Iringa

Masai Market

€“ go and visit sengai the unofficial leader of the iringa masai in the masai market between the posta and sokoni. all manner of beaded things, katenge bags, herbal medicines, and second hand shoes available. you will also get lots of souvenir traders bothering you outside of hasty tasty – they are selling cards, carved wood items, and musical instruments. one of them has a nasty habit of playing his terrible violin type device. shouting inatosha that's enough stops him for a few minutes and eases the headache but it does make sitting on the outside tables a bit annoying and not the best place to relax.

Neema Crafts is a great project. The workshop employs deaf people who produce elephant dung paper products cards, albums, etc, beaded bits and bobs bracelets, earrings, flip flops including stuff from their beads they make from recycling glass bottles ask to go and see their cool mud kiln, cushions, vitenge patchwork blankets, lamps and lamp shades, and more recently have employed disabled folks who are weaving rugs, hammocks, and various other interesting textiles. Their most recent projects are micro solar panels for lighting, radios and charging phones, very useful if you are camping, and a physiotherapy unit for disabled children. You can help the physiotherapy unit by having a fantastic hour long massage for 25,000/= from their bubbly physio Beatrice and you can lie there and relax in your pampering knowing the money you are paying is going to allow more disabled children to get treated for free! Along with the obvious benefits of providing employment to people that Tanzanian society has rejected, the products are excellent and make great presents! Haruna, a hilarious character, will be happy to give you a guided tour, and they have a café selling proper coffee and home made cakes, ice cream and sorbets if that tickles your fancy; Their panini Bacon and avocado sandwiches and the carrot cake draw expat volunteers from all over the south of Tanzania who also stock up on their reading materials at the book exchange in the cafe. Also they are the center for a great project to bring safe drinking water to rural villages using the sun, SODIS.ch so drop off any empty 1 1/2 liter drinking water bottles you may have and they can make use of them.

There are dozens of shops selling vitenge and kanga. The best are located around the Dala Dala stand near the market and down “Indian” street. Expect to pay 2,500/= for kanga and 4,000/= for vitenge. Real Wax vitenge comes in at about 10,000/= if you are a purist. Always demand a punguza for multiple purchases though they are tough negotiators but don't worry too much about going as low as you can as these guys are the middle men not the producers whatever they may claim!

The duka opposite the Posta selling batiques, carvings, paintings and painted tins have now all been moved on they were illegally there in the first place. You can now find them scattered about town.

In the corner of the main market you’ll find the basket market - several stalls selling straw mats, baskets, kitchen bits and pieces. The hand woven baskets are a signature of Iringa and well worth getting for keeping your mchele and maharage in. Currently you will pay 10,000/= for four medium sized baskets – an absolute bargain for the Iringa style they will bring to your bare, soulless volunteer accommodation.

For postcards try the post office for the usual Tanzanian variety, or try Neema Crafts. They have their own postcards, cheaper than the post office and much more local. They sell stamps there as well and have a post box outside.

For food based retail therapy, take a walk to Premji’s and/or Raju’s on “Indian” street, two mini-supermarkets heavily stocked with wazungu luxuries; wine, Marmite, Coco Pops, Olives, etc. Not what you would describe as cheap but when you are desperately in need of a yeast extract based hit, beggars can’t be choosers. also Neema Crafts does take away giant chocolate chip cookies and fudge, which are great when you need a lift.

Iringa Bakery

next to lulu’s. sells amazing bread. opening hours are bizarre – 4 out of every 5 visits ends in disappointment, but when you are successful it makes it all worthwhile! usually between 5 and 6 on weekdays is the best time to capture the bakers in their natural environment. unfortunately it is currently closed and not likely to reopen, but you can get good bread at a small shop along the side of the new neema crafts centre.