So here are some pictures I found that show what I it was like when I went to the street market today. These are from google but really represent well what is there. The pictures may be copyrighted so I left them as is with whatever was added. Maybe I will have some of my own someday.
There were lots of artists. Some were being painted as I walked along. It was interesting that some seemed to be of local places and people but there was one section with paintings of Johnny Depp and other famous people. I liked one that had some beautiful local scenery, some painted on sections of trees with the bark on the outside edge.
There were lots of sections with little hand made crafts and also with handmade jewelry – beads and braided. It was all so interesting to see. The local artists use a lot of color in their painting and there are so many different things to see.
Here you also see the handmade combs that so many wear here.
And then there are the nesting dolls, called Matryoshka dolls. They are as varied as the artists are and there are so many to choose from. I understand that this is not a Ukrainian tradition but many Ukrainian artists make them as the tourists like them so much. It is a Russian tradition imported to get business from the tourists.
Here are a couple of pictures I found that really show how they are displayed. Many many together.
Notice the mails have big mustaches – traditional.
This one has some different ones.
They are big small and vary in how many dolls are inside. One vendor told me it was 800 grivne and when I said thank you and started to walk off she said 700. I didn’t want to be rude but I did not go planning to buy anything today. I am sure for some this is very important to help them live from day to day.
I look forward to going again to this one or another one. It is fun to just walk along and enjoy the beautiful things on display.