Tonga on Market Day (Saturdays)

Kids enjoy the swimming hole next to the Purple Store: The Purple Store is known for its great NZ ice cream--Passion Fruit is especially good! The storage containers from the ships have arrived at the Purple Store. There were 9 huge containers this day! We were at the "Twin Towers" store when Elati Maile, an employee, rushed right up with a basket for me to carry groceries. He proudly stated, "I'm a Momon!" The people is are so kind and gracious on this island. This store features large frozen bags of turkey tails! No, we didn't buy them. Vegetables and fruit were plentiful for the first time in weeks at the outdoor/indoor farmers market. Tongans have their own small farms and raise their own vegetables and fruit. They eat lots of root vegetables such as tapioca, taro, breadfruit, and a variety of yams with little seasoning. Leafy green vegetables are often difficult to find.

Vegetables and fruit are sold by the pile. This is the farmer's market indoors. Their green beans are yummy!

We buy quite a few vegetables from this Chinese girl: Cucumbers are always good, eggplant is the first we've seen and Chinese spinach: These fans are made from the coconut leaf, and the several kiekie on the tables are handmade and worn over the skirt for women. Yes, I'm planning to buy one to wear for Sunday and special occasions: This sister is making a broom: These kinds of brooms are used in the homes and classrooms:A Tongan uses a child's dress to cover his head---anything works I guess. :) When they're out in the sun we see shirts, towels, baby clothes, anything attached onto the head as a cover to keep the sun off their faces. Our favorite bakery is Cowley's: The missionaries shopping across the street in a tiny American store where we look for treasures from the mainland such as pasta and spaghetti sauce. It was a rare treat to find some dried pinto beans that day! Home from the market, Elder Hawley changes into his P-Day clothes and goes to retrieve a coconut on the Liahona High School grounds. He threw it into the tree--see it above his hand--to retrieve another but missed: )The Chinese pink takeaway store is across the street from campus. Surprisingly, you ask for it and they have it--from an umbrella to Cream crackers (like Saltines that stay crisp); or "cough candy" (cough drops) to a loaf of bread. How about that car? It reminded us of Cason's! Looking into one side of the pink takeaway store: 'Line Kioa is one my cute Valiant Primary girls at the Pink Store: White plumeria flowers from our backyard tree in honor of Brenda's birthday. The smell is as enchanting as the flowers!