The Weekend Market

Every weekend at the ChCh Arts Center, shop owners come from all over the city with tables and products to be a part of the Weekend Market. The Weekend Market isn't like the daily market on the banks of the Ljublianica in Slovenia, that was just daily stuff. Daily stuff at a daily market, go figure. This market is more like... Padington Market in Sydney, (Did we tell you about that?) or Salamanca Market in Hobart (Did we not tell you about that either?). Gifts and tzaatchkas from boutique shops are what makes up the market, but there are many food vendors too. And several street performers.

New Zealand has a native people like Oz's Aborigines or our Native American Indians. The Maori have a distinctive artwork, lots of curly cues and swirls with intricate patterns. These symbolic designs can be bought in cow bone (why not sheep?) or Nephrite Jade. Another popular item is Paua shell. Paua is one of the many varieties of Abalone. It's blue, green and sometimes black, usually all at once. Earrings, necklaces, hair ornaments, rings, bracelets, even decorative whole shells can be bought. I'm starting to think that the Paua is NZ's national shell if there is such a thing.

Street Performers are definately there. Today (the 22nd) we saw a girl about 13 years old who was playing Bouree on a violin from Suzuki Book 3. The first time we had been there we had seen a comedy act by a man from Scotland, he was awesome. There are other musicians and an occasional large crowd around a magician or actor/actress.

In the back where you exit from the theatre (on the premises), you will feel as if you have walked into the Epcot food court. The "best" Souvlaki in town, Hungarian dishes, Lebanese baba ganoush, Thai and Chinese cuisine, Czech Palinka (pancakes), make your hand float to your wallet, not to mention all the sweet waffles, crepes, and even fruit ice cream. Like I said, the Epcot food court.