This weekend I went shopping for souvenirs at Izmailovo Market, a GINORMOUS craft market on the outskirts of Moscow where you can get tons of great Russian-made creations, the most popular of which (in my mind at least) is the Matryoshka Doll. This is a set of 3, 5, 7, 10 or 20 hand-made wooden dolls, one nested inside the other, getting smaller and smaller.
Overall the outing was extremely successful: the weather cooperated and I think I even managed to negotiate (in English and Russian) a couple of good deals (I think...). Win-win for me!
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| Typical Matryoshka Doll display at Izmailovo. There are probably 100+ vendors selling these cute little dolls. |
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| My taxi driver: business in front, party in the back, baby! |
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| Lacquer boxes - aside from the nesting dolls, this is another classic Russian souvenir. |
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| A man selling fur hats. |
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| Used Soviet "treasures" for sale. |
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| Iconographic paintings. |
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| Two Russian vendors doing business. |
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| Snack cart for the vendors (since the market's location is somewhat isolated): Vodka, Whisky, cookies and hot tea / coffee. "These are a few of the Russians' favorite things!" |
