R&R shoppping and social occasions
on Wendy Bird in Cameroon (Cameroon), 25/Aug/2009 18:59, 34 days ago
Early July we had a completely free weekend other than meeting Sam, Veronica’s brother to go find some material and then to the market to find a dressmakerand wander around and get some fruit to make a fruit salad for the party. Going into the material shop was like sweet shop, so much choice and a kaleidoscope of colours. The materials are set up a folded sheath all the same size, the quality of cotton and finish determines the price. Eventually with Sam’s guidance I found something I liked that was bright enough but would not look like a table cloth.We wandered around the market with its different products, smells and hustle and bustle. I took loads of photos but was careful to ask first, which I always do as the local people do not like their photo being taken orask for payment. At the end we boughtfruit and with Sam's help bartered .Down loading the photos later I thought, yes to some degree I have caught the experience and range of products sold. They have many clothes, shoes and goods sent from Europe in bales, hich they buy and then sell in the market.In the afternoon we had been invite toMarcy and Cary’s ( VSO volunteers)house to celebrateCanada Day, is 1st July but today is Saturday and why not hijack 4th July, their neighbour’s independence day. A number of volunteers had been invited and asked to bring food, hence buying the fruit for the fruit salad for desert. It was good to see them all and to see their house although they had not had water or electricity for the last day or so and therefore were using the pit toilet at the end of the garden.Apparently in the dry season water is often not available and the outside loo comes in handy. They do have a flush toilet and shower in the house, along with a small kitchen, twobedrooms and a living room with cane furniture and a table. The house is set behind a secure wall and high solid metal gates with a large bolt that they shot back after letting guests in.The food was good, mostly vegetarian and Ryan had got up at 6.30a.m. to make Maja blanca, a Filipino dish. It is a desert made with corn starch, powdered milk, sugar and pieces of corn. At first I thought it looked like blancmange but it tasted much better, delicate but really good. The photo show it in all its glory served on banana leaf.