POSITION : 14°00'•39 N 060°49'•27 W
DAY / TIME : 12.01.2013 , 12.00h Local TIme
MOOD : could be better
When have you been to the market lately ? Here you are, time to go again.
The best day is Satur-day, the 'Dies Saturni', because the planet Saturn controls the first hours of this day.
SATUR-DAY IS MARKET-DAY
DAY / TIME : 12.01.2013 , 12.00h Local TIme
MOOD : could be better
When have you been to the market lately ? Here you are, time to go again.
The best day is Satur-day, the 'Dies Saturni', because the planet Saturn controls the first hours of this day.
SATUR-DAY IS MARKET-DAY
Saturday Market in Castries. The funny thing about markets is that they are basically occupied by the same people all over the world. No matter where you are, whether here in Saint Lucia, in Venice, or in London, the sellers are usually BIG BIG WOMEN, chatting , laughing, giggling, gossiping and shouting, but always very friendly, always very funny and nice.
And mostly honest.
Am I right ?
You don't think so, because I dared to mentioned London with the same breath than the Carbbean ?
You think London is different ?
Dear World Traveller, you have no idea :
The whole Caribbean is like half of London !
Wow !!!!!! What ?????? Where ????? How come ??????
Well, it is simple, and in case you have even never seen the Caribbean, go to London and you'll have it..... if you can look beyond the sun, the sea and the palm trees.
Take off from Paddington Station and go west through Bayswater along Westbourne Grove and you come to
.....Notting Hill.
And there you have the largest West Indies community outside the West Indies, the largest Caribbean Street Carnival outside the Carribean - every year at the last weekend in August - and you have every Satur-Day the market
........Portobello Road .
Now of course there are subtle differences, if for example you specifically compare the market in Castries, the Capital of Saint Lucia, with the Portobello Market in London, the Capital of the United Kingdom .
The people however are the same, the litter and garbage on the streets is the same,
the pick-pocketing, the friendly policemen acting as tourist guides,
all is the same besides one thing :
The "sign - language" !
Gosh it took me a long time to get here.
But really , the sign-language is important.
And I find that in Saint Lucia it is much better organised than in Portobello Road,
almost with a germanic touch !
Let me explain:
 Important : Have a nice day ! First, when you are in Portobello Road, no sign says : And here is the Market ! But in Castries, it is very clear where the market is, although it is also beyond that sign...... |  Like Portobello Road ! |  no bread no more, Maa ! .....in fact it crawls up and down some other roads, but at least you know where the centre is.... and each stall or shop is clearly signed next to each other . |
Of course everyone needs a drink after a while, so where else to go than to the most exciting place in town,
which happens to be in the middle of the market :
which happens to be in the middle of the market :
 After that as nature dictates, there will be some people who have an urgent need, so it is important where to go in case such a need arrises. Now in Castries it is very simple : You can do it everywhere, with only one exception, and that is where the sign says : DO NOT PISS ! meaning no p... here, and that by ORDER ! ( you see now the germanic side of things ! ) . This is extremely helpful, I find. By comparison, in Portobello Road, you are by far more restricted. You need to look for a toilet sign, and then you have to pay as well ! How silly ! No, really, p...ers of the world unite , down with the urinals ! |  And whilst we are at that subject, or a related one, basically no Chinese are welcomed either !!!!!!!!!  ....and by the way, you want an icecream. Well, no credit here, CASH ONLY ! |
Last but not least, gambling.
What else can you as a man do in markets than gambling, whilst the " Missus " does her chores.
In Castries it is some kind of a Backgammon Game
What else can you as a man do in markets than gambling, whilst the " Missus " does her chores.
In Castries it is some kind of a Backgammon Game
 But then , as the sign says.... However the interpretation of the sign is left to its reader. If there is a sign in a specific place, one could or should safely assume it applies to the place where the note is , right ? So ok, Mon, the missing word then again is "here" , meaning "there" it is not prohibited any more ..... |  ..............so "there" , which is roughly 1.50m distance, it is obviously allowed...otherwise there would be another sign, OK, BROTHER ? No interpretation possible ! I call it "Germanic Charm". Straight forward . |
In London however there is no sign anywhere, meaning it is allowed everywhere ? or not ?
......and the Romanian street tricksters take full advantage and put up their "search the pea under the cup"
when there is no policeman in sight.
But then, there are no policemen in Portobello Road, only Tourist Guides !
So you see, it should be understood by now :
Everything in Saint Lucia, and to a larger extent in the Caribbean, makes sense.
Nothing does in London.
Which leaves me with the obvious question :
Where and what is the "Caribbean" ?
And that, dear Reader, I will cover in my next blog. Until then :
Come see ya, Rasta Mon !
Mas Mike
......and the Romanian street tricksters take full advantage and put up their "search the pea under the cup"
when there is no policeman in sight.
But then, there are no policemen in Portobello Road, only Tourist Guides !
So you see, it should be understood by now :
Everything in Saint Lucia, and to a larger extent in the Caribbean, makes sense.
Nothing does in London.
Which leaves me with the obvious question :
Where and what is the "Caribbean" ?
And that, dear Reader, I will cover in my next blog. Until then :
Come see ya, Rasta Mon !
Mas Mike
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