Living high up in the Chora can be logistically challenging. The roads, alleys really, are so tight that even motor bikes can’t drive through. So moving heavy items, like watermelon and water, becomes very difficult.

The kitchen at our house has a full freezer, so I decided to make ice for cold beverages. So I start the hunt for ice trays to make ice. No luck. Next I head over to Asty Mart to check the housewares section, and still no ice trays.

So I ask a local friend for trays, and she says what trays, you must use a bag. You buy them at Asty Mart. Now I am totally confused because I think she means a big bag of party ice that will be hard to lug to the Chora.

The next day she brings me a big bag of ice and several flat blue plastic bags. Each big bag is divided up into pouches. Ice cube sized pouches.

To my utter amazement she takes some bottled water, since the local water is not potable, and starts pouring it into the top of the bag. Now each little pouch starts puffing up with water. When it is full you place it in the freezer with the mouth of the bag turned up like you see in the photo.. The process yields about twenty four flat ice cubes.

Who knew you make ice cubes in a bag, each individually packaged? Obviously not me.