Shopping
End May, 2006
As you may have gathered by now, shopping can be interesting in Madrid. The experience is very different between the vast Corte Ingles and the 'tienda', the little shop around the corner. In the former, there are more shop assistants than you can shake a stick at. But these so-called 'assistants' are actually contestants for the National Talking Competition. They will be found usually huddled together, talking and talking and talking, looking very focused as if discussing matters of great importance. But it will be recipes or what Señora Margarita saw Señora Magdelena's daughter doing in the street last night as she was hanging out her washing.
When you finally do get an assistant to help you, expect the first word you hear to be "no", as every sentence in Spanish seems to start with "no", which can be a little confusing when the person speaking is actually saying "yes" or "maybe". Shopping at Corte Ingles can be a little painful. However, if you can get past this, the store is great - clean, sparkly and full of interesting and stylish things. Shopping in little family 'tiendas' on the other hand is a pleasure... if only you can find one open.
All that started me thinking about the differences in shopping experiences between some of the other cities I have visited:
London, UK - The assistant would look at you with vacant eyes, grunt, and slouch off to a display counter with items that bear no resemblance to what you are looking for. And if you do find what you want, it will be so damned expensive you will turn around and walk out in a state of shock.
New York, US - The assistant would say, whilst leaning against a wall and moving nothing more than his mouth, "No." You would say, "Do you know where I might get such a thing?" They would say, "No." Both parties having wasted minimum energy engaging in unproductive platitudes.
Vancouver, Canada - Either you would be totally ignored, or engaged in a long conversation about the weather (it rains A LOT in Vancouver and there are many different types of rain to discuss). After all of that, you would be given precise instructions as to where to find what you want.
Pune, India - Do not expect to do anything else the day you decide to go shopping. Asking for something is pointless as the shopkeeper will always say they have it, even when they don't, with the sole purpose of luring you into the store. But that is OK, as shopping in India is great fun. Bargaining is the name of the game here. The longer you bargain, the greater the degree of respect you are bestowing on the shop owner. The process ends when you settle on a price in the middle, shake hands on the deal and hug with great smiles and laughter as if you had been friends for life.
So far, I like Spain the best!
Hasta Luego!