For many years, the farmers' market at Root 44 did not attract many people beyond those who partook in the Parkrun event that took place there every Saturday (before all the lockdowns). Now, after a couple of inactive years, they are open again. But somewhere big money has gotten involved and now it is really a place for the elite. It came as a shock to me when I took my girlfriend, @urban.scout, there for her first visit there. For many years, we visited the Root 44 market, but recently, it has become something else. Not good or bad, just different to the original one.

But in any case, please do join me on this virtual journey to the Root 44 market in Stellenbosch, South Africa, or what I have since called it: the rich man's market.

Art art art and art

I cannot emphasize it enough, there is a lot of art. I was once also an art student, and I almost sold something in 2012, so I know the joyful feeling of selling something. But I also know the feeling of not selling your art. I think most of the people leave the Saturday and Sunday feeling that depressed feeling of not selling something. Here is just a small sample of all the art.

As you enter the market, the by-now generic bronze statue greets you. All over South Africa, these types of bronze statues great you. Perfected by the artist Lionel Smit many other contemporary artists have copied him. I do not even know if this is a Lionel Smit or one of the infinite amount of copies available. I think the one below is also one if this artist's:

Initially, they might look impressive, but after seeing countless of them, they get pretty stock and standard. Some of the other art was impressive, but so expensive. I think some of them go for more than $2000 - $3000. Way above my price range.

Good Food

We obviously came for the food. But what a disappointment if I can say it that outright and straight to the point. One would guess that at a market like this, you would get freshly made food and produce, but it was merely fancy restaurant-type food after another. The target clientele was obviously the rich. It looks very nice though.

It is funny how creativity in our modern era seems to be dead. People obviously follow the market, what sells will obviously sell. People will buy the standard thing, they do not like to experiment and buy something they are not familiar with. Therefore, only the same thing is reproduced over and over again. There is not creativity, no one is taking chances because they also just want to make money and make ends meet. The consequence is that you get the same food at every farmers' market, there is nothing new, nothing that makes you really want to go to these places anymore.

In the end, we settled for some wine slushy, it was after all very warm.

And the Samosas stand is always a winner. The curry here in the Cape Malay area is always good, sometimes better than anything you will ever eat.

The ladies behind the counter were extremely friendly. We first only bought samosas:

But we returned shortly afterward because it was really just too good. We also ordered a Roti that we ate with our hands. There is a quote out there somewhere (I have unfortunately lost it) that goes something like "because we could not eat with our hands we could not taste the food any longer". Since reading the quote, I have always tried to eat with my hands and fingers. People sometimes look at you like you are crazy, but I do not mind.

If you have never had real rotis and samosas, you are really missing out. You should really get some asap. Life provides small pleasures, we should just grab them.

Postscriptum or Money cannot make it worthwhile

Capitalism is great, it creates a war-like system in which the one will try at any cost to beat the other. This will drive prices down and quality up. At least in theory. In our neo-liberalist state, quality goes down, prices go up, and people in general just do not experiment anymore. Sameness is a safe bet.

In the end, we had a fun trip albeit ruined a bit but the smugness of money. Money can unfortunately not buy you success in this area.

People will flock towards it and spend so much money there. But in the end, they are buying the same thing over and over again.

But it was still good. The same samosa over and over again is still good. I am hungry just writing about this!

In any case, I hope you enjoyed this virtual journey. I hope you can experience it for yourself as well. All of the musings are my own and the photographs are also my own. I took them with my iPhone. Safe travels, and stay well.