At the marketplace

The primary sector of the Macedonian economy is its agriculture. Unlike in the States, fruit and vegetables are an essential (and very cheap) part of everyone's diet. Depending on the season, you can get 2 lbs of the season's fruits and vegetables for anywhere between $.50 and $3 (although $3 is pretty rare).

A few days ago, my mom and I went to one of the biggest marketplaces in Skopje (the capital). This marketplace, unlike the smaller ones, has anything from eggs and fish to PJs, shoes and jewelry.

I love going to this place because of the abundance of smells and sounds. Every corner has a different smell (depending on what the farmers are selling) and sound (mostly sellers saying that their tomatoes -or whatever they are selling- are the best and cheapest you will ever find).  Traditional Macedonian music playing from the sellers' radios is also a prominent part of every marketplace.

The day my mom and I went to the marketplace was unusually crowded because it was a) the weekend (when all the retirees get to ride the public bus for free) and b) it was the weekend of Christmas.

Here is a video I took from the marketplace and some pics from the scene :)

My lovely momma at the market

My mom and I always buy the best olives from this guy

Nuts, dried fruit, beans, lentils - common foods at the Christmas dinner table

Dried peppers are used in many meals in Macedonia

Shoes and jewelry sold at the marketplace

Mekici (meh-key-tzi), the Macedonian equivalent of fried bread, is a very common breakfast food item in Macedonia. They are also served during baby showers. 

A lady uses a saw to cut a pumpkin. During this time of the year, we put pumpkin in the oven, pour some sugar over it and eat it

A lady uses 100 denars (roughly $2.50) to buy some nuts and dried fruit for the Christmas dinner

Fresh fish