fshusband (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} fshusband) wrote,@ 2008-05-09 18:39:00 |
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And I walked, I walked so far away
I saw a photographer at my lab with medium format film. So I asked him where I might find some. He said, "At Photo Market in Exarchia." That sounded straightforward enough. Uh, yeah. I found two camera stores in Exarchia (a neighborhood sorta near Omonia, the University, Monastiraki and Kolonaki). I've been wanting to extend my walking route, so I headed over there - it's about as far to Exarchia as my entire regular walk. Got to store number one...no MF film. But they helpfully said I could go to this other store (which was store number two).
I was kinda tired by the time I got there (I've walked about 3 miles at this point), and my Greek came out as gibberish. "Do you have the bleakenwhite film?"
"Black and white?"
"Yes. Black and white. The Ilford in the 120 size (because all I could think of was the Russian word for medium format)."
"Ilford?"
"Yes, from England?"
"No. Just Kodak."
"Okay. Do you have the juice? For the delivery of the film? No, not delivery...the de...develOPEment of the films."
"Juice? You mean chemistry?"
"Yes. Chemistry."
At this point, a friendly man said, in English, "I can show you. It's easy. Just a minute." So he finished buying his simple 35mm Agfa 5-pack and told me to go straight up the street a couple blocks and I'd see the sign for the black & white store on the left. Holy crap! There it was, exactly where he said. That's gotta be a first when traveling.
As I walked into the shop, I could see the golden chalice glowing above the castle of the 3-score nurses between 16 and 19...wait, no, that was from a movie...but I did see developing tanks and graduates (I broke my 500cc one the other day) and bottles of Ilford and Tetenal and Kodak. Paper of various sizes and types and brands were stacked along one wall. And film! Beautiful film made of silver gelatin with no silly color dyes!
Their selection turned out not to be spectacular, however, and their prices were A little steep, so I'll probably go back to ordering from the States, but they were there. They even knew of a place where I might (might) be able to rent some darkroom time. Yea! So I picked up some film, some chemistry and a graduate and headed out.
I trudged on over to Kolonaki, picked up my knives which I dropped off a couple days ago for sharpening, then up to the farmers' market. At the entrance to the market, a knot of French tourists was completely blocking the street. I mustered up my most disdainful expression and said, "Excuse moi," which garnered a small gap to squeeze through. I got some eggs, wine, lemons, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, the largest leek I've ever seen, some bananas, some big-ass green onions and strawberries and headed home. I was exhausted by the time I got home. I'd been walking continuously for about three hours at that point, and was carrying about 10 kilos of stuff. But it sure feels good to know where I can buy my B&W supplies finally.
(cross posted tobpsphoto)
I saw a photographer at my lab with medium format film. So I asked him where I might find some. He said, "At Photo Market in Exarchia." That sounded straightforward enough. Uh, yeah. I found two camera stores in Exarchia (a neighborhood sorta near Omonia, the University, Monastiraki and Kolonaki). I've been wanting to extend my walking route, so I headed over there - it's about as far to Exarchia as my entire regular walk. Got to store number one...no MF film. But they helpfully said I could go to this other store (which was store number two).
I was kinda tired by the time I got there (I've walked about 3 miles at this point), and my Greek came out as gibberish. "Do you have the bleakenwhite film?"
"Black and white?"
"Yes. Black and white. The Ilford in the 120 size (because all I could think of was the Russian word for medium format)."
"Ilford?"
"Yes, from England?"
"No. Just Kodak."
"Okay. Do you have the juice? For the delivery of the film? No, not delivery...the de...develOPEment of the films."
"Juice? You mean chemistry?"
"Yes. Chemistry."
At this point, a friendly man said, in English, "I can show you. It's easy. Just a minute." So he finished buying his simple 35mm Agfa 5-pack and told me to go straight up the street a couple blocks and I'd see the sign for the black & white store on the left. Holy crap! There it was, exactly where he said. That's gotta be a first when traveling.
As I walked into the shop, I could see the golden chalice glowing above the castle of the 3-score nurses between 16 and 19...wait, no, that was from a movie...but I did see developing tanks and graduates (I broke my 500cc one the other day) and bottles of Ilford and Tetenal and Kodak. Paper of various sizes and types and brands were stacked along one wall. And film! Beautiful film made of silver gelatin with no silly color dyes!
Their selection turned out not to be spectacular, however, and their prices were A little steep, so I'll probably go back to ordering from the States, but they were there. They even knew of a place where I might (might) be able to rent some darkroom time. Yea! So I picked up some film, some chemistry and a graduate and headed out.
I trudged on over to Kolonaki, picked up my knives which I dropped off a couple days ago for sharpening, then up to the farmers' market. At the entrance to the market, a knot of French tourists was completely blocking the street. I mustered up my most disdainful expression and said, "Excuse moi," which garnered a small gap to squeeze through. I got some eggs, wine, lemons, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, the largest leek I've ever seen, some bananas, some big-ass green onions and strawberries and headed home. I was exhausted by the time I got home. I'd been walking continuously for about three hours at that point, and was carrying about 10 kilos of stuff. But it sure feels good to know where I can buy my B&W supplies finally.
(cross posted to
bpsphoto)
