Shopping (Days 1 and 2)

I had an interesting realization this weekend, that even when it comes to leisurely activities, I can sometimes be way too productive and efficient. Take my weekend plans - going to 2 different markets and doing some sightseeing. Well, Saturday I was home by 12:15, and Sunday by 1:30 or so - with everything that I wanted to get done done, and nothing else to do. Hmmm.

But on to the spoils! I actually bought more than you'll see here. In fact, both days, I only left because I had run out of money. I could have gone on! But that's why I'm going back to Central Market tomorrow!

Central Market is only about 10 minutes from my hotel, so I walked down there Saturday morning. It's normally housed in an old Art Deco building from the 1930s, but they are renovating parts of it, so a lot of vendors are in the buildings surrounding it. Well, to be honest, it seemed pretty crowded, and big as it was. And, I shall be completely honest here: I may have gotten lost at one or two points while at the markets this weekend. I know, it's un-heard of, me getting lost, but it did happen, especially on Sunday at the Russian Market. But anyways.

Two things to note: First, there's a lot I got both days that I can't show right now - either because they are gifts, or in the case of one thing, very well wrapped and I don't want to unwrap them. Second, these pictures are kind of crap. I have some spectacular lighting in my hotel room, which means that after it gets dark out around 6:30 and I close the curtains, I have to squint to see. The best light happens to be right in the doorway, which is where I took these. Too bad that light does nothing for me in the rest of the room.

As it was, I ended up spending all my money on Saturday on jewelry. Those 2 pairs of earrings, supposedly real? $25. For both! And looking at the diamond studs compared to my CZ ones, these are a lot more shiny.

My favorite purchase...of Saturday. This was one thing I couldn't get the woman to budge on the price, but I took it anyway. I love it! I'm generally not one to wear gold, but the silver version was a bit chunkier, and didn't have such a delicate look.

After all the jewels on Saturday, I knew I needed to focus on my other desire for Sunday: silk. I actually had a lot more picked out, but misunderstood the price per meter and didn't have enough money to buy it all. The color of the turquoise and the stripped fabric are accurate but the red is completely off - it's more of a cranberry. 5 meters of the raw silk each, 1 of the regular silk.

This is the reason I couldn't buy more silk. I fell hard for something just after I got to the Russian Market. Too well wrapped for me to unwrap it, so these will get their own post once I get home!