Pointe a Pitre -Guadeloupe
CuriousOyster
Steve & Trish Brown
Sat 24 Jan 2009 20:02
Guadeloupe we came north to P a P to find a safe anchorage to enable us to
leave the boat so we could explore the Tropical Rainforest National Park.
Unfortunately we have arrived in Guadeloupe during an island wide strike
that is slowly paralysing the island. In true French fashion the strikers
are blockading the fuel terminals and supermarket warehouses to slowly
strangle big business while still allowing the small businesses to
function.......except today, Saturday.
As we could not rent a car to drive into the mountains we decided to walk
into town to the daily street market located on the main quay but even this
was a shadow of its usual self as most stallholders could not obtain the
petrol necessary to drive into town. We were able to buy fresh fish straight
off the small boats selling a huge variety of fish and shellfish. We also
saw a couple of boats selling what looked like Turtle claws and flippers but
could see no trace of the rest of the turtle. Perhaps this is exported to
obtain the best prices? We were also able to buy a range of local spices,
their uses explained in excellent English by one lady but on behalf of
another stall holder, who in true entrepreneurial style had walked 20 metres
from the market to steer us towards her stall but spoke no English and our
joint French is certainly not up to the intricacies of Creole cuisine.
In the main square a rally was gathering in support of the strike and to
protest against their perceived low wages.
But while the tactics of national strikes may be French this is the
Caribbean and the style is definitely Caribbean.
Instead of the aggression of most strikes and rallies, the chanting of the
strikers demands and the uneasiness of the police presence, the crowd was
good natured, well controlled and the strikers demands were sung to a
calypso beat with the marchers dancing along the street waving their arms
above their heads. If you are going to strike, you well may as well enjoy
it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry no photos....I forgot my camera.
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