|
|
|
Bald Eagles arrive in Squamish BC
Once again our planet's largest gatherings of Bald Eagles in
underway in Squamish British Columbia, just North of Vancouver
BC, and just 50 km south of the world class Whistler Ski Resort.
Based on population estimates, up to 5% of the world's...
Disney Land and Disney World
The big dream of most young children is to go to Disney Land or Disney World. This vacation, though, can cost you an arm and a leg! How do you keep it affordable and please the kids? There are several things you can do to limit your costs and enjoy...
Is there Really Free Travel on the Internet?
If you go to Google and enter the term "Free Travel" you would find 2,200,000 Entries. If you check All-the Web, you find 3,990,000 Entries. You find a similar number on any search engine. Obviously these are highly competitive search terms. It is...
Mexico's Riviera Maya: The New Caribbean Vacation Hotspot
Travelers who are looking for a fantastic all-inclusive resort destination that is priced far below most tropical destinations in and around the Caribbean should look into Mexico’s Riviera Maya. This area has fast become a very popular tropical...
Popular Tourist Spots in Singapore
Although small in size, Singapore offers a wide range of sights and experiences to visitors. Reputated as a clean, green and orderly city, the country stands out as a bustling city in Asia.
Orchard Road - Located at the Southern part...
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Christmas Shopping in Spain
Thinking of flying out to do a bit of Christmas shopping? Maybe
a good idea if you want to escape the crowded UK stores. In
Spain, the shops tend to be more individual with specialist
shops selling specific products, whereas in the UK, you can
often almost buy everything under one roof. This offers
convenience in a fast paced life and enables you to do all your
shopping without getting wet.
However, here weather is not normally an issue and you can enjoy
a dry browse along the high street in Estepona, Marbella or
wherever you choose to shop.
If you prefer the convenience of buying everything under one
roof and shopping in a mall, you still have that option here
too; choose from Miramar in Fuengirola or La Canada in Marbella
amongst many others. Even some of the high street names will be
familiar to you such as Dorothy Perkins and Wallis, but that's
not really the point of doing your Christmas shopping in Spain.
If you plan to buy everything in Spain, be warned that there
isn't half the choice that you find in the UK and you probably
won't save any money. Having said that, you could save money as
you are more likely to buy only what you need due to the lack of
choice and temptation.
There's no doubt that Christmas shopping is a far less stressful
process than in the UK as the Spanish have managed to keep it in
perspective. Coming from the UK you may even find it a bit of an
anti-climax after the imaginative array of gifts on offer in
stores such as Marks and Spencer, Boots etc.
If you do decide to do Christmas shopping in Spain, take care
with sizes when buying clothes. Sizes do vary considerably and
where you might be a 40(12) in the UK, in shops such as Mango
and Zara, you may find yourself needing a 42 or a 44. A man who
wears an extra large in Marks and Spencer will have difficulty
finding his size in Spain. The Spanish people tend to be smaller
than
the big boned Brits and the clothing manufacturers haven't
yet grasped the concept of putting a smaller size label on the
clothes to make women feel good and buy more. Likewise, for
obvious reasons I would avoid buying shoes even slippers in
Spain as the shoes are often narrower than our UK fittings. I
was always a size 5 (38) in the UK, but I now wear a 6 (39). I
can explain why I now need much bigger clothes here, but unless
the food is going to my feet, I can't think why my feet have
grown.
If you are thinking about buying toys for your children, there
isn't half the choice that there is in the UK. El Corte Ingles
has a good selection but some might find it a bit sexist how all
the 'girls' toys are clumped in one section and the 'boys' in
another. You will find small toy shops in every town which are
quite reminiscent of those that we had in the UK twenty plus
years ago. A slightly more educational toy shop, similar to
Early Centre but again not the same choice is Imaginarium. If
you want your children to learn the Spanish language, it is
certainly worth your while coming to buy books and DVDs to use
as learning aids. In the larger shopping malls, there are book
shops, some often combining music and books.
I personally will be visiting the UK to do my Christmas shopping
and I can't wait to soak up the commercialised Christmas spirit
to the beat of Slade's classic track. So, I don't know about the
rest of you but I'm heading for Marks and Spencer to try on some
clothes and feel thin again!
About the author:
Susan Pedalino is Masters degree qualified in Intercultural
Communication and teaching English as a foreign language. Susan
regularly writes for Eye on Spain (www.eyeonspain.com). Having
moved to Spain to set up a business and buy property, she has
gained invaluable experience in buying off plan property in
Spain.
|
|
|
|
|
|