Trip to the open air market . . .

On Saturday, I accompanied Stella to an open air market. So far on this trip this has been the most "third world" experience I've had. When I was researching Cameroon I read a blog of traveler who had visited one of these markets and it's pretty much what she described.

In these markets, you find anything you need--fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, clothing, toiletries, and so on. It's very colorful and extremely busy. You walk through the market at your own risk. No one says excuse me and they will knock you over without any hesitancy.

I looked like the typical tourist with my camera trying to take snapshots. It was difficult because so many people were moving about. As I tried to take a snapshot someone would knock me over because I wasn't moving. Stella was very patient with me, guiding me along and protecting me from those who didn't want their pictures taken AND from those insisting to have their picture taken. (Cameroonians aren't very receptive to photographs. Now I know why it was so hard during my research to find pictures of the country!)

It was a different and fabulous experience. The only drawback was the sanitation factor. The market was located in a spot where the sanitation was poor. Junk and debris were everywhere. The meats were displayed on long tables in the open air-- flies circled all around! However, fish were contained in freezers in a little building in the back.

My hosts wanted me to know that this open air market doesn't totally reflect Yaounde. There are modern shops and malls downtown, which I am scheduled to visit later. And I want to mention this too. Africa/Cameroon contains many modern features and I don't want to contribute to the perception that the continent is exclusively filled with rural and backward people. Many people here are highly intelligent and educated. I have not lacked for any creature comforts. I think the biggest difference is the degree of luxury. In the west, material/creature comforts are more extravagant, modern, and luxurious. You get many of the same things here, but not quite as modern or extravagant.

But all in all it was a great picture into a different culture!!