Wandering around the Market

Wandering around the Market
I took a full day off today even though I felt a bit guilty not dropping in on my orphans. Just felt like having a walkabout as I have not done that yet. Cherkasy is really easy and really difficult. Easy in that it is safe, manageable. Difficult in that no one speaks English and it’s so frustrating not to be able to talk to people. I have an idea for a business here like the project I was at in Spain. Just need to find the right person to pull it together.
So, they have this enormous walkabout market that all the local farmers come in for. It goes on for blocks and was a feast for my eyes. Unbelievable new things to see and the babushkas selling were each so enchanting. I wanted to find a quiet corner and just watch. The print of their clothes, the wrinkles in their skin, the look of the outdoors and hard work on their faces and their produce in small burlap bags on the table or in an artistic pile. Pike Place market Ukraine style! I love weathered faces their heads covered in bright babushkas. Feels like life. No pretenses. Grains of all kinds, herbs, a man holding fresh bay leaves for sale in a bouquet, pomegranates that were small but jam packed with berries, a mountain of pomegranate berries, clumps of dirt on carrots, potatoes, beets, all beautifully displayed on tables. We make everything so clean at home. Imagine buying a dirty carrot! It is not appreciated…my staring so I had to kind of sneak looks at their faces. It feels like I can get their life if I can watch. They are so beautiful to me.
Walked to the next area, fish. Woo…lots of weird fish let me tell you and though the salmon looked familiar I just wasn’t too sure about any of the rest. Dried fish, hanging from a line, fish, really bloody fish..we don’t get bloody fish in Seattle, guess it would be too real, like dirt on a carrot. But then I went to more of a closed in fish place with a real roof. It was the worst smell ever. I’ve never really smelled fish guts, blood and scales in a closed space..unf—ing believable. I kept walking in because I wanted to know if my noise would adjust…slim, blood, fish guts, …so real and so gross. No manicured fish market. So, maybe we get detached from reality because our food is so removed from reality. It’s all so real here. Took a photo and thought the fishman would jump over and grab my camera he gave me such a dirty look. Forget the little Joyce smile getting to know people. NOT! Guess I can take the little fishes photo but not mr DeNiro.
On to the clothes. Everyone has a tented structure with their particular type of clothing. Bras, hosiery, kids clothes, sweaters, jeans, you wear it they have it. And there are even tents that have canned goods neatly stacked and labeled.. They pack it all in at the end of the day. Rows of shoes.
I wandered for hours and one woman stopped to talk to me. She said a lot to me but who knows. I liked her though. There are no tourists in Cherkasy which makes shopping really enjoyable. It’s low key. I can look at things and walk away. Sunglasses must be HUGE here because there are racks and racks of them.
Nataly calls this the Black Market but since it is out in the open not sure what’s black about it. Moved on to a two story circular building with meat counters and scales on the fist floor and a balcony around the top with more meat. All kinds of liver, heart, pigs feet, chicken, beef, you name it was sitting out waiting for that next lucky customer. Nataly says beef is expensive here. I’ve not priced it yet but maybe I’ll buy some for the family when I leave. Lots of people were out maybe because Easter is tomorrow. Yes, I know that you all had Easter but this is Orthodox Christian and I guess they are operating on a different calendar. Christmas is Dec 7 but Easter is their most important holiday. More about that later. On the way home I stopped at a bread stand to buy some bread. They don’t really get writing down total price here for me though I explain it. And they get a bit nervous that I don’t understand. I tried laughing so that she would relax as she was trying to explain what was inside the sweetrolls and kept saying the words over and over. I finally said, Da Da and she felt better. Next time I come here I will have studied the language! Also, passed a man who was selling old albums—Pink Floyd, Abba—no Beattles but pretty cool to see them.
Still crazy about this weather with a clear blue sky, sunshine and a bit of wind. Cool but not cold. I think all doses of sunshine are good for a Seattle woman and its been 2 weeks of playing outside in sunshine. On to Easter tomorrow the biggest religious holiday here.