Lalibela’s Friday market offered a nice break from churches spotting. Cramped with stalls selling vegetables, fruits and clothes – it was huge. Nearly everyone was selling red onions, some merchants only a handful, some seating next to a small hill, some skillfully stacking them, others just spilling them on the ground.
The cattle market was cordoned off by a wooden fence, its only entrance controlled by an armed guard. His job was to check the receipt whether the farmers had paid the half Birr (3 USD Cents) to enter with their cattle. Quite a few tried to get in with out having paid the fee. The ensuing screaming, arguing and shoving looked scary to us, but the guard never lost his nerve and the gun firmly stayed on his shoulder.
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