By Catherine Tsounis
Alexandroupolis is a modern city of Thrace that lied on our itinerary for a summer 2019 Kapogiannis tour. When we crossed the Turkish border, Alexandroupolis was the first city to connect Europe and Asia. It is a new city. I did not see any traditional buildings. Immaculate, without any homeless in the streets. Close to the Bulgarian border, Russian signs were numerous. Clear blue skies were incredible.
The Via Ignatia, 2nd century B.C. Roman Road connects Alexandroupolis to Thessaloniki, and Istanbul. Fertile land, forests were along the road. The port is clean with great seaside views. We saw the coast of Samothrace from the waterfront. Alexandroupolis is the twin city of Edirne, Eastern Thrace, Turkey. The Treaty of Lausanne (24 July 1923) affirmed that Western Thrace and Alexandroupolis would continue to be controlled by Greece.
Alexandroupolis, that is by the sea, has changed hands from the mid 1800s with Turkey, Russia, Bulgaria and now Greece. Thrace, a land rich in natural resources is coveted by its neighboring nations in 2020.
We stopped at the picturesque waterfront. A young businessman, Mr. Georgiadis, was passing out fliers. I was totally disappointed with the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. The prices were very high and products average quality. The Alexandroupolis’ energetic businessman had a vibrant air about him. I went into his shop and came across postcards that looked like oil paintings. I have never seen postcards that appeared as oil paintings. His t-shirts were good quality with all sizes. I bought some costume jewelry and cups. Mr. Georgiadis’ inventory was the best. Talking with pleasant persons made the shopping experience enjoyable. Hospitality and respect to the consumer was what I experienced at Georgiadis Accessories. It is located at Leoforos Meg. Alexandrou 2, Alexandroupoli 68132, Greece.
