Khashuri Market

Friday 27^th August 2011 

We set our alarms this morning for 7 o’clock to make sure we were up and showered and ready to leave by 8 to drive to Khashuri to buy food for St Maryem the special feast day in the Georgian church calendar.  (Feast day of the Virgin Mary) So at 10 past 9 (according to Georgian maybe time) we set off to Khashuri.  This is kind of like Christmas as there are traditional foods that are eaten and all families go full out to entertain with lots of food.  People go and visit each other and it is a really fun day.

The indoor meat market was a wonder to behold.  NO health and safety issues here and lots of macho stuff.  Men, cigarettes hanging from mouth, big axes and tree trunks as chopping blocks. As they chopped bits of bone and joints came flying out.

Celebration Cakes - they all look and taste the same

All celebration cakes look like this

Mud Mud Mud

Lovely fresh herbs

Vegetables and herbs

Fish

Final Fish Decision

Meat Implements

Everyone just sets up a stall and chops

Man and Meat

Completely accidental picture haha!

Get your trotters here!

Love the tree trunk chopping board

It's a big decision

Watch out for flying pieces of bone and gristle!

Get your meat minced here!

Meaty Scenes

Cheese sellers

Cheese Sellers

I had an unpleasant experience though from one of the old cheese sellers. (Not the ones in these pictures) A very old wrinkly, tanned woman was selling cheese and eggs and I thought it would make a good picture and so I caught her eye, raised my eyebrows, smiled and made a a movement with my finger and camera to indicate taking a picture.  I have had only positive responses in Georgia and so it took me a couple of seconds to realise the answer was no so I lowered my camera and said “OK”.  


Not content with that she came round from her stall and all 4 foot nothing of her ranted on and on at me.  I didn’t know what she was saying but she caused quite a stir with a few people looking round and waving at her.  Beso was really angry and gave her a mouthful and the cheese seller was gesturing that she was crazy.  I was told she was saying “She is Georgian, you are foreigner and can’t take her picture”  I think it was more like the “Blacks go home” campaign back in the 70s in England. People have views I guess but all the same it was a little unnerving.  I just stood there like an idiot smiling because I didn’t have a clue what she was saying.