The open market of Pateles
Starting early in the morning until about 2pm, the open market of Pateles is a sight on its own. This is because here you will not only find great stuff to shop, but you will also experience the melting pot of Heraklion society: Gypsies selling clothes and villagers selling their products, classy ladies checking out imitations of expensive brands, and family guys doing their weekly shopping. The fame of Pateles market has reached the tourist industry and it has become common to see passengers of cruise ferries wandering around with maps in their hands. But what can you find in this market? Well, apart from the typical fruit and vegetables (most of which are produced in Crete) you will also find spices, dairy products, olives, herbs and honey in very good prices. So far, so good…until you reach the clothing section! The first thing that will cross your mind is that everything you see is bad quality or fake (and in some cases it is true). However, most clothes you see are last season’s, sold to gypsies by the kilo and many come from popular (and expensive) stores. Of course, that doesn’t mean that you will not see imitations of popular brands, but the experienced eye of regular shoppers (and brand connoisseurs) have learned to tell the difference! If you are lucky, you will find original brands of clothes and shoes at very low prices, as well as other surprises, such as used books for 3 euros. Continue reading “The open market of Heraklion”
