Wow! What a Disneyland for Shopping

We thought we found the tourists' shopping district last week. We found another one this weekend that is like going to Disneyland for souvenirs! Can you even imagine trying to decide on Matryoshka dolls with this many to choose from in only one of the hundreds of booths here that look almost like this one?? It is not an easy task. But Geri was willing to give it her best try. And Scott was there to help try on fur hats and with a smile.

There were beautiful table cloths and and fur Russian hats and Faberge Eggs and Matryoshka dolls and fur Russian hats and antiques and Matryoshka dolls and fur Russian hats and knitted scarves and socks and hats and Matryoshka dolls and fur Russian hats and traditional costumes and art work and books and maps and posters and frames and on and on. The hat salesmen have a great tactic for selling their hats. They walk up to a shopper and stuff it on their head. It is 85 degrees F and my hands were sweating just holding the fur hats and having it on my head was not necessarily a real selling point for me. Did I forget to mention how many hat dealers there were there stuffing hats on unsuspecting shoppers? The sitting for shiskabobs and Russian bread offered a welcome break from the walking.

We were introduced by the senior missionaries to a charming young man, Ivan, who was an experienced salesman with his own business. He is 20 years old and has been working at his trade for 12 years. He has a wife and an old car and a small apartment and is working hard to provide for his family. I have to admire him and other Russian people who work for such minimal pay. He knew English well and Spanish and maybe other languages as well as Russian. He especially knew the language of salesmanship!