Theme: FIRST HAND SHOPPING
23.03.2021
Today we go to the shops.
Which is a welcomed distraction.
And something to do since I still have no WiFi.
Miss Fleur suggests two places and we head off in a taxi.
First drop China Mall
The driver wants to charge us 20 Ghanaian Cedi (€4).
We shake our heads and start walking away from what is easily a 30 minute drive.
Especially at this time of day.
Ok. 15 then.
We get into the cab.
Refusing the first offer is standard.
The traffic is stretching our patience.
Although the driver takes a back road to avoid a large part of Spintex, we still only inch our way to our salvation:
The air conditioned Temple of Cheap Goods.
China Mall is called that because everything on sale there is manufactured in China: clothes, shoes, tools, household and garden goods.
Everything you need and don’t need.
That’s what China stands for.
Manufacturing excess for no fundamental need.
Everything plastic
Plus food and hair products.
Shelves on shelves
We pick things up in mild bored interest.
Just to put them down again.
No need.
Looking for something that inspires us.
To be able to exclaim: OMG, that’s awesome, I always wanted that!
A way to spend an afternoon for sure.
I used to be able to do it for a period of time but now I don’t have the patience anymore.
I have more patience boiling in traffic.
Because it is inevitable.
You need to go somewhere in a car, you have to wrestle traffic.
That’s the law of civilisation.
However, visiting China Mall is a choice.
So I make it my little mission to document funny products I find on the shelves:
An Exploding Kittens card game in the toy section.
Hair mayonnaise.
Super shine and moisturising cholesterol cream.
Chanel (as in Karl) rice including inverted C logo.
Lol, branding copyright issues no worries.
Finally we’re done.
Heading to the next mall.
Accra Mall.
Very European.
Where I’ve been the only white person around my neighbourhood, here is can see where all the expats shop.
They don’t hang out in our neck of the woods.
I relax when we enter the big supermarket here.
OMG, they sell broccoli.
And cucumbers.
And avocados
And cheddar cheese.
I feel myself briefly relax.
Ahhhhh, home.
I let down my guard.
Wow, bacon.
And apples.
Everything is familiar.
At least it looks like it.
Visually comforting
A sanctuary should I need one.
I can get everything I need to make the macaroni cheese I promised the girls.
And it won’t be a complete disaster.
Phew.
The rest of the shops are Pandora jewellery, KFC, a shop called Banana which is the equivalent of Tiger.
And the like.
All the usual stuff.
Which is not usual when you don’t live in Europe.
A mecca for increasingly wealthy young Ghanaians.
And comforting for expats.
This is where everyone comes together.
For basic consumption.
I can’t wait to hit the mess which is supposed to be Kantamanto second hand market.
That’s more my territory.
I love the hunt.
Clean cut clothes bore me to death.
We are planning to hit the clubs this weekend.
I need an outfit.
The girls will do full hair, make up and bling.
I need to keep up with them as not to look like cinderella.
Without the fairy godmother.
I already know what the girls can do.
2 hours prepping is minimum.
And that time we just went to a beach bar during the day.
30 mins max is more my style.
And that includes a shower.
I kinda feel like simply wearing ripped jeans and a black t-shirt and my gold sequins bum bag and chucks.
But I will make an effort this time.
Don’t want to embarrass them.
Or keep the boys away.
She’s not from here.
Lol
It’s the truth
I just want to dance.
Like there is no tomorrow.
And not be self-conscious.
I literally haven’t danced properly in a year.
The last dance festival I attended is 20 months ago.
TWENTY MONTHS.
That’s insane.
We all suffer from the same fate.
And back in Amsterdam there is still curfew from 9pm.
So I feel privileged being able to go to a club here.
So I refuse to overly dress up.
I didn’t bring heels.
Don’t know how to do them anyway.
Fuck it.
I want to be carefree.
On the dancefloor.
That’s sexy.
