We decide to walk and acquaint ourselves with our thriving shopping metropolis and the driver, Berthier, returns to the mine. But first we need some kind of refreshment to boost our energy levels.....so we stop off at the Hotel Kaleta coffee and pastry shop.
Tea here in Mad is very, very weak. Still weak after standing for a week! So best to have it black.
We decide to buy some lovely seed bread, which they slice for us and some other round French pastry thingy to have at home, after supper tonight. (Its a total myth about losing weight while I'm here...)
Next up, a photo of a new French Restaurant, pizzaria, cum whatever, that we tried out for the first time last week. Will have to go back again before an opinion is formed.
Walking down the very, very long main street, we stop to take a photo of the sea and old harbour and hey presto, some fowls appear...on their gorgeous, slim, long legs bearing their lean bodies!
The other photo I took of our slim two-legged fowls was outside the Coco Beach Restaurant, where we are now unable to order meat.......we suspect (I speak under correction, of course), that our timing was way out when we went to order more meat. We arrived during siesta time (12 noon to 2pm), and after waiting like forever, the man appeared, rather irate by our presence and he informed us, the price of meat has gone up exhorbitantly, so sorry, no meat to be ordered for us!
We have subsequently learned that meat is still available to buy. Just don't go during siesta time!!
Such is life on this Mad magical island!
But the fowls make me digress from our shopping adventure!
We pop in at a roadside shop/stall that sells basket ware and where one is able to order the beautiful hand embroidered table cloths and anything else Madagascan. This is a family owned business and they speak excellent English. This is where I receive my next Malagasy lesson, from a charming young man who is kind enough to write the words in my notebook and help me with the pronounciation.
I want to know the word for no! in Malagasy. This word had me chuckling all the way home. For those who know how my head works, you will understand how I derived so much humour from this word! Let me just add, there are two words for no! one can use, but it is the latter one which is more often than not used. Tsia - no, and my favourite - aha - no!! It works, I kid you not. One aha and we were not bothered again! The most useful word here on the Island.......and to think I knew it all along!
Now for my Israeli friends. In Hebrew after greeting, the most commonly used phrase is: Mah nishma? What's news? In Malagasy there is a similar phrase attached to the greeting of salama....
ino vaovao (ino vo-vo)? What's news? The standard answer, (even if you have news!) is: tsimisy vaovao (tsimishy vo-vo) no news!
Obviously, being very optimistic and positive myself, I had to learn the word for yes! And guess what, there are two words one can use: eny (eni) and eka (e as in egg) - yes! I was so enjoying my language lesson that I forgot to take a photo of the young man and the shop! Sorry!
Then it was on to the market, again! There are many, many, many stalls down the side streets selling any and everything. We bought a small frying pan and a spatula. One can buy clothing, shoes, curtaining, sandals, plastic ware, china tea pots and coffee mugs, tea cups, tools - modern and antique. It is quite acceptable to take one's siesta on top of one's wares that are for sale. I seem to be adapting somewhat to the different smells, odours that always accompany a new environment.
I wonder if I leave a particular odour behind when I come home?
No comments:
Post a Comment