An afternoon exploring the enchanting city of Antananarivo, Madagascar.

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.

comfort isn't a priority in the national public transport!

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!

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!

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.

no explanation required!

A tasty selection!

Dried fish, looks good, smells rank!

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.

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. 

playful kids in the market

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.

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! 

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!!

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.

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.