Tag Archives: shopping

Barcelona Market Shopping At Night

Photos of the day for today are from the huge enclosed market — the Boqueria Market — which was dedicated in the mid-1800s and which is easily accessed from the wide and tree-lined pedestrian walkway of La Rambla.

We had a pleasant stroll though this market and took a small packet of chocolate truffles back to our apartment. It was quite a happy and lively atmosphere and I was surprised to see just how many people were out at night buying their fruit, vegetables, and all other manner of food products.

Cut fruit dealer at the Boqueria Market in Barcelona, Spain

Happy night-time shoppers in the Boqueria Market in Barcelona, Spain

You Can Knit What?

Funny photo of the day today — Knit Kits seen in the window of a museum gift shop in Barcelona, Spain. I’ve seen knitted teapot cozies before, but never a knitted bike seat! And knitted cuffs for your wellies?

Ah well — something for everyone, eh?

Knitting project in kit form in a Barcelona, Spain museum shop

Let The Gnome Hold It In Barcelona

Quick photo of the day today — letting a gnome hold things for me today!

Gnome table in a home design shop in Barcelona, Spain

This little gnome table was in the window of a home design store in Barcelona. Not only was he rather cute, I also liked the rug behind him made out of small cut-out circles of leather.

Enjoy!

9 Days to Christmas In A French Town

Taking a break from all of the photos and articles on Spain for a glimpse of a French town when there are 9 days left before Christmas.

The local town council has attached Christmas trees to the lamp posts on both sides of the bridge over the river.

Cyclists on the bridge in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France

View from the bridge in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France at Christmas time

This charming little dog was waiting for his/her owner to finish shopping in the toy store.

A little dog waits patiently for its owner to finish shopping in the toy store.

The weekend market now has a wintery Sunday version that has vintage goods for sale. It was quite enjoyable to be able to walk freely through the bare-branched avenue of trees without being jostled by the large throngs of people that attend the Saturday market. We didn’t actually find anything we wanted, but it was certainly was pleasant to walk in the fresh air and have a look around.

Shoppers at a winter outdoor market in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France in December 2012.

Barcelona Nights Out: Photo of the Day – Shoppers and Diners

In contrast to our own home town here in the South of France which practically rolls up the sidewalks on weeknights, you certainly can’t say that about a weeknight in Barcelona!

The photo below was taken on the very busy Passeig de Gracia at night. Note the happy women taking a break on the bench surrounded by all of their shopping bags as other people continue to stream by.

Two unidentified women rest on a bench as people walk by at night on the busy shopping district in Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona, Spain.

Strolling, laughing, running into friends, people are definitely out an about and not racing to get home and sit behind closed doors.

Happy Barcelona, Spain citizens out and about on a week night on Passeig de Gracia

And in this photo, people are just beginning to think about going out to dinner and filling up the tables at the very early hour of 8:30 PM.

Diners begin to slowly fill the tables of a sidewalk cafe in Barcelona, Spain.

We found an upscale ‘toy store’ for grownups called Vincon that carried everything from fabbo art and office supplies to a stunning array of kitchen goods. I had what we called (in Deb and Mark verbal shorthand) ‘a tile store moment’ when there was actually so much in that store that I didn’t know where to look first! I managed to get some shots that weren’t filled with people (and trust me, that was quite difficult), but the store was absolutely packed. At the front entry there were a row of waiting room style chairs for the people who were sitting and patiently waiting for someone else to finish shopping so they could go home.

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Barcelona is an amazingly vibrant city and I can’t wait to go back!

Photo Of The Day: Stroll At Dusk in Villedieu-les-Poeles

Today’s photo was taken in Villedieu-les-Poeles, a historic town in Normandy, France where handcrafted copper pots, pans, flowerpots, and much more continue to be made in a heritage manner. Many of the workshops are open to the public during the tourist season so that you can see the fabrication of these items in person.

If you are in Normandy, this is a place that is well worth a stop for the afternoon. The architecture of the town itself is enough to make it worth a photo break!

One final note, the bells were chiming in the church tower in the distance as we walked. It’s a part of life in Europe that just sinks into you and feels so right.

A peaceful stroll through the stone buildings and brick streets of Villedieu-les-Poeles in Normandy, France at dusk.

A Weekend Market Outing For The Trolley

It had been sitting there quietly, sparkling brightly, waiting for the inaugural test drive — that bright red shopping trolley that I showed you the other day. And this morning it got a chance to stretch its little wheels.

The red shopping trolley

Down the street, across the park, and over the bridge toward the Saturday market we went. And shortly after leaving the house, Mark took over because I was juggling my camera and stopping for pictures every few minutes. That’s fine — he looked quite nice as the ‘driver’ of the trolley, too!

Mark with the little red shopping trolley on the way to the weekly market in St. Girons, France

Into the alley of plane trees we walked — but wait! Where was everyone — and where was the market???

Empty market site in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France when the carnival came to town

St. Girons is currently hosting the 4 day All Rock Festival and trust me, everyone in town knows that they are here! They began playing last night at 10 PM and didn’t stop until just after 2 AM. Since we are right around the corner from the Palais des Vicomtes and the riverside park attached to the old chateau, the sounds echoed all through these stone buildings from one end of town to the other.

We didn’t realise that a small travelling carnival would tag along with the music festival. Their rides and trailers and gear were silently parked all up and down the tree-lined area that usually hosts the weekend market and none of our usual vendors were anywhere to be seen. How very odd it all looked!

Closed up rides during the daytime in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France

The normally busy town was quite subdued and I wondered if everyone was home sleeping off the effects of the previous night’s partying. But then as we entered another one of the squares, I began to see people with shopping bags full of vegetables and fruit and Mark and I both realised that we could walk for a few more minutes and go to Tutti Frutti — the veg shop on the other side of the town ring-road.

As we got closer, I saw bright-coloured kiosks and I told Mark, “They’ve moved the weekly market to the other side of town because of the carnival people.” And there on that street in front of us were the throngs of shoppers that we usually see beneath the riverside plane trees. It must be unthinkable to cancel the weekend market for any reason!

The temporarily relocated weekend market in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Artisan bread at the weekend market

The knifemaker at the weekend market in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France

An artisan cheesemaker at the weekend market in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Candy seller at the weekend market in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France

We had a lovely outing on a cool and misty day, came home with fresh food and lots of photos, and I now have a bright green straw hat hanging on the rack in our bedroom next to one of Mark’s Tour de France souvenir hats. All in all, it was a very nice way to give the lovely wee trolley a spin in the fresh air.

Straw goods seller at the weekend market in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France

Green straw hat from the market in St. Girons, Midi-Pyrenees, France

P.S. Stay tuned for pictures from the Rock Festival and the night-time carnival over the next few days!

A Wanderful Life

The Neverending Journey