So, it's 6pm here (12 noon EST) and we got back from the market a little over an hour ago...I guess you're all probably getting ready to feast on turkey right about now...I'll make my spaghetti soon...
Anyway, I had a blast shopping today and got so much artwork for so cheap...I was able to get 5 canvas prints, 6 paper prints, 5 sculptures, and 3 necklaces for less than $200 (let us not all start requesting pieces though). For the paintings, they are all high quality paints (oil and acrylic) and I likely couldn't have purchased any of the canvases (sofa-size) for under $300 a piece in the states, so I got a great deal. We really can't buy anything else to bring back with us because they have restrictions on the number of pieces that can be taken out of the country, but if I could...ah, trust and believe, I would be purchasing more pieces for the home that I hope to one day own.
The best part of the trip was negotiating the prices. Yinka handled most of it because he speaks the native language. When I speak, everyone knows I'm American and they instantly know I have limited experience in bargaining. So, the artist would say something costs 15,000 Naira ($100 US Dollars), and I would tell Yinka..."No, no, no...that's too much!" True enough, in most cases the offered prices was not too much, but why pay that price when no one else is...
He would then negotiate the prices down...in most instances, I was sitting on the side still complaining that something was too high, or pulling out my phone so I could convert nairas to dollars (I looked a little foolish doing this, but I had to get the figures right in my head...this is money we're talking about, and I'm frugal as everyone already knows). At times, Yinka would be like, "C'mon, we have to give them this...that's a fair price" so I would pay and be appreciative for the good deal.
We probably stayed at the market for 2 hours or so. We hired a driver to take us because we didn't really know our way to and around the market. The driver was great and he got us there safely, even though we had a flat tire along the way...as you probably know by now...driving is always an adventure, one never knows what will be seen or what will happen.
Tonight, we may go hear a band play at a local social spot...it all depends on how much energy everyone has in a bit. It's been quite hot today, as the electricity has been off most of the day. We've been using the invertor for the majority of the day, but it does not power the A/C, so today's been hotter in the house than any other day. But we've had lights, water, and TV for the majority of the day, so I'm thankful for that. The invertor ran out of stored energy for an hour or so leaving us with absolutely no power, but that's when we ran out to the market, so I was fine.
Anyway, it's time to do a bit of cooking. Eat some turkey for me!
-DMW
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