muzungu sana and muzungu kidogo hit the big city on two wheels!

i'm sorry for the delay in posting, we have had a very busy few days... so, get ready for some updates.

Saturday:
nameeta and i got up and caught a taxi to a building not far from here.  Nameeta's in charge of getting taxis and negotiating the price.  we decided that i should hide in the bushes while she negotiates since they think she's a local and won't charge her a muzungu price.  we hopped in and off we sped...going way too fast down the chicken lane.  i almost asked him to slow down but decided to just close my eyes and hope for the best.  we arrived safely and located our bicycle tour guide and the bicycles.  the bikes were in pretty ok shape.  the guide took the one with the fringe on the back of the seat that i'm pretty sure nameeta was eyeing.  we strapped on our helmets and off we went.  we started at 8:30 am...
the first stop was at a few of the second hand shops.  the shop owners go to the bigger, more chaotic second hand market, purchase items inexpensively, and then bring them back to their stores to clean them and mark up the prices to sell to people who don't want to go the chaos of the second hand market.  there were some pretty awesome shoes... very tall and very brightly colored. 

the second stop was at a...coffee shop of sorts.  men were grinding coffee beans and making fresh, strong coffee.  they make the coffee and then carry it in the pot around the city selling it to people passing by.  rather than having sugar to put in the coffee, they make fresh peanut brittle and sell that as a sweet.  we watched them make both things, and then we tasted it... i didn't care much for the coffee but nameeta loved it!   but, i did really like the peanut brittle.  it was perfect - just enough sweet... there were several kids there that were running around and playing, and checking out the visitors.  the chickens and roosters were up to the same thing...

the third stop was at the chapati/chai container...literally, there was a container (like off of a ship), where windows were cut out and a woman was making chapati and chai.  the chai was perfectly spicey, and the chapati was fresh and hot.  the woman making them had a bright face with a nice smile and big hoop earrings. 

hmmm, somwhere in there, we went through the ghost market - an open market that the government built but then the taxes were too high so no one used it - hence the name ghost... but then the taxes were lowered, so people are starting to use it.

as we were riding our bikes on very bumpy roads, children would come running out of the houses chanting mu-zun-gu, mu-zun-gu, mu-zun-gu, and then they would run up to us and give us "knuckles" on our bikes, and then run after us until it was too far.  i wish i had a picture of us being chased by children chanting muzungu, but the one in my brain is pretty bright.

ok, next stop... a traditional house- a 6 room house, each room contains one family - maybe up to 6 or so people, then a veranda where everyone sits for food or entertainment, and then one washroom.  we went inside and saw how cramped the space is... and, we were told about the soap opera like drama that can develop in these tight living quarters... we ran into several little children here- all saying, take my picture.  so cute. 

then, on to the herbalist/midwife/doormat maker whose friend also makes paper mache roosters... very normal.  we learned about different plants for fever, seizures, constipation, malaria.  and, we learned how to make paper mache animals.... all very handy lessons, i think.

we next met the man selling herbs and such at the witch doctor store (his brother is the witch doctor but he was out).  we smelled a few different items, but we were trying to get him to give us some love potion...it seemed kind of like an interesting pursuit. but, only the witch doctor can give that out apparently.

this was followed by a trip to the kanga shop where we picked out several fabrics.  our guide, a very nice young man patiently translated each saying on the fabric as we held them out.  and, he thoughtfully helped us decide which one was best for each of us.  he said we spent a very long time in the shop... but, we left with several kangas and tonight, a man came to the apartment and is making clothing for us tonight.

then, we went to the cinema.  not really a 12 screen or 10 screen or 8 screen cinema... more like benches and a 24 inch TV with a make shift stereo system playing a bollywood movie with swahili translation very loudly.  it was hot and sweaty in there, but we took this opportunity out of the sun to re-apply our sunscreen.  i lathered on my lotion and nameeta used her spray container.  the locals were quite confused at our sunscreen and thought nameeta's was perfume.  one woman looked accusingly at her husband asking why she couldn't have sunscreen.  i explained to them how i was going to get skin cancer if i got a sunburn... and, then they looked at nameeta and said she wasn't all that muzungu... and thus we were named muzungu sana - very white and muzungu kidogo - just a little white.

ok, next... oh the other market where there was so much fruit and beans and rice and corn and peppers and people.  people everywhere wanting to get their pictures with us.  one particular man, yelled out in swahili that he wanted me to come sit with him as i could be his ticket to america!!  there was extensive talking involved which ultimately led to me sitting on a pile of oranges with him posing for a picture... i hope that doesn't mean we are somehow married.  

we then went to the secondhand market where they were selling all the stuff they sell in the first place we visited.  i have never seen so many bras and underwear... and i was worried about having enough!!

i think our last stop was to get a soda and chat with our guide.  he was really a great guy and full of information and made sure we were always safe.  our tour lasted until 1:30, and we left feeling like we had gotten a great experience of the city and people.

then, we went to the golden tulip to swim in their infinity pool, surrounded by people in questionable bathing attire.

sunday, after rounding, we went to an island!  an uninhabited island!  so great...

more about this later...dinner is ready!