Here's another illuminating example of the Gambian wholesale and retail trade.
I wrote a blog about our visit to the two largest markets - Serrekunda and Albert Market - and we saw (but never dared visit, too shy) the shops that line the streets.
One day we visited the most extraordinary market we ever clapped eyes on: the daily, wholesale and retail fishing market on (yes, on) Tanji Beach.
Tanji Beach is the most important fishing 'harbour' of the Gambia. Twice daily fishing boats arrive at the beach and sell their catch in rusty wheelbarrows - that's the wholesale part - to the vendors, who in turn sell the fish on small upturned plastic boxes to the public. Or on a piece of cloth. That's the retail.
The fish that is not sold the same day is either dried or smoked, after which it's packaged in loose wooden crates and send to the middle of the African continent, or kept on ice.
On ice, in - please note - our discarded fridges and freezers. I'm not kidding. I think this was the most baffling part of the market.
That said, we've never ever even been near such an unknown and unfamiliar place. We were grateful for the chance to see such an important part of Gambian daily life, but the dire poverty of it all was difficult to deal with.
I wrote a blog about our visit to the two largest markets - Serrekunda and Albert Market - and we saw (but never dared visit, too shy) the shops that line the streets.
One day we visited the most extraordinary market we ever clapped eyes on: the daily, wholesale and retail fishing market on (yes, on) Tanji Beach.
Tanji Beach is the most important fishing 'harbour' of the Gambia. Twice daily fishing boats arrive at the beach and sell their catch in rusty wheelbarrows - that's the wholesale part - to the vendors, who in turn sell the fish on small upturned plastic boxes to the public. Or on a piece of cloth. That's the retail.
The fish that is not sold the same day is either dried or smoked, after which it's packaged in loose wooden crates and send to the middle of the African continent, or kept on ice.
On ice, in - please note - our discarded fridges and freezers. I'm not kidding. I think this was the most baffling part of the market.
That said, we've never ever even been near such an unknown and unfamiliar place. We were grateful for the chance to see such an important part of Gambian daily life, but the dire poverty of it all was difficult to deal with.
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