Niamey Stockyards...Really?

Oh.My.Word.  What a fun experience we had today.  Our neighbor/nightguard has been asking to take us out to the sheep market for days.  We found a spare hour at noon and off we went.  Our neighbor was happy to share his knowledge with us. My farmer husband loved hanging out with the animals, even though they were sheep.  And I could snap pictures right and left.

Tomorrow is Tabaski, the Muslim holiday that celebrates the offering of Ishmael (not Issac) by Abraham.

A common sight in the streets this week has been sheep.
   Sheep for sale.
     Sheep being dragged along.
       Sheep loaded into taxis.
         Docile sheep with very little energy. Very docile.
 For you sheep farmers out there:  are sheep always docile or only if they live in the city and when they are  tired and hungry?

So...here are some of the pictures from our hour long excursion at noontime today.   I only wish you could smell the smells and feel the noonday sun beating down.

The number of people coming in to buy and sell sheep caused a huge traffic jam.  We got out and walked.

 The "stockyard" was a huge open area.  Each owner stood by his sheep (or cow) to barter.  The prices ranged from $50-$200 per sheep.  Each nuclear family buys one, if they can afford it, and if a man has more than one wife, he is to buy one for each wife.  Our neighbors next door will kill at least three as there are three families in the courtyard, even though they are all related.

 Don't let the warm looking clothing fool you into thinking that it's fall weather here!  It was well over 100 degrees.

Tom was delighted to visit with this farmer... informing him that he was the son of a farmer as well!

 Our neighbor was always running into people he knew.

There were piles of food for the animals.

 On the outside of the fenced off area were hundreds more coming to buy and sell.
 

 So now that the sheep is purchased, how does one get it home?
 They often come into town tied to the top of mini-vans...yes, it is full of people inside.

...along with lot of firewood needed to roast these guys.

It's not quite like calf wrestling but they did hold him down and tie three of the legs together.  That way he can still kick with one which helps with his breathing... at least that's what our wonderful guide told us.

They got the first one in...

then the second...

 

 and then all four were comfortably seated in the taxi for their ride into town.

 No taxi?  There is always the motorcycle.

If there's room for one, there is always room for one more.  

Tomorrow we'll experience the holiday, so come back for more pictures.