Sundays and my first official purchase

Sunday, 1:45 p.m.

Today is Sunday. The Spanish really view it as a day of rest. My friends and I wander around window-shopping all the time, but on Sunday you're really confined to windows. All the shops are closed, except for bread shops and candy shops and some tobacco stands, which close around lunch time today.

It's nice to see that they really appreciate Sunday for what it is - a day to relax, go to to church, and be with family, away from the hustle and bustle that is daily life.

People still are out and about on Sundays though, even though everywhere is closed. The city seems more relaxed a lot a quieter, and Sundays have become a day I welcome.

For me, they're a day for sleeping in, for finishing homework, for reading, for relaxing, for wandering the city a little bit before lunch and then calling it a day. I spend the rest of the day in sweats in my room, enjoying the sound of the pigeons on my windowsill and seagulls conversing with each other across the street.

Today, Sunday was also a day to wander to a flea market. Kyla and Becca stumbled upon it last Sunday in their wanderings. A tunnel downtown is barricaded off so cars can't use it, and vendors set up shop. It's kind of like wandering through a really random garage sale - a lot of stuff is crappy and useless, but there are still gems if you look hard enough.

It was there that I made my first official purchase - this lovely scarf:

Excuse the fact that it doesn't go with my shirt - my host mom has been at the hospital with her mom all week, so my laundry hasn't been done for a while. I feel lame saying that though. I'm completely capable of doing my own laundry. At home, anyway. I'm not sure exactly how the washing machine works here, and I know if I tried to hang up my stuff to dry, half of my clothes would end up on the ground instead of on the clothesline...and how in the world would I get to them? I'll leave it to the professionals.

But anyway. I really like this scarf. Yes, it's a boring earth-tone (sorry to disappoint, sisters!) but it goes with so many of my outfits (except for the pink shirt, obviously) and is really cute. It's printed with lots of teeny flowers, and the fringe is actually little crocheted hearts. It was only 5 euros and the perfect first purchase for my trip to Spain.

I hope you all have a lovely, relaxing Sunday!

♥ abigail