Gecomba

the BIGGEST market that i have seen in my life. the mother of all matumbas (second hand clothes markets)
was led to this masterpiece and marvel of geniousity when i was in Nairobi with winnie last week accompanying her to an interview.
i cannot believe that i am only discovering this lace now, when ever people come to visit me here it will be a top destination!
the place is amazing i kid you not - rows and rows of stalls - ie wooden constrictions or just piles of clothes stretching on for miles - the roves are plastic bags or wooden posts (don't go imagining some picturesque cottage in cornwal, it is very far from that!) overlap each other so it is as if you are going through a rabbit warren. there is no order at all, they are higldypigdly almost on top of eachother and people and animals are running in all directions.
there are hats, tops, coats, jeans, suits, trousers, dresses of ALL sizes and descriptions of very negotiabe prices. i gloat not (ok that is a lie) but a mango jacket for 2 pounds fifty! an evening dress for 7 pounds! where else i dont know.
then there is no chance to get hungry as th usual wheel barrows of pineapple, watermelons, bananas, mangoes and the sellers of sausages, yams, sweet potatoes and samosas are all close to hand.
this is not a place to go flashing your cash though, and not somewhere that i would dare to venture alone, no no! you watch your bag, keep it to hand and use the other to bat off the hawkers flying in all directions! one highlight was when we told one jeans seller that we were actually looking for dresses and he said 'oh yes i have those just here' then proceeded to lead us in a round about way turning so many directions for at least ten minutes till we were well and truly lost! African 'just here' is not parallel to the English one! THEN when we arrived there they were fit for old ladies! hehehe we did giggle.
managed to locate some mighty fine purchases though and left feeling well satisfied.