Morning Flower Market Rail Addis Ababa

Early morning sidelight skims across a wooden rail loaded with cut flowers at a roadside fruit stand in Addis Ababa. The dry season air leaves the red and orange petals crisp against rough woven baskets and burlap sacks stacked nearby. Rough wooden planks show deep grain and scratches from daily use. Stacks of green melons rest beside the floral display, their waxy skins catching the low sun. Shadows stretch long and sharp across the dusty ground. A plastic crate holds loose stems, their wet cut ends glistening slightly. The texture of dried leaves contrasts with the smooth plastic of the vendor's scale. A faded blue tarp hangs loosely from a metal pole at the edge.