Saint Patrick’s Day so message Maggi for her birthday. ☘️ A date I would be unlikely to remember if it weren’t always celebrated online, with even Google substituting a shamrock for the double o’s. Only about forty miles from us to her, but between an uncooperative political border and deliberately uncoordinated transport not as simple as it looks.
Where we do go is down to the Bestmar to the west of us (there are two). A little more than a mile and a pleasant walk. Poppies occasionally making their way through cracks n the pavement. Pass quite a few loquat trees with as yet unripe fruit and several golden chalice flowers reminding us of the luxuriant vine by Fehmi’s office.
There are several new housing developments, finished or in progress, in what used to be fields, as well as older single houses that have been here for years. Takes us a while to remark on what is not there - people walking along the road. We actually pass only two - a couple about our age and obviously local. Twenty-five years ago there were many fewer cars but more people about, as well as men with the kind of motor bikes that win no races and can probably not get licensed any more.
Bestmar is bigger than our local grocery store. Prices occasionally much better though often pretty similar but selection different, particularly in the sinful bits - chocolate, drink and cigars. Note that they have (frozen) back bacon. Actually quite nice looking. It’s imported from the Netherlands. Not unusual to see pork products in the larger supermarkets but clearly not a big seller locally.
Supermarket seems busier than usual for early afternoon, probably because Bayram is coming up on Friday, the most important feast day of the year in Muslim countries. So about equivalent to getting in provisions on December 22 in a Christian country.
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