![05-26-2009 002 (2) Ian's salad..MMM'MMM!](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-002-2.jpg?w=300)
Ian's salad..MMM'MMM!
![05-26-2009 003 (2) Esther's Salad...before trying to eat it.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-003-2.jpg?w=300)
Esther's Salad...before trying to eat it.
Now on to some interesting pictures. I wish I could bring you all here to experience the vibrance and activity of our market in Macongeni. Anne and I have been getting lessons from Esther on how to navagate the market and it has been quite an adventure. This place is huge..probably the size of 10 football fields with huge quantities of all things edible and everything else you can imagine. It is a labrinth of tiny alley ways and huge open areas jam packed with people and stuff. Tuesdays and Fridays fresh produce arrives from all over the country by car, truck, mule cart, rickshaw, and on people’s heads. In Thika there is one main store called Tusky’s that has the most modern products, it is also very expensive. We can buy produce and consumables for about 1/3 the price at the Macongeni market…it’s just not something you can walk in and do though without some guidance from a local. Today we went with Esther again, Anne bought some fabric and we got about 50lbs of produce and food. I snapped some pictures to hopefully give some idea of what it’s like in there. The closest thing to it would be Saturday market if it was a permanent market with about 5 times more people there and way dirtier. It is so crouded and busy you are literally stepping over people and produce to make your way. So here, have a look, don’t get lost.
![05-26-2009 010 (2) Fabric store alley...note the open fire...i never said the market was safe.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-010-21.jpg?w=300)
Fabric store alley...note the open fire...i never said the market was safe.
![05-26-2009 007 (2) Anne getting her shop on, , she scored some nice fabric for curtains and decorating.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-007-21.jpg?w=300)
Anne getting her shop on, , she scored some nice fabric for curtains and decorating.
![05-26-2009 009 (2) Typical market street.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-009-2.jpg?w=300)
Typical market street.
![05-26-2009 011 (2) We made the mistake of driving to the fabric shop...had to back all the way out when this lorry came through.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-011-21.jpg?w=300)
![05-26-2009 014 (2) That's about a foot deep in old corn husks.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-014-2.jpg?w=300)
That's about a foot deep in old corn husks.
![05-26-2009 018 (2) Where's waldo? 10 bob to the first one who can spot Anne in this chaos.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-018-2.jpg?w=300)
![05-26-2009 021 (2) This guy gave us a special deal on his hand ground wheat flower so we can learn to make chapai...a very common food...like a thick wheat tortilla eaten with everything. Second only to Ugali. as a staple food here.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-021-2.jpg?w=300)
This guy gave us a special deal on his hand ground wheat flower so we can learn to make chapai...a very common food...like a thick wheat tortilla eaten with everything. Second only to Ugali. as a staple food here.
![05-26-2009 022 (2) Shopping cart = plastic bags strung on a big piece of sugar cane.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-022-2.jpg?w=300)
Shopping cart = plastic bags strung on a big piece of sugar cane.
![05-26-2009 030 (2) Dropping Esther off at home after our trip to the market.](https://mayfamily.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/05-26-2009-030-2.jpg?w=300)
Dropping Esther off at home after our trip to the market.