Market Snaps

A few weekends ago, I felt smugly pleased about choosing what to do in the moment, not planning ahead, and feeling like I found a perfect balance of doing nothing and doing things. This weekend, it somehow turned into the opposite. I woke up and had a list of things I wanted to do, needed to do, and felt it would be good to do. I wrote a list. And I got overwhelmed and felt anxious. 

Luckily, a friend snapped me out of it by inviting me to explore local markets with her and another friend, and gently nudging me to come along when I waffled. Camera around my next and shoulders tensed (for no reason beyond feeling overwhelmed by choices), I hopped into the tuktuk. We visited two markets and became so completely engrossed in the sights, sounds, smells and bustle around us that it was easy to leave the panic behind. 

It's becoming more fun to take snaps and then peruse them once home. Years ago, my dad got me a video series on photography and I hope to avail myself of the lessons, practice the techniques, and get better. For now, though, it's just fun to let my eye rove and pick out the fun and exotic and interesting. It feels good to practice asking permission to take a person's photo in the local language, respecting answers positive and negative. 

It feels good to focus my energy and thoughts on the immediate, the world right in front of me. Here's what I saw today.

Egg in all forms

Basket o' little fishies

Well protected from the sun and 
ready to sell her wares

After I carefully asked permission to take their 
photos, the woman on the right put on her mask 
before giving me the thumbs up. 

Food stall

Lunch nearby a jewelry counter

He was pleased to have his photo 
taken, then turned shy when I 
used the word for handsome.

A butcher prepping and selling her food

Bright green greens for sale

Piles of little crispy shrimpies

Beans and grains, perfectly set up in 
rolled down bags

Lunch outside the market