Will be in Madrid for 8 days and Soria for 10 days.

I have the usual list of gifts to purchase, however two close friends have asked me to bring them gifts of: Spanish Lace and Toledo steel(is this request as broad as it's long?).

My search on the site has not turned up much(perhaps I did not define the criteria correctly),
any help in locating the best locations (not overly expensive) would be much appreciated.

Oh, any suggestions for a boy aged 10 and a girl aged 5(my Grandchildren), there mother says get something Spanish!!!!

There are several stores on Calle Preciados in Madrid that sell Spanish lace. I know that they are aimed at the tourists, but with only 8 days in Madrid, I am sure you would rather be enjoying the city than running around to compare lace prices.

If you aren�t going to the city of Toledo, check out the tourist shop section of El Corte Ingl�s. They usually carry items representative of all parts of Spain as well as the usual kitschy tourist stuff.

For your grandkids... is your grandson into sports? How about a Real Madrid shirt? For my niece last Christmas (then 5 yrs. old), I got her a poster (among other things) of a flamenco dancer where her name was imprinted on it. It has to be the ultimate in cheesey tourist things, but she absolutely loved seeing her name in print along with all the Spanish words and names and the "beautiful dancer". Since she started school this fall, I got her a pencil case with a Spanish motif and a notebook with a motif by Agatha Ruiz Prada.

Hope that helps!

Hey colin, one of the shops Chica is referring to for the lace is called "Artesan�a Reyes" and it is about half way up Calle Preciados on your left hand side as you walk up from Puerta del Sol towards Callao. They have another store on Gran V�a as well.

It is a VERY famous place for lace and while it is in the touristy section of Madrid and is on one of the most commercial streets, their prices are not abusive.

Also if you are in Madrid on a Sunday, try the RASTRO for lace and any other gift item you could possibly imagine.

I bought my 2 year old nephew a stuffed bull from one of the souvenir shops on my street (CAVA DE SAN MIGUEL/CUCHILLEROS) just in back of the Plaza Mayor and HE LOVES IT :l:

Saludos,
jer...

Ha! I have been feeling so left out, not really having anything to contribute since I am stuck out here in MotorCity and Restaurant Hell! (Only two more weeks and back home to Madrid...Hooray!)

Anyway, knives I know about. I bring knives home everytime I can.

You can only find a Toledo knife in Toledo. Why? Because knives haven't been forged in Toledo in like a half century. The best knives are forged in Albaecetes and those that are going to Toledo are stamped Toledo.

I know all this because the half dozen are so knife shops I treked to on my first search for the elusive Toledo blade informed me of this in that "oh you poor misguided guiri" tone.

I finally settled on a great knife/perfume shop in the Anton Martin market, on C/Atocha. It is on the end of the alley that the Cine Dore is on and it is bright red, two meters wide and stuffed chockablock full of, well, knives and perfume. Why? I don't know. Anyway, the staff is super helpful and very friendly and the prices cheap.

I did check out El Corte Ingles and their knives are crazy priced. There is also a shop I like right off the Gran Via metro, I think on Hortaleza. About 3-4 stores off Gran Via, you can't miss it. The window is full of knives.

Hope this helps!
Candela

Chica, Jer & Candela,

Many thanks for your posts, they will help tremendously.

On the knife thing, the shop near C/Atocha can't be beat. I was wondering, though, just what is actually OK to carry in your pocket while you wander.

I usually have a small Swiss Army type-of-thing, but have never really thought about the legalities of doing so.

Will this land me in jail? If so, will I possibly be in the same jail as Jer if he angers La Telefonica again?

Thyglow

Colin, as for the knives. You probably do not need this advice as it is common sense but no matter what you buy, make sure you carry it home in your CHECKED BAGS and not carry-ons.

If you buy a long Toledo sword, check it!!!

On our way to UK a few weeks ago, Ena had a tweezer and miniscule scissor taken from her carry-on after they were detected in her manicure kit by the xray machine

Nothing like spending a ton on Toledo steel and having it taken from you at the security gate for trying to carry it on the plane with you

Saludos,
jer...

p.d. thyglow, see you in chirona.