The 322nd good thing about Lagos: New sights of odd things in the Abeokuta market

 Last April I had an opportunity to visit Abeokuta with a group of girlfriends.  I had been there before (blogged here, here. and here.)  But I like the place, and it's always fun to have a day trip with friends.  We had a great day and I ended up having some new adventures. 

We started out visiting Olomu Rock, and the area where people hid out for years during various wars.

 We greeted the women at the shrine behind the rock and gave them a financial offering.

This time, instead of taking the easy stairs to the top of the rock, I took the ancient route, which began with some ladders between the rocks.

 It had some walkways,

and a final scramble up the side of the rock.  Fun!

 Made it to the top!

Some kids who were up on top looking for opportunities to "help" knew how to make an effective pose for photos.

Some fun dancing with one of the children up there.

 

One friend had family visiting from the States and so they took a picture on top with our entourage for the day.  Along with the policemen, I thought it was cute how the company security guys dressed up for the day looking very dapper in suits and ties.  Ladies don't travel unaccompanied in Nigeria!

 

Down from the rock, we headed to the market. 

 

There was normal stuff on the street, but then we headed back  into a different market.  I had never been to this part of Abeokuta before.  We found the ju-ju market! 

There was  some normal stuff, vegetables, gourds,

 some stuff that looked kind of normal, but I wasn't sure what this was....

 and then lots of weird stuff.  These are things that are believed to have some magical powers.

 

 Dried lizards and other animal parts,

 rocks, powders, natural soaps,

 bells and blades,

 and lots of rats on sticks.  Not sure what they were used for.  I failed to get a picture of it, but I have a good mental image of a little girl standing in a doorway holding a cellphone to her ear, with her other hand holding a rat on a stick.

 skulls of monkeys and who knows what else,

 

 lots of animal skins and parts,

 and then there's onions and other normal stuff right next to the strange stuff.

 

 Need some dried frogs?

 They had this pan covered up with the cloth, smoking something and the woman lifted the cloth to let us see what was inside:  rat on a stick!  Yum!  We declined to purchase any.

shells and horns

 not sure what these spiny things are -- we asked them, but I didn't understand what the guy said.

 and then some normal looking dried fish

 and gourds.

Ready for a nap?

 We decided to take a quick peek back at the fabric market.  This is my favorite building, the maternity center with the anatomical painting on the wall.  Of course we had to buy some fabric -- can't go to Abeokuta without fabric shopping.

 

And on the drive back we stopped along the road at the place where they sell yam pounders.  I've already got a couple of these.  They're kind of fun decorations -- never pounded yam in them, though.

 Some serious bargaining going on.

 Successful negotiations!  And then back to face the traffic back to Lagos on the drive home.

Fun day!