Perestroika Successful

New Market, Odessa

On this site below you will see other pictures of markets - the Privoz in Odessa and the New Market. This is also part of the New Market not far from my apartment here in Odessa. This section used to look like the market below - it was an open style market with counters. A lot of these counters were torn down recently and in their stead new store-like stalls were erected - and very quickly. Some days I walked through here and bought things over open counters, a week later there was a new aisle in its place with windows and doors. How do you know what is for sale along this aisle? You simply look at the signs which state the types of products available inside the stall/store. These walkways are certainly wider and there is a lot less bumping into people as I shop along. I am also surprised that this reform has taken place. Typically over the past 6 years the first places to be rennovated were spots for tourists rather than taxpayers and non-taxpaying citizens. While certain governments in the world judge the former Soviet Republics' lack of reforms harshly, I think if they took a walk in the local market 5 years ago and again today, they would have a different impression. I found Julius Meinl coffee in bags selling for upto 30 USD in one of these stalls - which sell goods and services to local citizens rather than tourists.