One of the things I love
most about being here is going into town and trying out my French. Even though
I can't say that much, I get a kick out of practising on the unsuspecting
public. And the Congolese are generous in offering correction so I like to
think I am getting better.
Yesterday I went with two
friends - Sharon and Diane, to the Grande Marche. We had three missions: to find
the live crocodiles in the market, to get some replacement fabric, and to
get spinach and feta for spinach pie.
Having been a few times
now, we are getting more familiar with the buses and how they work. So for
150CFA - about 30 cents US - we got on number 1 bus and headed off. The buses
here are Toyota Hiaces - and they take 18 passengers and the driver and
conductor! There is always great local music playing and everyone is very
friendly and tries out their English on you. We met a guy on the bus from
Brazzaville and he decided to adopt our crocodile mission as his own and take
us there. So we hopped off the bus and went via all the back alleys from one
side of the Grande Marche to the other. This is no mean feat: the alleyways are
narrow, some had open drains in them and most pathways were only wide enough
for one person with people moving in both directions. Then there are occasional
wheelbarrows and vendors carrying their goods in round plastic containers in
their heads - I am always amazed at how relaxed they look, loping along with 40
eggs on their head. I can't imagine looking so relaxed and walking so easily
with that potential for mess above me!
We eventually made it to
the "wet market". I use that term because that is what they called it
in Singapore when we used to live there. This is where all the fruit, veggies,
fish, meat and flour are. It's kind of like the central part of the grand
Marche and it is covered. Because it has been so wet this last week, it was
muddy and mucky but still as busy as ever. Our guide took us through the wet
market maze, going to areas that I had never passed before - new shoes, even a
delicatessen style stall. Eventually, we arrived at the bush meat section.
Surprisingly, there was hardly any smell. Maybe my nose is adjusting to the
smell of drying fish? The first animals I noticed were the chickens. They
were sitting there calmly in rows. They all looked quite fat and content. Funny
- if I was in a "boucherie", I imagine sitting calmly as one of the
last things I would want to do. We saw so many interesting things, I felt quite
overwhelmed: giant bush pig heads, enormous rat looking animals - about 60cm
long without their tail, porcupines - all in various states from alive to offal
and skin only. We then saw a live fire BBQ set up ready for when you had chosen
your animal. Can't get fresher than that.
Finally, we went along a
bit farther, and found the crocs! They were alive and trussed up on the ground
- about six of them - all around 3-4 feet long. I have to admit that they
didn't look particularly happy - their skin was very dark and dry looking and
it also looked quite baggy. I'm not sure that there would be that much meat on
them either. We wondered if they were farmed? We asked for the price and were
told 45000 CFA (90.00USD). I think they were advertising the non-local price.
Anyway, we may think a bit more about having a croc on the barbie for Australia
Day next week. I will have to ask Raoul - our day crew in the office - what
price he thinks he can get it for.
On the table above the
crocs were turtles - one was really enormous and also still alive. I didn't see
any snakes but I have to admit, there was so much to see, it was hard to take
it all in. Plus after the boys kept scaring me with a toy snake this week, I
wasn't looking too hard.
After having one last look
around, we thanked our generous guide and said goodbye. We then tried to find
our way out of the wet market maze to undertake mission two: the fabric.
Fabric here comes in 6-yard
lengths. It is called the "pagne" and it is made into the gorgeous
dresses the local women wear. Our mission was to get 12 yards of blue and white
fabric with "les fleurs". I can't remember how many shops and stalls
we looked in - it wasn't a huge number - but I think blue and white designs are
not the most popular here - the more colourful, the better. We eventually found
a place that had a slightly larger range and some blue and white material. We
negotiated in our minimal French and after finally getting the deal we were
hoping for, the shopkeeper started talking English! Fortunately minimal English
but it was very funny all the same. And when Sharon decided to buy a second lot
of material, she got a really good buy. Then the shopkeepers wanted pics of the
crazy white women in their shop - so there was a bit of snapping from a variety
of cameras before we left.
Last mission now: spinach
and feta. I had seen excellent local "epinard" when we were finding
our way out of the wet market - but now I couldn't find my way back. We
eventually bought 5 bunches for 500 CFA ($1) and then walked out of the market
to La Cite - Super Marche and patisserie. The supermarket is run by Lebanese owners
and has a fantastic bakery at one end. It also smells delicious! It is not
quite as expensive as the Casino supermarket but you cannot get everything you
are after either. Even so, I love to get the bread and hummus (in a can) there
when in get the chance.
Finally, we went to the
patisserie - a little oasis in the Saturday morning chaos. Now that we have
visited several times, and once on a Mums trip with 12 people, one of the
waitresses came across to greet us - almost like long lost friends. We were
given kisses on both cheeks when we arrived and hugs when we left. She loves to
practice her English with us and correct our French - and we get to order
goodies to do so!
After a pleasant lunch, we
said goodbye and headed down the street to the western supermarket.
Nevertheless, it was a
fantastic day, experiencing more of life in the Congo.
