Adventures with Domoina

Dr Harison went to Majunga on Monday for his conference so it's been a girls week this week! Domoina has been the ultimate hostess with the mostest. She has taken us to different craft markets and the gem market next to the hospital to find treasured items to bring home to family and friends. While at the gem market, Meg and I were recognized from TV!! The shop keeper watched the Pastor David's installation and was so excited when we she met us!! 

On Tuesday, the surgery schedule was very light so we hired Pastor Tantely (Pastor Honey) to drive the 4 girls to Ambrosita. It's a small artisan town about 1-2hrs south of Antsirabe. The town is known for its wood carving and cute markets. 

We went to Domoina's favorite lunch spot, Le Artisan, where they had live music and dancing. It was a total tourist spot but served good Malagasy food on a cute outdoor patio. We learned some more Malagasy words from Domoina and Tantely and had a great time just enjoying each other's company. 

The best "market" we went to was up above the town. Pastor David (aka the new Lutheran president) found this place on one of his trips and we honestly have no idea how! We drove up the hill above the city and turned onto a dirt road. The dirt road took us past small houses and a church. Pastor Tantely stopped right after the church and said we were here... looking around I saw one unfinished house, a gravel path behind the church, and a couple small houses on the other side of the road... 

Scarlet took us across the street and behind one of those small houses to a bench and told us to sit. We heard a lot of whistling and then people began appearing out of no where. A couple guys started up their hand powered carving table while the women and children set up the booth with lots of hand made wood carvings. We watched the guy turn a block of wood into a little flower vase. Megan and I then took turns learning how to carve and spin the wheel. 

Once the demo was over, the women had set up their booths and it was time to shop! The wood carvings were less ornate than the ones in town but it's because they make them behind this little house!! We didn't even want to barter bc the prices were already low! This money went straight to the people without a middle man to mark up or take a percentage!! What an awesome find! 

Then today (Thursday), Domoina took Scarlet and I to the "big market". We have been to the small market before to get Megan and Scarlet's dresses and that was totally manageable. The big market should be renamed the ultimate SuperWalmart market. It has everything and was Yugggggeeeee!! We walked in came upon the kitchen stuff and the fabric. We continued on until we found the fruits, then veggies, then meat, then live animals, and finally clothing. Each area was so widespread that you couldn't see where it ended. The fruits spread out in all directions!! 

     

At the market Domoina helped us purchase lychee fruit. It's a type of berry that is mostly produced in China but they also grow here in Madagascar. However lychee cannot be sold until Nov 12th. I still don't exactly know why there is a strict date for "lychee season" but it is a big export so everyone gets excited when they can start selling them!

We had so much fun exploring the market and Madagascar in general with Domoina and Dr Harison! They are the most amazing hosts and I couldn't imagine a better family to stay with for a month while abroad!