Holla Holo

There are very few stores in Kanyawegi. I could probably count on one hand the number of stores I have seen since being in the region that would qualify under North American standards. Here, it is all about the markets. Graham and I have spent a majority of our days in Obambo market, where the Bank is located. Obambo is small and quaint, with a couple Mandazi places, one place to get cold soda, a place to watch football game in, and a few open air stalls the merchants use. Most of the produce isn’t grown locally, but is bought in Kisumu and brought here. It’s a lazy little market that only gets exciting when it starts to torrential downpour.

Holo, a twenty minute bike ride, has become my new favorite market. Tuesdays are known in the region to be Holo Market Days. No joke, we couldn’t hold a Focus Group late on Tuesday because people would be at Holo, and luckily we didn’t. Maurice took Graham and I, and it was such a fun end to the day. While it doesn’t compare in size or crazy to a Thai Night Market, it is a wonderful place. We can find all our fruits and veggies there, along with rice, beans, lentils and any dried fish we could desire (we passed on that). Plus, one little stall made crazy good African Samosas.

 
I’m pretty excited to head over there again next week and really get to explore. It’s a nice medium between the African slumber of Obambo and the relative intensity that is Kisumu.