Special prizes for everyone
at Green Point market
Craft markets: you either love ‘em or hate
‘em. We know visiting one can be a very irritating
experience, but Green Point Market is just one of these
places you have to visit in Cape Town. Where else will you
see some of the most beautiful pieces of art being displayed
next to razor blades and cell-phone chargers?
“Hi sir, how are you? Please enter my shop and
take a look at my beautiful things. You like it? I will
give a special prize for you, my friend!”
Everybody who’s ever been to one of those African
Craft markets knows the drill. You want to walk past a shop,
trying to look at as much crafts as possible, without the
owner of the shop seeing you. It’s like a game. But
once you’ve been noticed, you’re a goner and
it will take you at least half an hour to get away from
the salesman. Strolling over a market can be quite time
consuming and irritating like that.
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How to get
a good deal
Don’t
take it personal, but you actually have
to be a total asshole to get a bargain
at a craft market. Don’t insult
anyone, but walk away. Come back. Walk
away again. Just give the salesmen the
idea that you’re not really interested.
Putting up your most arrogant face usually
works for us. And remember this: there’s
not one shop selling Ostrich-eggs! So
threatening to go to one of his competitors
always does the trick
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So when we paid a visit to the African Market at Green
Point we expected the worst. But actually, for a change,
it wasn’t even that bad. Off course you get your share
of people harassing you, but if you’ve ever been to
a market in Victoria Fall’s, Zimbabwe, everything
else is just truly peaceful. Some say that if the market
on Greenmarket is particularly for the tourists, it's big
brother on Green Point is for the locals. Maybe that’s
got something to do with the more chilled atmosphere hanging
around this place, but although the prices tend to be a
bit lower here, you will definitely not be the only tourist
there.
The African Market is held every Sunday on the car park
next to Green Point Stadium. From Monday till Saturday basically
the same market is situated on the Greenmarket Square, in
the centre of town, but it almost doubles in size when it
comes to Green Point. Some of the things they sell here
are amazing. We discovered Bikis, a painter from French
Congo who paints the most colorful paintings you'll ever
see. Support this man!
Green Point Market is world famous for its traditional
African art. There’s really some true beauty’s
to been seen here. A lot of tourists therefore use their
last Sunday to scoop up some more curios here. The Big Five,
cut from wood, come in almost every size, and the numerous
bracelets and necklaces on display will be the perfect gift
for you friends and family. Everything you can imagine is
made out of iron wire here!
But it’s not all crafts on this market. The other
side of the market is perfect for snapping up second hand
books and CD’s. And the prices can be amazing! The
more you get to the centre of the market, the more ‘normal’
things you’ll come across. Like deodorant, razor blades,
cell-phone recharges, batteries and more. Now you know you
don’t have to go to an expensive supermarket on Waterfront
for a good shave.
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