Seestah Seestah come look!

After a delicious brunch at J's in the Westlands, we decided to check out The caryo market nearby suggested by lonely planet. We called an Uber and arrived to a block of wooden stalls with several vendors selling handy trinkets from bottle openers to candle holders, beautifully painted stools (one with a zebra design I loved), paintings of all kinds, jewelry of all kinds, beaded sandles, and vibrant colored clothing, many of which, were inspired by the Masai or local wildlife. 

Vendors were fairly aggressive but all friendly and interested in us as well. As we passed each stall is was nearly

Impossible to get away without going into one. "Seestah Seestah come look", they would say and If you spent a little too much time looking at one item next thing you know it's in your hand with a similar piece and the vender is trying to sell you a bundle deal starting at a cost at least 3x its worth. One man, who told us to call him MM, spent twenty minutes or more going through his canvas paintings with us and teaching us some Swahili animal names and common sayings. He was very kind and a little less pushy than others. Corrine was able to barter from 4500 schillings to 1500 for two paintings. 

 

The exchange went something like this: MM wrote down the first price on a piece of paper and Corrine countered saying no, 1500, he would then cross it off and write Hapana! Meaning 'no' in Swahili and eagerly push his pen into Corrine's hand so she would write down a counter offer until "ndio" was scribbled onto the piece of paper, meaning 'yes'! I was impressed by Corrine's bartering skill as she never wavered from 1500 even after he insisted she meet him half way. Eventually he caved. Taking notes... 

We did not bring much money out to the market that day so when I fell in love with a larger twiga, or giraffe, painting I asked if they were open before we left on Tuesday. He said no but insisted we could find a way to pay and I hesitantly started to negotiate price... I was able to barter down from a 9500 start price to 2500 schillings. Which I was pretty proud of but then he scribbled hapana and 2700 instead which would include fair back for his brother who would uber to Kilimani with us for me to pay him! Ha! Unfortunately I only had 3000 and he, of course, did not have change but rest assured that I am helping the local community and economy (hopefully)... And I'm sure these happy, new experiences and memories will come back every time I look at it In my new apartment. 

I left the market that day with a giraffe print bottle opener and soap dish, the giraffe painting and a needlework canvas piece. Later when checking out the Masai market in Kilamani I would add another painting to the collection of a ndovu I'll be happily giving as a gift. It was at the Masai market that we also made friends with a younger group of male vendors who told me I would be worth 100 cattle and 2 hyenas "for security"... so I'll be telling my future husband this one day and he better pay up. 

My forever expanding Swahili vocabulary list includes:

Jambo= hello

Karibu (karibuni) = welcome (welcome all) 

Asante (Sana) = thank you (very much)

Hapana (Asante)= no (thanks)

Ndio= Yes

Mazungu= basically a white person

Twiga = Giraffe 

Ndovu= elephant 

Chewi= cheetah 

Simba= lion

Rafiki = friend

Nala = gift ... noticing a theme here?

Ganga = Kenyan bird 

Harambe = (on the crest)

Hakuna Matata (but of course we knew this one) = it means no worries, for the rest your daysssss.. it's our problem free philosophy you know.