Charles the tailor

Some of my patients in the clinic have had on the most beautiful dresses from African material. I finally asked one lady where she bought it - she looked at me funny and said 'my tailor made it!' That set me on a search for a good tailor. Of course, Mr Whiskas, who is a fount of information, knew exactly the man I needed! After my last day in the clinic... and Jose's last day at the Korean hospital, the tailor Mr. Whiskas recommended, Charles, rode his bike to the house and we all went in the car to Old town or Indian town. This is the area of the city where the previous dictator forced all the east Indians to move their shops. They are now free to be almost anywhere, but many stay in Old town. It is full of shops - large and small - markets, again large and small, and lots and lots of traffic -vehicular (car and bike) and foot. We went to buy material for a traditional African dress for me and a traditional African shirt for Jose. First you find the material. We went to a couple of shops, but didn't find anything we liked, so Charles took us into a market- from the street it looked like a tiny alleyway, but it opened into a hodgepodge of shops and booths - including a long lean-to style building which housed lots of women and each had their own special cloths. We found what we wanted there. Then on to buy the thread, buttons and lining - a different shop, down a different road. Then for zippers... oops, the shop Charles likes did not have the colors he wanted, so no zippers today. While Charles and I were shopping for zippers, etc. Jose and Mr. Whiskas stayed in the car and bonded even more! (More about their bonding , the bike and Mr. Whiskas' retirement property later!) Then home where he took measurements of both Jose and me. The pictures are of Charles doing some measurements before sewing, and some of Indian town. Oh, they don't use patterns - they just do it in their heads. It is pretty amazing to watch these guys with their foot powered, antiquated machines doing their sewing. Most refer to themselves as tailors, although I had one guy (as a patient) call himself a 'fashion designer'.