Every Saturday morning, the Ostend Market operates in the town next to Rocky Bay. Ostend is actually the nearest town with any stores, it’s about a ten-minute drive. There’s the supermarket, several hardware stores, a pharmacy, various types of building suppliers, several restaurants, Howard’s Enz (used furniture sold by Howard) and more. This makes it sound much bigger than it really is and it’s quite spread-out. The Ostend Market has become one of my favorite activities—both for the food and the local color. There are stands selling fruits and vegetables, herbs and lettuces, fresh oysters, great bread brought in from Auckland (sells out by 10 a.m.) and home-made preserves, but what I really love are the personal yard sales. People spread blankets in the adjacent park and sell old household items, some are pretty interesting and some are unidentifiable. Native plants are also sold and the used bookseller does a great business. I bought Sebastian Faulks’ On Green Dolphin Street for $8 NZ (about $5 US) and it still had a Whitcoulls (big book store, like Borders) sticker for $34.99 (yes, books are quite expensive in New Zealand). There’s also a stand where they make fresh crepes and, of course, a sausage truck that seems to be doing a good business even early in the morning. Two of our neighbors are at the market each week, one sells her watercolors and other cat items (such as calendars and cards). This week I bought tomatoes and broccoli but was too late for bread. I wanted to go back to the bookseller, but Sam was straining on her leash to leave because an old man started playing the violin and you all know how much Sam likes live music!

Photos of the market.