Weird Shops? Spain is Numero Uno.

I've been mourning the passing of an old shop recently. Business has obviously died off. Yes, you guessed it - a tombstone shop. Keep in mind, however, that it was in the town centre, on the main street, between a clothes shop and a bar. What better way to enjoy Spanish culture than to sit at a table in the sun, having a tapa and a beer, next to a block of marble engraved with DEP, (the Spanish version of RIP)?

Another one that has bitten the dust, was an old shop that I wasn't quite sure what they were supposed to be. They had baby ware, like prams and bottle sterilizers, rubbing shoulders with radio-controlled cars and train sets, beneath a collection of light fittings. Probably hard to create a brand image. But I feel a bit sad that this quirky place has been gutted and replaced with a bland, modern, bright and shiny, handbag and shoe shop.

Diversifying and covering one too many bases was probably a bad idea. So how about super-specialising? In Cordoba there was an egg shop. Their only concession to customers who wanted something a bit different were quail eggs. The most difficult choice was small, medium, large or eggstra large, (sorry!).

Finally, I remember a taxidermy business, unashamedly located on a normal city street, which although it didn't have glassy-eyed, stuffed bears peering out of the shop window, did have a rather strange form of advertising. A large sign on the front offered to stuff "cualquier", (any) animal or pet. I often wondered if I should test them out and take along a recently departed goldfish to see what they could do with it. (To be fair, in Australia you could buy cane toads that had been stuffed and converted into fridge magnets. Presumably they help people stick to their diets.) The taxidermist also converts animals into rugs. I'm sure they have tigers or bears in mind, not hamsters.

I mentioned the taxidermist to a friend once, and just my luck, it was their uncle. He had a Great Dane, that when it died, he stuffed it and put it in the hallway of his house. Scared the hell out of visitors, but he assured them saying it wouldn't bite and was very obedient. "Stay!" he would command, and it wouldn't move.

Spain is a funny place. I've fallen in love with it and made it my home. I've written a romantic comedy, Loosely Translated, which offers an insight into the country which goes beyond the standard image of bullfighting and flamenco.

When Maria, a struggling writer, is offered the job of translating a B-grade detective series, she is so disgusted that someone with such little talent can get published, she decides to make some "changes". The difficulties start when the improved Spanish version becomes a huge hit.

If that appeals to you, support an Indie author by buying me a couple of beers - that's about how much the book costs on Amazon. Cheers!

Click to go to Loosely Translated on Amazon