Market Day!!

The market in Ho comes every 5 days .... and today, Sunday is the first Market Day of my visit.

I fell in love with Ghana's market during my last visit... and literally had dreams of visiting them!!

So I woke up very excited and looking forward to my first adventure. Cathy and I were setting forth on our own to brave the world of taxis in Ghana. Bernice had shown me the ropes on Friday so i was feeling very confident. Also, we had our landmark to indicate to the driver.... we are just past the Regional Hospital. (which is really big, Clara!!) And to get there we just say ....the market, please!! (no kidding, right?)

So we set off after breakfast. The sky is much clearer today. The Harmattan winds are blowing and apparently it has been really bad this year. Yesterday the sky was quite dark and heavy but today you could see the blue of the sky and there are white clouds... so maybe the winds are finally passing. The clear sky means that it is much hotter and sunnier, though, so we had hats and we were slathered in sun screen...

Our taxi, like most of them, looked like it had been sitting in the worst neighbourhood in New York and everything that could be removed was taken!!! It was basically a shell that shuddered along... but it got us there for the grand total of 50 peswas.. or in our lingo about 25 cents!

Arriving at the market , the bustle and movement was really something... and it was Sunday so this Market was not a 'good one' as everyone was in church we had been told... To really see it at its best, Bernice had told us we must come on a weekday!! Well ... for us this was a perfect introduction. A market in Ghana is so vibrant and alive. All the fruits and vegetable are artistically placed. The Ghanaian loves a spectacle... The lady selling some sort of white grain was dressed from head to foot in white!! Is this on purpose? Can't say... Black charcoal (made from the mangroves i understand ) turns the person"s clothes quite black ... so this scene is like a monochrome study in black... quite beautiful in its way... there was a fellow shopper dressed from shoes all the way up in red...

We walked around, our eyes feasting on all the amazing colours and shapes and combinations...

Of course, all the while i was searching for beads... I bought a straw mat for my room and some soap.... Then on our way out of the market i stumbled on my first stall of beads!! Wow, i was thrilled!!! Cathy memoriated this moment by taking some photos for me!!

My quest has really started as i have bought my first beads!!!