Holiday in Thasos - Everybody Sells, Everybody Buys...
Once again I moved at the speed of thought and arrived on the island of Thasos in Greece instantly. When I think how hard it is to get there in reality, from preparation to getting off the ferry takes a few days, but thinking is so fast, I think it has the speed of light!
The truth is that I can't get rid of the memories of the holidays spent on the island and going back there, even just thinking about it, feeds my hope that this year the waiting will end and we will go down again, full of excitement, to the beautiful Aegean island of emerald, as Thasos is still called!
The island is large, the twelfth largest of Greece's thousands of islands, so there are many villages where tourists can choose to stay. I chose Limenaria, the second largest town after Limenas (that's where the ferry arrives), the capital of the island.
How did we choose Limenaria? Chance chose for us. Actually, not really a chance. Our son gave us a holiday in Limenaria as a gift in 2017 and we loved it so much that when we returned to the island in the following years, we chose Limenaria every time!
Why do we love Limenaria? The town is nothing special, it is a classic Greek town but we liked the place because it offers not only the pleasures of the sea and the beach but also the pleasures of the nearby pine forest. There are also many directions in which we could take long walks, especially to two other villages, Pefkari and Potos, only good for swimming in the sea, the beach and...
...Shopping!
Today is Friday and I'm in a hurry to tell you more about my wife's shopping adventures, she a true shopping master.
Because today is #MarketFriday, this challenge from @dswigle, asks just that. We show places, customs, and what we can buy in this world, everyone wherever they are, whether they live there or are just tourists.
Well, when my wife finds a window of a store that is closed you want to cry in her pain. The pain and the inability to get inside and buy anything... because she always finds something to buy!
Now, come to think of it, I spent more time on holiday shopping than going to the beach! Before we got to the island we missed the sea, the beach and after we got to the island we only looked for the stalls and shops.
I have been thinking and wondering what could be the cause for such a great appetite for shopping and I came to a conclusion, I don't know if correct, but logical...
The multitude of stalls and shops. Everywhere you look, if you're not on the beach, you see only items for sale. Everybody sells something. I've also met on Cerberus. I mean a guard dog... very friendly, no resemblance to the one in mythology:
Cerberus, in Greek mythology, the monstrous watchdog of the underworld. He was usually said to have three heads, though the poet Hesiod (flourished 7th century BCE) said he had 50. Heads of snakes grew from his back, and he had a serpent’s tail. He devoured anyone who tried to escape the kingdom of Hades, the lord of the underworld.
Greeks are smart, hospitable but they also want a reward for it. They want to make a living from it and that's why they do this street commerce so efficiently. All the streets where tourists pass are full of places to sell, of objects displayed as close as possible to the eyes of passers-by.
You see the young girl walking by this shop. Even if she doesn't intend to buy, she can't take her eyes off the merchandise.
Yes, every street has something for sale...
I am thinking of showing you what can be bought on the street in Potos, a village 4 km from Limenaria.
First and foremost the locals offer for sale local products, made on the island, such as olive oil, the traditional Ouzo drink, pine bee honey, olives, and sweets.
Cosmetics made from olive and olive oil...
Spices...
... and others.
It may seem like an easy job to shop, but it's not at all. I watch my wife how much effort she makes to buy something from fish scales, which "sing" when the wind blows.
But shopping on the street is easier than shopping indoors, where there are many more objects to see, choose, sniff, smell, compare...
Every time my wife goes into a store like this and looks for something in her handbag I get scared that she will pull out a gun and commit a robbery.... of souvenirs.
I could see us being a sort of Bonnie and Clyde of Thasos. Me Bonnie and my wife, Clyde, haha... In my youth, when I first heard the story of this American gangster couple, I thought Bonnie was a boy's name and Clyde a girl's name, haha... It is only when I saw the movie, many years later, that I understood the mistake.
Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910 – May 23, 1934) and Clyde Chestnut (Champion) Barrow (March 24, 1909 – May 23, 1934) were an American criminal couple who traveled the Central United States with their gang during the Great Depression. The couple were known for their bank robberies, although they preferred to rob small stores or rural funeral homes.
Fortunately, the wife wasn't looking for a gun (she obviously doesn't have one), she just wanted to check her wallet, available for spending. But until the expense was much more, first there was the search!
This time things got complicated. I found an artist's shop, everything on display and for sale was made by this man.
Good quality and carefully crafted items. Something strange, something paradoxical happened in this shop. The wife saw so many items that she wanted to buy that, in the end, she didn't buy anything. She couldn't decide what to choose!
I've given a few examples from my wife's shopping adventures but I think most wives do the same when they get on holiday. With us though, the desire is great but the (financial) power less so, but enough for (relatively) small joys!
When leaving, always check the bag!
All that shopping, visiting stores and more pales in comparison to the true beauty of nature. The sea, first and foremost. The sea is different on the island. The sea can be at the end of a path through the forest!
The island is full of flowers, nature and climate on the island are great. The time has finally come for #alwaysaflower.
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Absolutely wonderful shopping adventure, @bluemoon. That cracks me up that you imagined you and your wife as Bonnie and Clyde — and that you’d be Bonnie!
I would be just like your wife, shopping endlessly for just the right thing and rarely coming home with nothing, except for that one time that I just can’t decide.
I remember the darling shops on the Greek islands from my long ago trip. I must return someday!
Thank you very much, @jayna! I'm glad you enjoyed my Bonnie and Clyde story, as well as my error. I made the same mistake with Sonny and Cher, haha...
I'm sure you would have done the same as my wife when shopping, if I were a woman I would do the same.
It's true, if you've ever been to Greece, you'll definitely want to go back there!
I think it is quite normal for ladies! Even I sometimes was like that! We don't usually buy something at first sight. Still need to roam around with a thought I might see something cheaper and good quality.
At the end , I haven't bought anything 😂, hehe hard to choose sometimes.
Is olive oils a Greek product? I mean was it abundant there?
Saw the cosmetics made from it, for sure that was so expensive here in my country!
Yes, it is a specifically Greek product. On a relatively small island like Thasos alone, there are a million olive trees. They live very long, they are trees more than 2000 years old.
That explains! Wow they are lucky!
!PIZZA
The white and blue houses look so nice and cute. I'm not much of a fan buying souvenirs but last time I was in thassos I bought some cool items: a beautiful dress for myself (greek style, but modern) and a beautiful serving plate. Blue and white.💙
That path...breath taking 💙💙💚💚
Blue and white, of course! I'm also in love with the colors of Greece. I'm sure you found a beautiful dress, it's impossible not to buy something from there. I bought flowers...
I know what you mean! I also bought aromatic plants: thyme, oregano and basil. I planted them into my garden. The oregano didnt make it but the other two were just fine. I had them all last summer. 😍
Yes, the dress is so cute. I dont have a picture of it hmmm....
Actually I remembered I have one my aunt did for me! What do you say? I think it has a different style from the ones we have here. The material is really really special. It's cotton 100%. Its a bit like a...."draperie combinata cu fata de masa". Hahahaha.
The dress looks great and I think it's perfect for summer and the sea. I really like it, especially as it's cotton, which is so nice to wear. The printed pattern looks a bit like a Romanian one too, it looks that way to me.
How cute, Caleb seems to like sandals more.
I think you must have missed summer, vacation, and the sea after seeing this photo again!
Yes, it looks a bit like romanian but the fact I have it from thassos I feel better saying it looks more like greek. Hahhaha
It was very windy that day, which is why caleb has a hat on his head.
I think he looked down to see that insect or whatever it wants to be on the floor.
And yes, I miss Greece now. I hope we'll visit to the end of May. There's no long till then. We just need to decide where to go...🤔
Obviously, it's a Greek dress, I meant there are some similarities to something Romanian. In fact, I was chatting with a colleague from Crete and we found many similar things or words, it's @traisto, and its name is taken after that kind of bag that we call "traista"... and theirs, too! Interesting, isn't it?
Something else interesting. I too have taken herbs from Thasos, but only oregano has adapted, I've had it for several years and it is not affected by the winter here.
I hope you choose a place you like a lot and I look forward to your impressions of your next holiday. I would also like to go to Thasos, at the end of May or in June... because I can't wait until September (our favorite holiday month). Unfortunately, there have been several problems, of many kinds, that I think will prevent us from going in the first part of the year.
I know what you mean, dont worry. I have the same opinion regarding the dress. A bit looking like Greek, also nit so far away from Ro style. Maybe thats why I bought it. I liked the material but also i was thinking it good option to wear it in Romania too.
Yes, I know traisto and her blogs. And fotostef too. I always remain like "poofff" after seeing their Greek travel posts and adventures.
I didnt keep any plants in winter. Maybe I could have to, but my gardening wasnt so organised. Since we moved to our home and Caleb being little and taking care of him, we didnt have the time to properly organize our garden. This year we hope for the green house to be ready too.
We visited Greece in late May from 23 to 3-4 June. Also in July, August.
Late may and early june was perfect. Absolutely perfect. The water was a bit colder than July ofc. But it was ok for us, as we're much younger I guess. Caleb said its cold for him. But we love to see places and visit. Not just staying in the water, bath and beach. So for us was perfect.
I love early september too. The water is nice and outside is not that hot. Win win.
Green house... Wonderful! I'm convinced that garden time will come, that pleasure comes with age.
Thasos! I hope it is waiting for us and will welcome us whenever we get there.
We want a green house so we can grown our own food for longer periods of time. I mean, from eRly March to late November...
We have a small garden right now and we had it since we moved but its not big enough.
Got it. It's not exclusive to flowers. It's for vegetables. Perfect!
Yup. Only for vegetables. 😁
I dont have time for flowers....not just yet. But veggies are a must. I only have some green plants indoors. Outside nothing. Not just yet.
But I grew up with them. Our yard was one of the most beautiful yards in the commune we used to stay. My mom and dad are big flower lovers and we would have everything, in every season.
I have one specific flower in my mind since I was little. Its because of the size of it. Gladiolele and florile de piatra. Childhood memories and nostalgia....
I was going to say you need a gardener, but then I saw that your parents love flowers. They'll probably help you.
Stone flowers (portulaca) are especially beautiful and unpretentious. I love them too!
That's truly a wonderful place, Nature and art makes it a perfect place to visit, The shops has stunning art collectibles, which shows how much the artists have work to make all these arts and shop keeper has collected in one place for all of us.
Very true what you said, it is a wonderful place!
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Seeing the magnets, I have just thought of myself there. Only one magnet would cost me 20 TRY... That could draw image about how much an abroad trip would cost me in total.
Yes, sometimes it is hard but we hope that in the future things will change for the better and we will be able to travel again.
😁😁😁 You made me laugh! I really understand your dear wife! when the choice is too large it makes shopping difficult. my husband and I also want to go on vacation to the Greek islands. can you give any advice on which of these other islands or towns you like there to have both sea and nature?
Mostly I'm glad I made you laugh, in fact, that's what I try most in my posts but probably fail, very few notice that, only @dswigle does this more often.
Glad you want to go to Greece, it's a good choice. As for recommendations, it's quite hard, there are several aspects to take into account. The location you can reach more easily, the cost of the trip, etc.
I haven't been to places other than Thasos, because it's the easiest to get there by car but it's still tiring, considering my age.
The best destination if you want both sea and nature I think is the island of Corfu. I think there is an airport there. Smaller islands don't have an airport and you have to reach them by ferry from the mainland.
Fortunately, you can now use the internet to find out about where you want to go, so you have to look for something you like.
thanks a lot for the answer! I will definitely look for information about these islands that you named on the Internet. we don't like long tiring trips either, so we're also looking for the easiest way to get there. say hello to your dear wife!!!
Thank you very much! I sincerely hope you will find the most pleasant place for your holiday.