I recently returned from the country of Ukraine and Greece for a mission trip with my school's choir. In Ukraine we visited Kyiv, the capital, and Poltava. In Kyiv, we visited the most historical part of the city, where the main road spirals upwards on the hill, the street is made of large stones, and a small market lines the side of the street. It was exactly what I was waiting to see!
Eggs are a big thing over in Ukraine and Russia, but these were especially beautiful. Each are hand painted with cultural images and designs.
And the matryoshka dolls are my favorite thing to browse! There were hundreds, and though in their country they're considered tourist souvenirs, my family loves to collect them. So I grabbed a few for my mom, and got a few pictures.
Then we visited Athens, Greece, and a few blocks from our hotel was a bazaar. The first and BIGGEST bazaar I've ever seen! It was 1 by 3 blocks long. Dozens of stalls were lined up, and hundreds of people were exploring and shopping, and taking it all in is hard to do. Many stalls were manufactured items from the cultures of other countries, but there was the occasional stand of handmade items (mostly jewelry).
It was a very enjoyable trip, and I really miss being in Europe. I would have spent more time in these markets, but being in a group we had to stick with them. Glad to share some of my experiences in Ukraine and Greece!