A Special Spanish Tax

We are home and officially recovered from jet-lag. Still basking in the layers of extraordinary art, incomprehensible history and phenomenal food and wine of Spain. We brought home all sorts of memories and left a large chunk of my favourite black traveling skirt - on the lower right of the photo. 

In Madrid (population 3.2 million), the people are extremely well dressed: mostly high leather boots, tight pants or leggings for any woman under forty, full fur coats and stylish hats for the matronly set.  Strolling hand-in-hand it does not appear that they  "shop until they drop. " There is phenomenon not given in any guidebook: after Christmas it appears that everyone emerges from their homes and apartments and comes in from all the villages within a 2 hour bus/train or Metro ride (you would NEVER think of driving in Madrid) to take advantage of the phenomenal after holiday sales. We were overwhelmed with the crowds (major understatement) and seduced (accurate statement) by the major stores staying open until 23:00. In addition to great prices, Spain's largest department store, El Corte Ingles, gives additional discounts to folks like us who show their foreign passports. The only unexpected tax was a VERY HUNGRY ESCALTOR that snatched my skirt. Chuck pushed the emergency stop button and within seconds I was surrounded by an armed guard, two mechanics and six giggling sales girls (not a single one with scissors). They methodically disassembled the escalator and politely handed me the well-digested scraps. Thank heavens it was a mid-length stretchy yoga skirt and not a gloved hand or the stiletto heels I'd just purchased. All is well and I'm off to start a new fashion trend...