The Market

This is Ira (transliterated Russian--say it like 'ear-uh,' but with a rolled or trilled r.) She sells breads and cookies at the big market in old town Klaipeda. She knows Sandy pretty well now, because Sandy often goes to get me these delightful cookies...

...the ones she's packing into that bag. They're are a light creamy coconut paste covered in a delicate chocolate, all on top of a crunchy cookie--almost a cracker--with a lightly sweet chocolate flavor.There. There they are...on the scale. See them? We buy kilos of them.

The other interesting thing about the market is seeing the groups of older women who, all the sudden, realize Peter is there and all at once start chattering, 3 or 4 of them, non-stop, simultaneously, fast, and inquisitively. It's like some strange shock wave passes over and through me, and leaves me momentarily paralyzed. They speak with such urgency, and I have no idea what they're saying, but I get the feeling that I can't possibly go until I've answered the questions, solved their problems, or somehow made them understand me.

Then Sandy's Russian kicks in, and she solves it all, so we can move on.