Shopping

Contrary to popular belief [if such a belief exists], I don't like shopping.  Not only do I find myself exhausted after just walking, I find myself wishing I could afford things that a) I really don't need, b) I actually don't want, and c) I would probably use once and put in a dark corner of my room to never be used again.

Interestingly, since leaving the US, I've found that shopping [or as they say in Argentina, ir de shopping {that's right, high school spanish classes, no one says ir de compras}] is an integral part of cultural submersion.  With enough practice and experience, you can actually recognize which souvenirs, clothes, and jewelry genuinely come from said country and which come from the mass-production catalogue every country seems to have available for tourist trap/market shop owners.

Since coming to Argentina, I've been to a total of two famous street markets, and a handful of random stores and artesan markets in between.  I've tried to compile a visual collection of some of the most interesting finds, but I've come to learn that shop owners are generally very much against photography if you're not buyin what they're selling.  Fear not; that hasn't stopped me from pretending to check if my battery has gone dead and take a quick shot of  their goods.

That sounds dirty.

-| Mate gourd, a.k.a. 'The Donkey Cup' for kickstarting your day.  Or night. |-

-| Oh.  My.  Godfather.  A leather goods shop with horse heads in the front. |-

-| Shiny, colorful, and well-lit party shop. |-

-| Candied apples and other candied things covered in popcorn. |-

-| Won't you be mime? |-

-| Someone wasn't happy. |-

-| Magno Bananas. |-

-| Free tango music = Free tangoing on the street. |-

-| Or you can just tango on your own. |-

-| Bringing something new to San Telmo! |-

-| Puppet Master!  Don't leave us hanging! |-

-| The Bubble Lady, blowing us away! |-

-| The famous San Telmo Antique Market!  ... I actually didn't know it existed until I came here. |-

-| Don't know if he bought it, or was trying to sell it. |-

-| Why would someone give this away? |-

-| Just in case you needed a snack break... |-

-| There's also a fruiteria inside!  How convenience! |-

-| One must travel an hour on the bus to China Town, or Barrio Chino, to find peanut butter. |-

-| Angel man playing the flute? |-

-| Winging a performance. |-

-| Pink Panther Puppets. |-

-| Wine not? |-

-| My sister's favorite massage products in the world! |-

-| I just like how there's no explanation or an artists nearby for this installation. |-

-| Baby tree bush balls! |-

-| Purses made from old videotapes. |-

-| Chim-chim, cha-roo. |-

-| Cool.  Whips. |-

-| There's even a French Corner!  Suprisingly very empty... |-

-| Boom.  Same-sex tango.  And an owl. |-

-| I wanted to steal this pomegranate.  But the French would've been angry. |-

-| He stood still for about five minutes.  I think that's what a quarter will buy. |-

-| Puzzled?  I woodn't have guessed. |-

-| Played the uke and wore short shorts with jackets before it was cool. |-

-| "Gallery of the Immaculate Conception."  Is that sacriligeous? |-

-| I don't see any baby Jesuses. |-

-| Ships Ahoy! |-

-| These guys are smokin'. |-

-| MEAT ME HERE.  Anyone? |-

-| I wonder Eiff 'elet me in without a passport. |-

-| Bootleg Ugly Dolls. |-

-| Chain-Mail Shirt! |-

-| Bootleg Leather Tom's? |-

-| 1 Kilo Jars of Dulce de Leche: 35 pesos||7.78 USD.  Expensive. |-

-| Eat, Pray, Love.  55 pesos||12.22 USD.  Unnecessarily expensive. |-

-| Oh, Hey Uncle Tom's CaBowdoin! |-

-| My mouth hangs ajar at all the pickled goods! |-

-| Don't waist his time! |-

-| At this point, you've already pigured me out. |-

-| Let's face it.  I'm not going to buy this stuff. |-

-| I vory much don't know what they're trying to sell. |-

-| Let's cut to the chase. |-

-| Surpreyesed? |-

-| Olive for moments like this. |-

-| Gosh darnknit. |-

-| What happened to the old one? |-

-| Let's bounce. |-

-| Some people actually won this game. |-

-| Sweet. |-

-| Mini horses!  But really, they looked sad. |-

-| What aboot it? |-

-| Stonefaced. |-

-| Puppets!  ... In another life... |-

-| How glassy to have a miniature garden! |-

-| Was it gouda you too? |-

-| Counting out his dough. |-

-| Fernet.  Apparently the 'old person' alcohol here. |-

-| Many, many cheese and meat stands. |-

-| Happy Easter || Feliz Pascua!  Chocolate Eggs! |-

-| Chocolate y frutilla||strawberry icecream in a genius cone. |-

-| Highlight of eating ice cream: watching children be jealous. |-

[punishing you.]