Life: Idiotropic

Sometimes shopping is just a good excuse for a little adventure, so although I would not normally drive two hours just to go shopping, a big shopping bazaar at the Spangdahlem Air Force Base was too tempting to pass up. On Friday I picked up a couple friends and strapped in my two youngest and we took off for a day of shopping! The drive to Spang is easy being almost entirely autobahn, and it is beautiful going through the green rolling hills in Belgium. My 4th time through there, it still bugs me that I can't pull over and take pictures. It is so pretty.

We got to the base just after noon, parked easily, and went through the security tent where we showed our ID cards and got our hands stamped. One of my Spanish friends, Maria, came with her two kids since it was open to NATO ID holders as well. Two large hangers were filled to capacity with venders selling items from all over Europe: German Nutcrackers and Dolls, Bavarian dresses and lederhosen, Italian Murano glass, Polish pottery and wood crafts, antiques, candy, wines, leather, Norwegian wool sweaters, Peruvian alpaca, paintings, Italian pottery, Austalian tiles, and more. There was almost too much to see, but the variety was nice. Prices seemed a bit high to me on some things, especially on antiques. After being in Tongeren, I knew very well how overpriced many antique items at the bazaar were - some quadruple the prices I saw in Tongeren for items of lesser quality.

The Belgian tapestries were gorgeous. They really are quite special and in so many different colors and designs. A bit pricey there, I'll shop with my friend, Sissel, who sells them at the bazaar here. I ended up getting a gift for each of the girls and for Kirk - all things that were unique and special from here and for me, I got a lovely alpaca hat/scarf from Peru. The scarf is made in a tube, so when you tuck one end into itself, you can wear it as a hat, then wind the rest around your neck as a scarf. It is really clever, warm, and looked great. After being so cold last winter, I will not let this one begin unprepared.

Maria enjoyed looking around. She had never been on that base before and her kids were surprised at how big and modern it was. I'd never thought of it as beautiful, but those are the type of words that I heard from my Spanish friends. It is bigger than our little base here at GK. We shopped and ate at the venders there. Maria had never seen American money. It was kind of fun to show this "little America" to her and her kids. We went to the BX and Burger King on the way home - not the food I would have liked, but all the kids were tired and getting antsy. I think the free soda refills were impressive enough to make up for average fast food. Free refills do not happen anywhere here and water is never free. You do not get ice, nor tap water. Every beverage and ever refill costs. So, never-ending free refills at Burger King were kind of fun - for all of us.