I am staying in an off the beaten track part of
town called Manakambahiny (i can actually say this now!). The ‘street’ is off of a main road and
is on very steep decline. It is is also extremely narrow which makes for many a congested situation for the ensuing traffic slash pedestrians. The slope also makes for a rather turgid river when ever it
rains, flip flip flops of course are suitable foot where! Various mud and poorly constructed concrete houses line the
street, with a spattering of local shops shops selling rice, fruit and veg.
Every time I walk down it I am of great interest to all the locals whom smile and stare enthusiastically. In my week here have come to very much enjoy this little suburb. Unfortunately I haven't taken photos as im too embarrassed to take out my camera in front of these friendly and humble people.
In order to get into town one must take a bus, there are a few that run along the main road but only
one the takes me into the centre. This story starts off with my
bus adventure and then my jaunt about town.
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| comfort isn't a priority in the national public transport! |
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Right from the off, getting into a Malagasy public bus (aka. - taxi brousse)
is a great experience, especially on your own for the first time! These things are tiny, like little mini vans, some are bigger, like
large transit vans in the UK, but these seem much fewer. The small ones can seat about 15 people comfortably(ish!), but I am told that 30 people can
cram into one of these things! There is a bus conductor whom helped me on board and took my money. The poor guy rarely gets to
sit down at all and is often bent in awkward positions to allow as
many people on the bus as possible. These vehicles are the public
transport for all of Madagascar no matter how long or far you travel.
That I think is enough to put many a tourist off. Luckily my bus was
not that full this day, it was 1pm on a sunny Sunday afternoon. I was
ushered to the back and squeezed into half a seat space which was
duly made larger by the other occupants – clearly used to the whole
operation. I got many smiles and some giggles as the ‘vazaha’
(foreigner) that didn’t know what he was doing!
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| The mighty taxi brousse, the public transport, typical in the whole country |
I had only made one trip into town before with the other volunteers and was a little
trepidatious not to overrun my stop. Anxiously and excited I stared
out the open window at the sprawling capital city of Madagascar. The
brousse's don’t go very fast (partly because of large holes in the
ground) and I eventually recognised some landmarks. First the zoo,
then the football stadium and even some rare bits of dirty and
littered grassy areas, adorned by the homeless massive cowering in
the tree shade of the mid day sun. I arrived in the centre of town
at the market kiosks, which are pretty unmistakeable. I squeezed my
way back out of the vehicle and was very thankful to have arrived in
the right place. The whole journey cost 400 Ariary, which is about 10
pence, what a bargain!
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| A tiny fragment of the market from above |
So feeling good I was free to wonder around town. The bus stopped at the bottom of the market, which is a cluster of wooden huts that forms a small shanty town effect impenetrable to the eye and protected from the sun and rain by plastic tarps. I dive in and wiggle my way up and down the thin paths that separate each stall. It is split up in sections of food, electronics, clothing. I don’t find what i'm looking for here and begin feeling a bit claustrophobic. I meander on further to be confronted by the meat section, raw meat being sold under searing heat aloft table tops showered with flies. No thanks, this is rank, I don't want to breathe! I dart through a gap in the stalls to escape and begin walking down the centre of main street. It's lined with little tables and blankets full of pretty much everything you can think of . Ive never seen anything like it, I'm fascinated at every turn.
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| no explanation required! |
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A tasty selection!
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| Dried fish, looks good, smells rank! |
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| Fresh meat and veg |
I have to
take back my previous and first impressions of Tana (of which I have
written about in this blog). It is actually quite a striking city (as you
can see from the photos I hope), far from any conventional form I have ever seen.
However, being a Sunday makes for a far less clustered and
congested place so I really was able to appreciate all its quirks and
beauties. Its such a shame that the chaos of a normal working week
spoils it so much.
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| view from the beginning of the market, Antananarivo. |
From what I see, Tana is situated at the base of a large flat valley,
all around are hills and small mountains. The hills are covered in
colourful buildings, none of which seem to have any real monotony
about them. This sort of random layout certainly adds to its
character considerably. The streets meander quite abruptly upwards
from the centre and along the valley floor. I found myself wondering
through bustling market areas, ambling curiously through hang out
areas where men are playing gambling games Past
street food stalls, some where locals and workers gather and others
more for the passer by, I was reluctant to try.
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| playful kids in the market |
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| some form of gambling game |
At any point there are random piles of rancid
rubbish and you are sure to see homeless people sitting everywhere on
the street. Again, none of it seems to have that much structure about
it as you can be wondering up what looks like a posh street with
security guards protecting cash machines; and then come across an
area where homeless people are sleeping and there are skips full of
stinking rubbish, rounding a corner to find posh jewellery
shops and hotels.
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| One of the many streets winding its way down to the centre of town |
It’s really quite hard to put into words that describe this place
(I'm sure you’ve gathered!). Anyway at this point I'm really hungry, all I've had to
eat are a few tasty bananas and plums. Its approaching 2.30 pm and I wonder
up some of the posher streets looking to find some non traditional
restaurants. I dodge a few young kids that have come running across the road to me and beg for money. Nothing appears to be open on Sunday and I wonder why someone
hadn’t told me!
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| These jars pack a punch at less than £1 |
All the towns people seem to be congregated around
certain buildings which I take are churches. They are dressed in
their Sunday best. Im a little too hungry to care much and wonder on.
I turn into a familiar looking street and realise that I've become
acquainted with this city rather quicker than I ever would have
thought. I come across a restaurant called ‘The Carnivore’, its
seriously westernised and not the sort of place I usually frequent.
This place is pricey, but real nice with a great view of the city out
of the window. I go for the cheapest meal of fried chicken, rice and
salad. I pay a rather out of my budget 6 pound and get a free
coffee!!
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| view from The Carnivore, Antananarivo |
Now I'm feeling better its off to the market again, strolling back
down the hill admiring the view on the way down. I pass many people
lying on the street, some selling a little fruit and veg, some selling hand made trinkets, others just begging. I
reach the market again and begin meandering through trying to locate the
electronics section, I'm after a cheap mobile phone. I see lots of them, but I'm too embarrassed to approach anyone, I hardly speak the language and I'll probably get way over quoted. I smile at people, they look at me curiously and I move on.
I am then accosted by 2 young girls, they appear to be selling bags
of the bag for life kind. This one particular, clean and less
scruffily looking girl wont leave me alone and asks me where I'm from
and what’s my name, how old am I etc. I speak to her a little and
smile at her whilst trying to give them a wide birth. She persists to
follow me and says that I'm good at French for someone who doesn’t
speak it!
I decide to buy some vegetables from a particular stall. The lady
tells me that 1 onion is 1000 ariary (25 pence) and I reckon its too high, I ask my new Malagasy friend if this is so and she says yes,
not helping me at all! The market lady then smiles at me as I give
her the money and gives me another onion! Meanwhile this girl
(accompanied by her rather scruffy looking friend of the same age)
keeps on at me about money so I tell them firmly no and they scurry
off disappointed.
I wonder further into the market under the mid day sun, not feeling so
great (I have for sure caught something although it does not seem to
be too bad). I buy garlic, ginger an aubergine and a few green
peppers.
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| 2 beautiful girls in a side street market |
I buy some water and am accosted by 2 very young kids, I ask them if they want some water, the little girl holds up a paper MacDonald’s cup and I fill it.. They both drink eagerly, smile at me and scamper off. I sit down in a shady spot to look over the market and take
a rest. Within a few minutes I'm surrounded by kids looking
ponderously at me, we exchange limited French at lots of smiles.
Now I'm looking to make haste for home and have given up buying my mobile phone! I wait at the bus stop but I'm
accosted again by the same 2 kids I gave water to. I buy them some
fruit, they are pushy but very thankful. After some meaningless conversations with some of the bus
conductors I give in and get in a taxi home. What a wondrous day I had just flitting around the market, Antananaivo is a very interesting city.
