Shopping

Even shopping could well be an expedition in Spain. Hunting venues for jewelry, crafts, bric-a-brac, clothes, furniture, antiques, and whatever else under the Spanish sun are plenteous. There are up-nosed high end shopping spas, hoi polloi havens and funky flea markets, under which the sub-folders are indoor markets, called mercados, permanent street markets and traveling open-air street markets that move from area to area. These are more exciting, and have more friendly prices compared to regular shops.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed: always bring a sunny smile wherever you shop, liberate all inhibitions to haggle (except in upscale joints), practice a few Spanish phrases to take along with you, guard your purse, handbag, backpack or pockets—predators may be lurking in the midst. It may interest you that all public places in Spain carry the sign, "This establishment has a complaints book for any customers that require them." It is a powerful tool for consumer rights that may used for any raw deals, customer disservice, or simple defective items to return.

For more tips, locales and items, some of the following links may lead you where you want to go:
http://www.destination360.com/europe/spain/shopping.php
http://d2.dir.ac2.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Spain/Business_and_Econom...
http://gospain.about.com/od/shopping/Shopping_What_to_Buy_Where_to_Shop_...
http://www.spain-info.com/Living_in_Spain/Shopping.htm