here.  I took pictures with my phone, though, hopefully discreetly).  

Jonker Street Night Market

After plodding back from the mall to Dutch Square (again) (passing by a life-size pirate ship sitting next to the road, of all things) (is this too many parenthetical statements?), I crossed the bridge into a crowded mess.  Oh, yes, on weekend evenings there's the Jonker Street Night Market.  It's supposed to be an amazing cultural and shopping experience, but I found it crowded well beyond comfort and the items for sale were mostly tourist junk.  Here's a few photos, anyhow; I hope you appreciate them because I was nearly trampled anytime I paused to take one.