saturday shopping

Amidst the craziness of preparing for Big Jim's trip to Islamabad next Sunday, we also have to go to a wedding Thursday and Friday this week in Gibraltar. And our friend T. is visiting at the same time, so it's a bit busy here to say the least. We decided to head into Malaga yesterday, to the Spain mega-department store chain El Corte Ingles. This was a first for me. I have been in El Corte Ingles stores before, but that was years ago and in Seville. At that time, I thought ECI was the DB. Yesterday, though, what a letdown. We first had a pitstop in the house and home store. That bit was okay. Big Jim amused himself in the computer section while I perused the shelves of DVDs. Very good selection, and probably worth a return trip. However, we then went to the clothing floors. We stepped off the escalator at the women's department. Before us were signs for Liz Claiborne, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and Ralph Lauren. I might as well have been at the Strawbridge's at 8th & Market in Philadelphia. The floor layout was practically identical. So surreal. We decided instead to find the shoe department...again major disappointment. For a country so well respected for their shoes (ie, Manolo Blahnik), the sparse selection included DKNY pumps and not much more. In the end I did manage to find a hand-embroidered wrap from Seville, and we did have a good turn around the food hall, which may be my favorite section of any department store. Many tempting items, including miso soup, which I could not pass up. :-) We headed east out of the city along the coast road. Malaga has been a bit of a hellhole and more than a little rundown for awhile. But there have been major improvements, huge revitalization efforts particularly in the center and along the waterfront, and the results thus far are very positive. The train station is currently being redone, as are many of the historic buildings, both public and private. The Picasso museum opened finally last year (he was born in Malaga), and it seems that Malaga is finally beginning to realize its potential. Big Jim and I even spotted a sushi restaurant near the port that we have decided to visit when he returns in mid-February. The word in getting out in the village about Big Jim's upcoming adventure. Most people initially react with concern, which is logical. But we've been doing a crash course, reading everything we can find about Islamabad and Pakistan in general, and despite all the fears that have been put into our heads, it seems to be a cosmopolitan and fascinating place. It's probably not the place for everyone, but Big Jim is a very well-traveled and cultured person who knows how to handle himself wherever he is. He doesn't shy away from new experiences; as I mentioned previously, he worked in Zagreb just after the war ended, and he has also hiked in the Caucasus Mountains when tensions were still pretty high in the Republic of Georgia. That is not to say I won't worry about him. I always worry about him when he's not sitting across from me in the office. But if you haven't gathered by now, Big Jim and I are not the sort of people destined to always follow the "rules" and play life completely safe. Always playing safe guarantees no security in life anyway. After our trip to Malaga, we stopped at the shopping center in Torre del Mar to do some grocery shopping. Wow, have the Spanish begun to embrace malls and Christmas shopping. The line into the parking lot was backed up to the highway roundabout, and it took us almost twenty minutes to find a spot for the Peugeot. I have never seen the place so busy. Spanish were pushing carts loaded down with Christmas trees and ham legs and Barbie dolls and boxes of chocolates and cases of wine---the spirit of American consumerism continues its race around the world. I have purchased my ticket for my trip to the US. I leave on the 22nd and arrive back on the 6th. It's been sixteen months since my last visit, and I am going to make all my friends promise not to make fun of the way I now talk, my odd mix of British and American English with some Spanish thrown in for good measure. That said, usually after a few days in PA Dutch country I have trouble with my Vs and Ws. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone again and catching up, and being with those I love will make being away from Big Jim at the holidays a bit easier to bear. We have been wondering what he'll be eating for Christmas dinner this year.....as you can imagine, Big Jim is already excited about all the curries and spice shops in Pakistan. Must be off, lots to do today and every day this week. hasta luego, mylifeinspain