Eliya!!!!

It's 85 degrees outside, and the steering wheel still burns my hands after driving for 10 minutes. Eli and I are coming around a corner and the market comes into view. People are swarming the side of the street and I look for an open area to park in. As I veer off to the side of the road beside the market, I hear yelling, no chanting.

"E-LI-YA! E-LI-YA!"
(the E being pronounced like an A as in alien)

As I slow down and settle into a 'spot', the chanting gets louder and louder and louder. Within seconds, there are easily more than 15 young Malawian men huddled around the car, throwing their fists into the air chanting "ELIYA! ELIYA!". I recognize a few of them and realize they are chanting for Elijah (Eliya is Chechewa Elijah).
As I get out of the car, some of the men come to me saying "Madame, where is mwana (baby)? I hold Eliya!" Before I could get Eli out of the car, I had to calm them down and promise them each a turn to hold Elijah. It was hilarious! The only thing funnier was watching Elijah get wisked away by a crowd of Malawian men chanting his name and holding him up high like a king. I promise, next time I will get video. For now, these pictures are all I have.

I love the guy in the back, trying desperately to be in the picture.

This is our favorite vendor. We go to no one else. He gives the best prices and also yells at the other men who try to sell me stuff I don't need like bags of beans, poorly made mops and chomba (marajuana).

Here is a closeup of his vegetable stand. You buy a bundle (5 tomatoes) for 300 Kwacha which is about $2.
I have to say that visiting our market is something I will miss terribly when we leave Malawi.