Shopping in Africa is theatre, comedy, art, entertainment. It can be incredibly hard work and immensely frustrating. It rarely involves a quick trip to the freezer cabinet at the local supermarket – and even then you may find yourself getting your small change in biscuits or chocolate bars because the local currency can’t cope. This small collection of pictures doesn’t begin to do justice to the fabulous world that awaits the shopaholic as they browse their way down the continent through the local markets. I can’t use ‘window shop’ as there are rarely any windows involved, however I am quite sure you’ll easily find someone prepared to make some for you, probably beautifully carved from local hardwood or stone.
- The weekly markets in Morocco's Atlas mountains bring all the villagers from miles around. As well as shopping, all services are laid on, including the barbers. (c) Melissa Shales
- Souvenir camels lined up for sale in Cairo's Khan el Khalili bazaar, Egypt. I got one of these when I was four - my very first African souvenir! (c) Melissa Shales
- Need a live camel? The place to come is the Omdurman camel market in Sudan. Some 80 percent of camels traded in the world come through here. (c) Melissa Shales
- This souvenir salesman at Sudan's Meroe Pyramids had a fine line in strange musical instruments, incredibly heavy beads and vicious knives. When he heard I didn't have any children, he also offered me one of his eight - I really wasn't entirely sure if he was joking! (c) Melissa Shales
- Spices, chilli and hibiscus tea on sale in Omdurman souq, Khartoum, Sudan. The colours, smells and noise were all fabulously exotic - a real experiment. (c) Melissa Shales
- The Tazara railway basically acts as a giant mobile market with villagers turning out to trade at every stop. The border post between Tanzania and Zambia brings on a duty-free frenzy of activity however with everything from giant sacks of flour to crates of Coca Cola changing hands. I spent hours hanging out of the window just watching the immensely complex trading. (c) Melissa Shales
- I met this Shona sculptor living and working beside the road in Mutare, Zimbabwe. He used to exhibit in London and New York and now ekes out a living carving souvenirs. (c) Melissa Shales
- Kapenta – tiny salted dried fish – and mopane worms, grubs which are fried or charcoal barbecued, are both great delicacies in Zimbabwe. On sale here in Mbare market, Harare, they don't look appetising - and after trying them, once was quite enough for me. But I totally accept that other people think that Christmas pudding and Marmite (not together) are disgusting! (c) Melissa Shales
- A fruit and veg market lines the shady side of the huge Walter Sisulu Square at the heart of Soweto, South Africa. You can see the monuments, have a cold drink under the trees and pick up some potatoes. Great planning. (c) Melissa Shales
- The Xhosa women in South Africa's Eastern Cape create magnificent beadwork which has become much sought after by tourists. This rather chilly woman was determined to catch every passing customer on the East London seafront. (c) Melissa Shales
Click on any on the small pictures and it brings up a large picture viewer.
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