Hanging red lantern

Greetings,



I am introducing you to one of my favorite places here on Crete... the Chinese store. Not sure what its "real" name is, but the Chinese store works.



There are several places here in Greece, we American have renamed. For example, Onyinese restaurant, we call the Pork Chop Place, which serves the best pork chop around and for 6 Euros. And places with Greek names we can hardly pronounce and have renamed to suit our dialect are George's Place (the name of the owner of one of the best pita's here on the island..... 3 Pigs, which is actually four pigs on the sign out front.... Souda Fish House, which serves fish in Souda.



We have renamed just about everything Greek so that's why I call one of my favorite shopping grounds the Chinese store.



Here's a picture of The Chinese Store in Souda... you guessed it... it's in Souda.

Wall to wall cheap clothing, shoes, jewelry, bags, curtains, home decor... you name it and they have it. Women's and men's to boys and girls and everything in between.

I love it.

These stores are popping up everywhere around here. I saw my first one last Christmas. It was a small one, but at the time I had no clue.... I just loved the sight of cheap stuff. Its name was and still is the Chinese Store Before Jumbo.

Then slowly and randomly I began noticing red Chinese lanterns hanging in front of several stores in the area. Quickly and rather abrutly and to Harry's dismay I would stop at each one.

Here's the signature of every Chinese Store.... the hanging red lantern. The draw from this hanging illuminator is unstoppable.... like a sailor to a siren. A lighthouse's beam at night. A safe port from the storm. But a sight Harry tries to ignore as we drive past a new locale.

Quality may not be the best, but who cares when you only pay 5 euro for a sundress...

Blessings to those shone the way by the light,

Kristie