Street Scenes

Scenes from the street market nearby.

Selling live birds.

In front of my hotel.

Thursday, October 26^th.

I spent the morning on the computer, updating the blog, sorting photos and e-mailing. At noon I went down to the courtyard pool and had a swim. It is not a big pool, but it was clean and warm and it felt good to get wet.

After that I decided to go for a walk in the area just to get a feel for the place. It really reminds me of Nepal and India. There are people everywhere, selling everything. I have no idea where they get the stuff they are trying to sell and I have no idea how real stores survive with all the street vendors in front of their shops. I was approached frequently to buy something and had three little beggar kids follow me for a while, before they finally gave up.

When I got back to the hotel I noticed a group of street vendors who were selling clothing and stuff, all looking up the street and then all of a sudden grab handles on either side of their little table (a piece of cardboard with their wares on it in a material carrying bag), and leave the area in a hurry. I was standing outside the front of the hotel and there was a security guard there, and I asked him why and he said the police were coming. So obviously street vendors are not legal. The police van came by in a minute or two. I've never seen such a beat up police vehicle. The windshield on the passenger side was shattered like the shape of someone's head, either from inside or outside, I'm not sure which. Inside were four policemen in what looked like blue painter's pants. A few minutes after they went by all the vendors came back. Then I heard sirens and three motorcycles came by in single file followed by a line of black cars and the security guard said it was the president and his motorcade.

I fell to talking to a Swiss tourist who came out for a smoke. He told me he had been travelling in Madagascar for a month and loved it, especially the Isle Sainte Marie area where my trip will end. He said he hates 'Tana', the nickname for Antananarivo.

I ate in the restaurant again and had chicken tikki marsala. Last night I noticed a group of 16 senior citizens, who are all from Norway. Tonight I talked to their local guide and found out they are missionaries and are here on a 16 day tour of the country.

After dinner I reorganized my bag and watched a bit of TV.