Today I wander through the Sandaga market with ElHadji and he shows me all the famous ingredients used in African cooking, such as mint leaves, lentils, haricots and lots of spices. They even chew on sticks here to cure maladies. There are one man selling natural remedies such as boabab fruit, known as monkey's bread or bouye in Wolof, that cures "la rhume des fesses" otherwise known as diarrhea. I've tried it and it works ! They chew on sticks to cure stomach and head aches, and parasites feeding off your intestines. Yummy!
And I will NEVER forget the smell of a fish market in steaming Dakar, and seeing chopped fish heads, fish eyeballs and raw meat strewn across an acre wide rotting market. Yum! Afterwards we go to the literal armpit of the earth, where all the car parts and mechanicians are. Even the ground is covered in oil and grease. El Hadji's friend finds us a dinky little motor scooter that gets us around the city much faster than a car rapide.
1 comment:
Once again I am entranced by your detail, your imagery, etc. I smell the smells (ugghh, fishy) and I hear the noise of the hubbub you heard. Great writing.
Post a Comment