LANZAROTE - Our Holdiay Island ! 
Teguise-market
(Photo: Toralf Otnes)
Every sunday there is market in the old capital of Teguise,
right in the center of the island. And here comes everyone. And a lot more,
too.
Never have we seen that many buses at one place before, and all those
coming in their
own, or hired card, are making long rows way out of the town..
And there is thousands of people during the short period market is open. It
all starts
sundag morning after breakfast, and closes about one o'clock.
Funny, but outside the church, whcih is situated right in the middle
of
the market place, there is a sign telling you that the church is closed during
the market.
It won't open til all the hucksters - and the tourists - have left the show.
And show may well be the right word. It's almost like a theater, or
may be
a cirkus? with all those colourful marketbooths and peoplee. Salesmen and
women
are often africans from the mainland, from previous Spanish Sahara - or from
Morokko or
perhaps Senegal. In any way they are all making a destinctive show out of
it.
And so, what to buy on the market? If money is no problem, and you
are here for the first time-
then noone can tell what you buy.. You can have almost anything.. But of course,
there are
things showing up. The most beautiful handmade tablecoths, mostly priced about
1.000 Ptas or £ 2.00 each. So there is leather. Lots of leatherbaskets,
leatherjackets
and all other leatherproducts..
(Photo: Toralf Otnes)
One important thing we wish to mention (and we are quoting our guide)
you MUST haggle.
over the price. - It's not difficult, because its always the seller that takes
first step.
At once you show your interest in something, he is showing up and gives you
a
'special-price-for-you'. So you start haggling. And at the time you turn around
to
leave the place, he gives you his last offer. And if that is a reasonable
offer -
you have made a deal. Reasonable enough - According to our guide that has
to
be close to half of the first price. If you comes down at exactly half price
you ought to have made a very good buy.
We have also been told that when you buy leather from the Moroccon
salesmen, that
will be cheaper, as labourcosts in Morocco is so much lower that in Spain.
The
quality is equal, and the animals from which it comes, are the same.
What you should not buy(again according to our guide) are watches..
You will be offered
all the wellknown watches, such as Rolex and what else they are called.
So, if you are lucky they will tick-tack till you get on board your plane
homewards.
(That is when you buy another one on the airplane instead...)
Gold are all over, and the jewellery are exquicite. But the gold is
only outside..
But - it IS real gold. So as long as you are aware of that fact, you might
as well go along buying
- of course if the price is OK that is.
(Photo: Toralf Otnes)
A story at the end: One sunday morning when leaving Puerto del Carmen
by bus for Arrecife,
the bus had a sign saying it was headed for 'Costa Teguise'. Costa Teguise
is just north of Arrecife,
the capital, and out by the coast. The city of Teguise, where the market is,
is in the middle
of the island, and in another direction.
So, at every bus-stop in Puerto del Carmen, lots of tourist were waiting
for their bus to
Teguise Market. Many of the travel-agencies have their own busses, and several
other
companies arrange bus-trips to the market also. So when our bus stopped at
a bus-stop,
everyone tried to come onboard. The busdriver, a friendly local man, could
only speak
spanish, and even if he told them that this bus was going to Costa
Teguise, and not
to the market, We still don't know how many tourist we brought to the wrong
place....
We believe the bus-driver later took the rest of the day off....
(All opinions above are our own, and should you disagree, or have other
comments, feel free to send us an e-mail!)
