Aneya: Shops

Shops here in Santiago are organized in a very odd fashion. Stores that sell the same product- such a shoes, for women, all go on one street. Then tech stores go on another. So literally, you'll be walking down the street and pass 20 shoe stores. Daniela explained this to us early on, saying things such as "So this is the eyeglass area. If you need new glasses, come here!" And sure enough, optometrists, in their white overcoats sat outside their stores, chain smoking, waiting for costumers. Why wouldn't they spread the competition around? Why cluster all of them together, making it difficult for the costumer to choose? Maybe I just don't know the stores well enough, maybe one is obviously superior to another. Who knows?

Santiago has many speciality stores, which I love. I'm so used to mega stores, which sell everything from toothpaste to gardening equipment, but here, you won't find that. Sure they have big super stores ( like Jumbo, picture above) but they're few and far between. In the city, you'll see a store that just sells printer ink. That's it. The whole store just sells ink. Then you'll have a cell phone accessories store. Like those sad little vendors you'll see in the middle of the mall? Just like that, but an entire store. Music stores, amazingly still exist here, and even they are very particular- one will only sell Peruvian music, another, Mexican. The music blasts through the open doors as people browse through the CDs (yes, people still buy CDs here!)

There are lingerie stores, of course. But not just for women. Men, too, get there own stores dedicated their undergarments, and it's quite amusing to see. I'm not talking about some manly boxers, or even those tight boxer briefs in the Calvin Klein ads. No, these are tightie whities, super small, speedo style underwear. And in crazy colors! Red lace, for instance. Umm, okay? Who exactly is wearing that? I don't want to know.

There's also a plethora of magazine stands scattered throughout the city, selling candy bars, soda, chips, all kinds of snacks, with magazines and newspapers clipped everywhere, some are so stuffed you can hardly see the person behind the counter. They also sell men's magazines. Lots of them. And let me tell you, there's no black bar here. Everything is exposed. And I mean everything. And prominently too, they're not hiding in the back. They're displayed front and center, and it's quite jarring in the morning to see a huge pair of boobs in your face (well, for me anyway). More boobs than butt, which has surprised me. In any case, no one else seems to mind, and yes, people (ahem, men) sometimes will stop in their tracks and stare, but usually people just keep walking by, like it's no big deal. Cause it's not, really. Just something else to get used to.

There are big department stores, such as Ripley or Paris, but there are also nicknack stores, lamp stores, tool stores, stationary stores (reminds me of my old job!) there's everything, basically. And I love that small businesses still survive here. It's that charming, old fashioned, small town appeal that just never gets old. Keep it up, Santiago! Don't succumb to the superstore!