Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Shopping early for Christmas in Cartagena



Debra and I have been shopping around Cartagena, mainly looking at molas. These are made by the Kuna indians in the San Blas islands and most of the stores here carry a good selection. Molas are cloth "paintings" made with layers of cloth cut to reveal the different layers and then hand stitched and embroidered somewhat like a quilt. The work varies in quality and

subject matter, most wonderfully imaginative. Most are animals and flowers but really fun scenes involving people show up from time to time. We went through piles of molas looking for good workmanship and design. Debra bought two that show two men eating, drinking, playing cards and smoking at a table with lots of fun details. I bought two that show a group of parrots, some in a cage and some outside. Their feet are very individual and expressive and the colors brillliant. I had these and some others made into large zippered bags as gifts. It's fun to grab lunch at one of the interesting cafes along the beach where Debra enjoyed fish soup! On the way back we wandered through the vendors in the Calle de Dulces, the Street of Sweets. Here all kinds of candies are sold under a long portico of arches.

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