Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Durban Markets - this year's haul.

I've been in Africa and I will post up this entry a little out of order, I will get to how I came to be in Durban shortly but for now I have to post up some pics for a friend.

First up, Zulu woven bowls. These are made from telephone wire. When made from grass by a skilled weaver they are water tight and were used in olden times for drinking beer.


OK, these aren't watertight



These necklaces 1, 2, 3 are the best quality, 23 strands each and the first two with matching bracelets. (dunno where the third bracelet went)  and the other two braided style on the sides are pretty detailed too.



Above, braided style. I somehow picked up 2 the same colour.  Same price - $15


Semi-precious stone necklaces and matching ear rings.  Guess who the turquoise one is for ?
(Hi Dot).
These above were a bit more expensive obviously. 


Salt and pepper shakers


These bags are great, really sturdy and well made.  For reference the tiles underneath are 400 mm square which is about the same size as the bag.  I picked these up to carry the other stuff in and buy are they great 


Little "Zulu princess dolls" make a nice gift.  Also some really genuine old ivory earrings


Zulu necklaces above and below, the cheaper type were everywhere but they were all way too large, they looked like body armour and in the usual cheezy (South African flag) colours.   These were classy.


Not a lot of earrings around this time, I guess things are a bit different each year.  I found these ones below at Victoria Street Markets though, there were a bunch of them on these felt cards, old stock from somewhere obviously. More fragile than they look - one set didn't make it home intact.



So a bit of a mix of things this time.  All of these are up for grabs or if you think any of the pieces would make a nice Christmas gift then let me know which one and who for.  


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I found a few pics of our friend Bob, the best little Epicor consultant in China, picking cherries in the grounds at the factory.  The cleaners and the kitchen staff would go out and come back with bowls and bowls of these.






We knew where they came from - paddock to plate - and they are even organic I guess.  And fresh !


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Sunday, June 29, 2014

Summer in town

What a cracker of an evening in town,










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Summer time

















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Your pants go here

Couldn't tell if this was intentionally "ironic" or whatever ..


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Intersection

Last weekend I was back in Shanghai, just passing through so I dropped in at the infamous Rainbow Hotel hear Hongchao airport for a night.  I had forgotten the view of the nearby freeway interchange - all four levels of it. Watching the lights at night can be mesmerizing, that's for sure.


look closely .... you are getting sleepy .... OK I had been on the road for 3 days at that point. 

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Saturday, June 28, 2014

More dancing

Now summer is in full swing, the dancing groups are out every night, wherever there is room to dance.



Just a fun way of getting out with friends for a little exercise. 


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Free basin

This basin is truly free - self contained, self sufficient, ready to go at a moments notice !

When we go to my second favourite barbecue restaurant in Liaoyuan they always put us in the same room. This the view I have from the table, this free standing basin is just so quintessentially Chinese I finally decided to take a photo.



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Cake names

Just for fun.


"Love you without reason" "Red memory in Polard"

(Enjoy this moment)

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Puff balls

The first of the daisies have gone to seed, 18th of May








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