Hey sister, you got a pen?

Well, Diana warned me. The Masai Market in Nairobi was quite something.

The vendors put on the hard sell as soon as you appear to think about walking in their direction. It was really difficult to look at what they were selling, because they were so busy pushing you to buy, that you couldn't actually look at what they had in their stalls.

The aim of the game was bargaining, and everyone wanted to know if you had a pen, so that you and the vendor could alternately write down your prices and haggle until you came to an agreement on the carving, necklace, knife, painting, bag, placemat of your choice. I actually would have loved to buy a few things--the Tingatinga paintings were beautiful, and very affordable . . . but I got so overwhelmed that I booked it out of there. I appreciate that they're making their living, but it was a little too much for me!

I think if I were a New Yorker, I could have managed it . . . Dunedin did not really prepare me to be a bargainer or deal with people pestering me nonstop. Plus, the knowledge that anything I buy then has to be carried or mailed has been great for curbing my already minimal purchasing impulses.

Angkor Silk Farm

Before leaving for the coast I went to a silk farm in Siem Reap called Artisans d'Angkor.

I was able to see the entire process--from the fields where they grow the plants/leaves (Mulberry) for the silk worms to eat, to the finished products. The workers experiment with different varieties of Mulberry to get the quickest/healthiest growing plants, with leaves that the silk worms like to eat.

Once the silk worms have eaten enough (a very short time period--days) they turn a yellow colour, and start to spin silk cocoons around themselves.

The silk worms from Cambodia produce a golden, rather than white thread. As a result, the silk from this area is called Khmer "golden"silk. Their business is conducted using natural colourings from dried grapes, bark, leaves, rust, chili powder, and other natural ingredients.

One thing I learned about the weaving process, is that while some of the pattern is derived from using different threads, part of the pattern is often from tie-dying threads using plastic ties, placed strategically to make a consistent pattern. This kind of seems obvious, but blew my mind :)  On the very complex patterns, sometimes only a meter of cloth is produced in a day's work.

If you're looking for ultra cheap Cambodian silk, this isn't the place for you. This is the place you go for high quality, and peace of mind. It's fair trade, and from what I could see the people there were treated very well, and are paid a fair wage. Part of the business is a school, in which certification takes a year. Each worker starts by being taught each part of the process, and then after a time they specialize into the area of silk making that they are interested in. All in all, a very beautiful, interesting, and humbling experience. When I go to buy a piece of clothing, it's nice to have each part of this process in mind, so as to appreciate all the work and thought that has gone into it--whether or not it is factory or handmade.

Beautiful.