Writer.

“The reason one writes isn’t the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Storyteller.

"But how could you live and have no story to tell?" ~ Fyodor Dostoyevsky

Photographer.

"Beauty can be seen in all things, seeing and composing the beauty is what separates the snapshot from the photograph" ~Matt Hardy

Mother.

“A mother keeps a garden of the heart, planting the seeds of faith and character that give her children hope and purpose for the years ahead.” ~Anonymous

Dreamer.

“If your story is never told, it becomes something else...forgotten.” ~Anonymous

Showing posts with label market. Show all posts
Showing posts with label market. Show all posts

Thursday, June 7, 2012

From Market to Metro

Today is the day we set some goals for this 15-day writing challenge.

1)  Decide on a space you will set your tush down every day and write (my wording :)
2)  Set a time you will meet with yourself every day and put pen to paper (or fingers to laptop :)   Why do I like smiles behind my sentences?
3)  Choose a goal of words per day you will write...300-1,000 is a reasonable start.

In my favor is the abundant resource of photos and stories from our recent trip so it allows me to not stress so much over finding something to write about.  Though I have a plethora of thoughts to share with women growing in God, I have opted to focus some of the blog postings on summing up our trip and the 1,000 photos I took.  Therefore, 136 words down of the 500 I have set for my goal...

Our second stroll through the markets and metros of Ukraine...

Artists, artist-wanna-be's and reproductions are everywhere.  I managed to get this photo before being asked not to photograph the art :(


I would have liked to bring these wind chimes home, but figuring out how to get them in my suitcase and home in one piece untangled took way too much thought and energy :)


Anyone need a hat for winter?


Definitely a fashion statement...


Okay...had to take this one for my son - who would think House
would show up in the Ukraine?


Not sure why the stars & stripes underwear were in with the shoes...


Color, color, everywhere...


Of course, if you run out of shelf space...


For the strategist in all of us...


This was great - matroshkas and cameras all in one spot...I resisted, but how I would have loved those cameras :)


And you can still find him if you look...


Culture, color and clothing... 



I am assuming these weren't for fighting hay fever.


Before we head to the metro, one last stop in the food market...

Oh my, she is still there selling sala; I was running out of money, so it was all I could do to resist a purchase...


Pastry heaven...


And I HAD to photograph this display!  For those of you like us who traveled to the former Soviet Union and Eastern European nations during communism and shortly after, like the early 90's when we lived there...this abundance was unheard of!!  I am still in culture shock when I see this...
I revert into the "survival mode" of the early days and want to buy it all up in case it won't be there tomorrow :)   Good thing my friends held me back!


Had to sneak a photo in of our dear friend, Natasha, buying fixings
for our green borscht for dinner ... 



This kiosk sold Georgian pastries filled with mushrooms, meat, cheese and other delicious things.  We visited here once, actually twice...maybe it was three times.  If I lived here, this would be my choice of "fast food".


And now our trip down metro lane...

First stop, need a car, an apartment, a job...


Craig's List hasn't quite reached here yet...


Heading into the metro...you can shop as you go...



Strawberries, cheese and a whole chicken!  One-stop-shopping as you run for your train!  Seriously, I love it!



I really do like buying from the women selling near the metro as they can be very friendly when you show an interest in them and, as well, they are really trying to provide an income for their families to survive.  The variety is often due to selling whatever they have from their gardens or home, to make a living.  Each woman undoubtedly has a story...



One of my absolute favorite things to do in Ukraine, Russia or any of the other sister Slavic nations is to stroll the markets - outdoor and indoor - not so much to shop as to look and learn. (Besides my husband won't let me take it all home on the plane if I did buy it).  I love that it is different than where I come from.  I love the variety now available.  I love the seasonal fruit and vegetables.  I love seeing something I have no idea what it is...and finding out! I love people watching.  The markets and metro are a world all their own and I find them fascinating!  I love...wait, I think I have reached my 500 word goal for the day.  If not in words, at least in photos!  But all this to say, I really do love the Ukraine! (And yes, I use the word "the" before Ukraine...a habit from the old days when that is the way they said it :)

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

A Walk Through a Ukrainian Market

The sun peeped through my window this morning when I woke...exciting as I am beginning to feel a bit like Noah's wife.  I wonder what her first thought was when she woke each day to the rain pounding on the roof of the ark with the bleating of sheep, mooing of cows and the occasional two lizards running across her feet.  But, this is June and this is the Pacific Northwest and it is graduation week.  Life is normal here.

With day #2 of the writer's challenge comes the assignment of rising two hours early tomorrow morning and writing.  Oooh, not so sure on that one!!  I already get up @ 6:30 a.m. to get a few people out the door to jobs and school.  We also have out-of-country guests (that's different than out-of-town) for a couple of days.  Hospitality, cooking and a couple of meetings thrown in make for a busy day....but I will rise to the challenge and do what I can do :) Doesn't help me being a night person...

Today and in coming days, I want to continue to share some photos of our recent trip to Ukraine and beyond.  Perhaps a story thrown in.  I am drawn to anything with color, life and humor, so with camera in hand, here's a trip through the market in Ukraine.


Amazing produce !



Loved that "just picked" look!



We were looking for fish...



Look what we found...


The infamous sala...fat...that is a delicacy...


bacon anyone...


there are no words...


Eastern/Central European salads are incredible!

I thought I'd died and gone to heaven when I discovered the ubiquitous 
poppyseed ..... 


And then there is the meat department...


More fish, this time dried which is pretty common in these parts.


I had to buy some of these fruit-filled, poppy seeded lovelies for
breakfast:


And don't forget the paper products..


But one of my favorite venues are the flowers
in the underground metro areas...


Shopping in the markets of any eastern/central European country is an adventure and on the list of things to do before you ... do anything else :)
It is a sensory delight and a photographer's dream...in my eye anyway.
Although you do need to be careful not to offend....and run faster than the
gentleman I seemed to offend when I was clicking away.  

I began this blog this morning...and am finishing it tonight.  It has been that kind of day.  Writing in bits and pieces.  Hope you enjoyed a bit of a
shopping trip in Ukraine.  More to come tomorrow.  
That is if I obey the second challenge and get up two hours early!