Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Day 112: Floating Vendors


Day 112:

In Dumaguete, Philippines, there's this wonderful protected dive area, the Apo Island. It's a small island, surrounded entirely by beautiful reefs. There's no electricity in the island. Everything has to be shipped in via bangka to the island. Often, tourists, whether snorklers or scuba divers on their surface interval, would dock at the main beach. Sometimes they'd go down to eat at one of three resorts. More often, they'd eat their baon on the boats.

The people on the island noticed this set up wouldn't do for business. They're versatile and creative vendors! It wouldn't do to wait on the shore with a stall and some shirts! Most of the vendors here, who sold shirts, sarong, or other trinkets, would ride little boats (boatlets even) and come aboard the tourist boats, showing their wares.

More creatively there's even a form of credit here. If your a tourist who'd come back another day... you could get your shirt early (because rarely do people bring money when they're planning a day of swimming), and pay to the boat-boys, or the next time you'll come around!

No comments:

Post a Comment