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The Knysna Friday Market
Every Friday the people of Knysna gather at the end of the day to relax, socialise and begin the weekend at one of Knysna’s best-kept secrets, the town’s Friday Market from 16h00 to 20h00.
I arrived early at the market’s site in the Welbedacht area of the town, just off the main road out of town to George (the official instructions say ‘follow the scarecrows’), to find a large number of timber stalls enclosing a clearing with wooden tables scattered around the centre. The stall owners were languidly setting up for the evening and making friendly banter with one another.
They were too busy to pay me any attention so I wandered about watching the preparations and admiring the beautiful surroundings. Gradually the pace picked up until the site became a buzz of activity. A jumping castle began to rise off the ground and arrays of delicious foodstuffs and confections appeared. Visitors began to trickle in and the familiar screams of excited children pierced the air. The market was becoming distinctly livelier.
My first stop was at Caffé Pronto, where the friendly owners filled me in on the history of the market, its seasonal tendencies, and how nice it was to be a part of this weekly ritual. The market’s musician strummed and sang his favourite covers while people filled the tables and more streamed in, all hungry for the delicious food on offer and a slice of the experience.
People where queuing up to sample the offerings from Keizers Kitchen, while Tobby’s Pizzas had a well-organised production line going. Asian flavours could be found at Thai Kitchen and Wok & Roll, while the most delicious pancakes were pouring out of the Pancake Den at R5 a pop.
Looking around at all the activity while the sky darkened and fires began to blaze, I realised how important gatherings like these are to community life, and what a wonderful way this one was to spend a Friday evening in Knysna. A well-stocked bar awaits the thirsty and flavours from around the globe can be found at the many stalls, turning the evening into a culinary adventure. While the sun sets you relax, spend time with friends and meet new people, while your children play and keep themselves amused on the many facilities.
Thus passes another beautiful evening in this amazing corner of the earth, and the spirit of the country market lives on.
Text and Pictures by Daniel Snyders. Taken from the June 2009 edition of Country Life.
More info on the town of Knysna | More info on the Garden Route area |
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