The Market Place

I have often wondered why I prefer to buy food and other goods from the market. Why do so many people buy what they need from the market? It's hard to answer because we are so different and, consequently, our motives are different.

I'll try to answer it now according to my habits and needs, which I know better, now that it's Friday and it's also the day dedicated to shopping, or at least to exhibiting it, in #MarketFriday, this never-ending challenge imagined and coordinated by (Denise, that's me!!), i.e. @dswigle!

These existential thoughts and questions came to me while visiting a market that was my main market decades ago. A market that was then but is still now the biggest in the country and, obviously, in Bucharest (the capital of Romania, I say this for those who, like me, still have some small geographical gaps).

I lived in the neighborhood next to this market, Piata Obor, until 2000. That means I haven't visited the market for more than 23 years!

Now the market is changed, it's normal to be so, everything changes and evolves with the passing years, but I didn't expect such a radical change.

It's a huge market, both inside the halls and outside. It is said to be the largest in south-eastern Europe and has even been featured in National Geographic magazine! This is what motivated me to write about this market. I have to tell the truth now. I have been to this market a few weeks ago looking for some rose bushes, on which occasion I made a post showing more of the outdoor part, if you are curious you can see it HERE because now I will tell more about the indoor part, in the halls.

The first hall I entered is an old one, very old, it was old even when I was a child, which makes me remember a joke or rather, a saying used to define something very old... I could paraphrase and say that:

This hall is so old, it was old even when the Dead Sea was just sick!

The outside of the building shows its age and degree of decay (but I didn't want to photograph that), inside there have been improvements and modernizations.

It is a hall that hosts both a fish market and a meat market,

a cheese market but also

a real bazaar with all kinds of items brought especially from China.

What can I say after this "walk" through all sorts of products, they are too mixed for my taste. The first conclusion is that one can still see the oriental influence of a mixed trade, but textiles, detergents, meat, and especially fish should not have been put in the same place. I could not photograph the fish because the sellers were very sensitive to the fact that their hall was closed by the health inspectorate several times and they are afraid that they will be photographed and maybe complained.

To protect themselves they put this sign on the wall, totally unjustified in my opinion. Out of anger, my hand shook as I photographed, trying to hide from the angry eyes of the vendors.

However, I have found a first explanation for why people prefer to buy more from markets than from shops. All the goods were much cheaper, about 25% cheaper and that counts in these times.

Now I think a little music would be nice!

Music is part of our lives, perhaps even more than we can imagine. I can't imagine my life without music. In this idea, I thought I would put the music ( #myfavoritemusic ) That comes to my mind while writing. It may or may not be related to the blog topic. All I wish is that you will enjoy listening while reading. Maybe to surprise you with a song you don't know.

More than that...

To make it a little riddle and invite you to try to guess.
I'll give a few little hints!

• _{I don't even know what to say, it may be one of my most beloved songs, although I'm not really a friend of dancing. But, like what you find in the market, it's also about the harvest.... and the moon!}

Listen to the song HERE!

Vegetable-fruit hall and some flowers

A new place made especially for fruit and vegetables that I had not seen on my previous visit.

This place really is impressive, especially for me who I am used to the small markets in my neighborhood.

There are several levels... but who has time to see them all. I used the opportunity to climb the ladder to take some photos from high up.

The flower market is outside but I can find some here, just in case...

Fruits and vegetables are the "queens" here, they are also the main reason why so many people look for this market.

Vegetables...

The fruits...

To make a note. I am not alone in the market, I am, as always, a companion or follower. My wife and our friend, the theatre director, understand each other very well from a distance, they announce each other when they find better merchandise!

After a few hours of walking the market, hunger is sure to come. Both people...

... and pigeons.

In such a market, even if it is exciting, you find a lot of things and you like it, it becomes tiresome and you have to leave it. As I did and I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon...

I found another reason why some people prefer the market to the supermarket. Very fresh vegetables and fruit. It's worth it!

Finally, for "la bonne bouche", a flower works. It won't be from this market, although the intention with which I came to the market was to buy flowers.

I ended up buying a lot of... something else. Especially food!

_{If you've read this far and aren't in the HIVE already, may I ask you a few questions? Do you want to earn for writing? Do you have passions or skills that you want to show others? Do you want to earn crypto like we have been doing for over six years? Referral link for a FREE account HERE}