a walk through the shops…

Supermarkets are a relatively new phenomenon in Greece.  This town is well stocked with shops that predate supermarkets.  They’re better in many ways:  higher quality, far better service, and even wider variety in some things.  But with a few exceptions, they have a hard time competing with the supermarket prices.  That means we don’t buy much from the shops.  Spices and coffee are the main exception, food-wise.  I buy all my sewing supplies at the little sewing stores.

A central shopping street in our city.  Note the minaret:  this city has a 50% Greek and 50% Turkish (Muslim) population.  In a country with something like 98% Christian population, this city is a major anomaly.  Turkish is spoken by fully half the locals, and many shops import Turkish products.

A bead and yarn store… one of many!

and of course we have the ribbon and yarn stores as well…

This store just sells doilies!

The most popular coffee shop in town.  In the mornings, the line is usually down the street.

This is where I buy Greek coffee for S.  They also sell a great variety of spices.  There are probably over 20 little stores like this just in the center of town.

A dried herb shop.

Another coffee shop, this one with dried fruit and tea.

A traditional Greek food market.

Traditional sweets from this part of Greece.

Well, I hope you enjoyed that walk around the shops!

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