Central Market in Chisinau--Monasteries and Churches nearby

Thursday, September 23, 2010

I've now been in Chisinau a full month, having arrived on the 23rd of August. Today, I'm writing about two items--the Central Market and my visits to two nearby monasteries.

Almost in the middle of town--just off the main street -is the Central Market. It is half a farmer's fresh food market with verythng from fresh live fish to recently butcher livestock to a venue to sell pots and pans, womens' lingerie, luggage, clothing, toothpaste and everything else. There are several small and larger supermakets in various part of town, but none have the fresh produce that you find in the Central Market.
I'm not sure how it will be in the winter months, as obviously the nearby farmers won't be harvesting or collecting things while it snows.
 I've been told that in some of the villages close to Chisinau, much of the land is owned by people in Chisinau. When the soviets lost power, the "state-owned" land was divided mostly into strips that are long and relatively narrow.  The land consists of rolling hills and valleys and as the bottom of the hills are more fertile, they didn't want one or two people to have that while others got the hillside, so they divided the land into strips. The owners from Chisinau probably have a few strips and a couple of animals--pigs, chickens and perhaps a cow--and they hire a local person or two to manage the farm in their absence.  Cows are moved across the road from the villages into open meadows--no fences--and then back to their respective spots for the evening.  People who don't own land like to come out over the weekend and hunt mushrooms, buy fresh roadside fruits and vegetables and take a picnic in the woods which seem to be open to one and all.
I'll add a few pictures of the markets and of the countryside before writing a little about the monasteries and churches.

She's at one of the entrances.

These fish are alive!

Brooms

A busy spot!

Rice and grains

One of many aisles

Sunflower oil for cooking

Well, there's a lot more to the market, but you no doubt get the idea.

So, now about the monasteries and chruches.  Almost all are orthodox--more or less Russian Orthodox but no doubt localized quite a bit.  The monasteries own quite a bit of land--given to them by the state after the Soviet Union went out of power. The churches are the most respected institution in the country and the people seem to be quite religious. Their services are apparently quite short with people standing and the priest and choir singing some--but I have not been to one so really can not write about them. The two monasteries I saw were each about 45 minutes out of town--but in different directions.  My university colleague took me to one and the wife of one of the U.S. Embassy staffers took me to the other. You'll see there are grounds around the monasteries--grapes and crops are grown--and although the monasteries are located in a particular village, people from all over go to different ones. Apparently, if there's a favorite priest or a favorite location, that is where you go for your baptisms, weddings and religious holidays--no matter where you might live.
There was a wedding ceremony occuring at one of the monasteries--takes about 20-30 minutes, about 20 people witness the ceremony while standing and the priests and a choir conduct the service.  All the churches I've seen are orthodox and all are elaborately decorated.

Well, that's it for now.  I'll add a few photos  here of the monasteries and some of the countryside on the way. Sometimes the roads are o.k.--the one towards Romania was fine--and sometimes they're vey bumpy--the one towards the south was like that! Enjoy!

Painted walls with biblical scenes

All the walls are covered!

Donkey carts common around small villages

Hilly countrysideWedding guests look on

My uniersity colleage-Aurelia and her daughter Anastasia

Elizabeth Mates and me-Her husband is with U.S. Embassy here

This monastery was rennovated in 2009 but is oldest in origin