If you love to browse a fleamarket in Limassol could be just the place
I LOVE having a good old rummage round the shops and enjoy the bunfight that the sales can turn into as much as the next person, so I was eager to have a good ferret around at the new indoor flea market at Asomatos.
The flea market, situated at the edge of Asomatos village, is very easy to find. Follow the road round from the Old Port at Limassol and it takes you right to the door just beyond the Fasouri Water Park on the left. There’s plenty of parking and it’s free.
The first thing I came across was the car boot section. I have to admit I find it fascinating rooting among other people’s bits and pieces but having forgotten my sun hat and glasses I was quite keen to get indoors.
Inside it was bright, cool and airy with plenty of stalls and lots of space to walk around.
The first thing that caught my eye was a stall selling tops and jeans all at five pounds each. There were lots to choose from and did I find a bargain? Of course but my impatient husband didn’t want to spend too much time (or money) at one stall. I’m going to make a point of going back at a later date, but on my own.
For ages I have been looking for a headset for my computer that has a combination microphone. Would you believe it, I found one, a Genius from the mobile phone kiosk and it only cost £3.
If it’s craft stalls and jewellery that’s your thing, there are so many you’d be spoilt for choice. What I found really interesting is that a lot of the handcrafts are made by enthusiastic people who also do courses on their respective craft. You could go looking for a special crafted gift and find that you can learn how to do it yourself. And there’s nothing more satisfying than giving someone a gift that you have made yourself.
Suddenly I came across something that I certainly didn’t expect to see! Shrimps, yes shrimps (prawns) swimming about in a tank, well perhaps just hovering, but there they were, as large as life. These Cypriot shrimps are farmed locally at Episkopi Bay and are for sale. But don’t worry, you buy them frozen and ready packed and you can pick up a few recipes at the same time.
It was time to meet up with the people who operate the flea market and I set off. But I got waylaid by a magician with a white dove and two small rabbits sitting on a trolley. The children thought he was great. I hung back and watched a couple of his tricks. Definitely a place I will bring visitors with small children.
Walking ahead was a family with two little girls; one had her face painted as a tiger and the other a lion. As I approached the Kafenion I saw the play area to which the family were heading. I wandered over and had a look and was glad to see soft flooring, padded walls and bouncy castles.
At last I got to the Kafenion and met Maria Loizou and Georgia Christofides, the driving forces behind the flea market. So how did it all come about?
“Maria first mentioned a flea market two years ago and after a lot of research we decided we wanted to create the largest indoor flea market in Cyprus. We found this old warehouse which is 5,500m² and totally refurbished it. We want this to be more than a place for just shopping, it’s to be an adventure, a fun day out for the whole family,” said Georgia.
“We are in the process of making an outdoor park for children in the trees. A small lunar park with flying aeroplanes will also be coming soon. We want to do lots of different things. Local actors are going to come and give autographs. We will be having music concerts and so much more,” added Maria.
The flea market has 300 outdoor and indoor stalls that sell everything from antique furniture to modern technology and so much more (there are even clean toilets). As well as the Kafenion there is also an English style cafeteria. The flea market is open Saturday and Sunday from 9.00am to 7.00pm all year round.
l Hiring a kiosk in the indoor flea market costs £25 per day or £28 for a corner site. The table tops in the arcade are £20 per day and for the car boot section it’s £16 per day. Tel: 77778828 www.cyprusfleamarket.com
FLEA MARKET [Revised] – JG
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