Friday shop
Walking south east down the main road. The shops to the left in bright sun, the shops over the road in shade. Sky bright blue. Air warm like a bath. 'Juices 4 Life' a small shack in a cleared area between terraces. White letters on black on a board above the serving hatch. Instagram and facebook icons below the banner. Does juices, baguettes, paninis and coffee. Thumbs up from the man as I take a snap. Directly over the road, Cafe Faraz has a banner announcing 'Opening soon FRESH juice bar'
Victorian shopping streets have shade trees on the corner of the main road and the side streets. Albaraka has the corner shop. Nice looking cherries in large boxes and bowls of fruit and vegetables. The plane tree on the corner provides a canopy that makes an enclosed space separate from the pavement. A sign points into a doorway and upstairs to The Moroccan Shop. The pictures show bowls of dips and bright ornaments made of copper. The sign says MOROCCAN SHOP COSMETICS BIRMINGHAM so I decide not to ascend.
The day is very hot and every food shop has a pile of watermelons. The going rate is £1.50 per kg. Also duran fruit and pomegranates. Sacks of onions, huge 15Kg bags of rice.
People are moving slowly because of the heat, and the crowd is thinning as prayer time comes. I buy my bag of lentils naan breads and ginger and return home.