Back to my story... So we headed down the road and followed our tour guide Tammy in to a market. This was more like the African market I was expecting...not the city market in Accra. There was scarfs and handmade soap, poultry and oh, oh, oh, that horrible smoked fish smell that turns my insides out. From behind me I could heat someone shouting “O’brunie, Hey O’brunie” Then It said “Hey White Lady!” “Wheres another white lady”...I thought to myself” oh I am the white lady. So I turned around to see these silly girls in there uniforms all giggling. I started to laugh too and waved at them. They waved back and then began to run up to me and feel my skin and hairy arms. This was on my favorite things about Africa. How the children are so curious about you and have no fear about other people. Once they know you are friendly they have no inhibition about figuring you out.
Ryan ended up behind me as we walked single file through the crowded market. He was being quit the shutter bug. I looked down as I passed a poultry stand to a dozen freshly banged-on-the-head dead chickens for sale. I knew they were freshly dead because one jerked just as I looked at tit and scared me to death. I pointed at it and turned to Ryan so He would get a picture. When I turned back around I almost ran right in to the guy whose job it was to Pluck those things . He was plucking like crazy, just tearing out those feathers. Wow, What a sight. Only in Africa...okay, maybe in Arkansas too.
I had seen so many beautiful women with their scarfs all tied on their heads in fancy ways. I have always been a”scarf in my hair” kind of girl so I wanted to buy one. I saw a two older ladies sitting in their scarf store ( the term “store” is used very lightly here) so I went in. I picked out a cute one and did not even barter for it when she told me how much it was. I think it was 2.5 Sedis which is only about 2 buck in America...I was not about to take that ladies smoked fish and rice dinner out of her families mouth. I asked her to tie it like hers was tied and you would have thought I had brought her publishers clearing house check. She was so flattered that I liked her “ways” and jumped to the chance to show me how she tied hers. She wanted to pose for picture and then Ryan turned the camera to show her. She was so thrilled she hugged me. I love these people!
As we walked I got all sorts of hoops and hollers. When I turned the old women everywhere were pointing to my head and laughing. I started to feel a little “wannabeish” with my African scarf but Tammy assured me that they were laughing because it made them so happy that this white girl liked their customs and wanted to be a part of it. She said if I had tied it on the honky way they would be making fun of me. I was not sure I agreed until the next time I turned and a little ol’ lady pointed at her head and gave me thumbs up. She was so cute. I got all sorts of comments about how beautiful my scarf looked when we finally reached the bead market.
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