Easter Week-end (2)

So this is what we did:  I met up with Thenain about lunchtime, and went back to her house to get rid of my bag and drink the usual litre or so of water.  Then we went to the Village Artisanal which is a huge centre run by the government with lots of crafts workers both making and selling – Thenain is very wisely going often – she wants to get a handle on what is good and what is poor before she invests in pieces she intends to ship back to England – so she is well-known and everyone had a chat with us.  Wonderful – sandals – wooden boxes and chests – leather boxes – recycled glass bead jewellery - hand-woven fabrics in indigo and brick red, some of the found-object sculpture.  Dreadful – stylised paintings of ‘village’ life – copper, brass and wooden statues – not-really-authentic fabrics made into not-really-authentic-shaped dresses ….. and bad pottery.  Why does every craft place everywhere have so much bad pottery?

After sitting, chatting and drinking another litre of water we went back to Thenain’s house to meet up with Jessie and Dominique who were coming over for the week-end, as they do every week-end.  We booked Suleiman the Taximan to take us to the theatre event we were to see; sat in someone’s  courtyard loaned for the festival and watched a piece of agit-prop around the Arab spring – interesting, West African perspective on the North’s obsession with getting rid of Gaddafi who is seen as a hero here.  Then a meal in another courtyard loaned for the festival then a band outside in the street – great stuff!  Suleiman arrived to take four Cinderellas home. 

The next morning, by collective taxi to Marina Market – the highlight of my week-end as I got cheese!  And Marigolds!  And essential hair dye, although I am not sure I have the courage to try it …. The colour choice seemed to be black or nearly black ….  Hmmmm

 

Then we went to Johanne’s to celebrate Isabelle’s birthday – Thenain stayed at home to take delivery of a bed for her future brother in law who arrived with a sack full of wonderful avocados – displayed below and graded by ripeness!

 

 

And then they all went to another theatre show followed by another meal followed by a street band – but by this time I was flagging!  Early night for Shona.