It was a chilly, sunny, (and early!) Spanish morning in February when we three merry travelers set out from our home away from home in Fuente de Piedra to explore the regular Sunday morning flea market in Malaga—our first ever visit to this mecca of vintage goodies (plus the requisite modern shizzz). Sarah drove the 45 minutes or so with Kim as master navigator, so we arrived in plenty of time to partake in some good ol’ deal-making. Auspiciously, we netted a parking space a half block from the market—which sprawled out ahead of us across a huge parking lot at the local fairgrounds. It was exhilarating! Beckoning! Absolute kismet!

Across the wide open space, vendors displayed their wares in a crowded tangle of blankets, tarps, and tables — an effective tactic for buyers like me who are naturally drawn to the chaos. Because there’s a deal in there somewhere, right?! All you have to do is study the conglomeration and wait for “it” to jump out.

And right from the get-go, I found a couple of ragged amateur oil paintings I had to buy. They were inexpensive, properly loved, and unframed — the perfect combination. One features a young girl in a green velvety dress playing a violin. The other depicts a sweet spray of delicate red flowers on stems. Later, I also bought a wonderful, framed oil painting of Ronda, Spain’s El Tajo gorge. Halfway through my shopping spree I wondered how I would get all these artworks home. Eek. (Note to all: see the ol’ “Where there’s a will there’s a way” adage.)

Foreign flea markets (aka, pretty much anywhere outside Missouri where I live, but especially beyond the USA’s borders) offer wonderfully different vintage and antique treasures. Notably at the Malaga flea, was an oddly beautiful light fixture decorated with painted seashells and a folk-arty picture frame with red rose vines, also crafted with shells. Sarah found a chippy round mirror and a lovely hand painted wooden waste bin for a guest bedroom (mine! And guess who talked her into it?).

I found a few more (mini!) landscape paintings. I also bought some sterling jewelry pieces. Kiim escaped without a purchase but might still regret walking away from a lovely ring. Thankfully, Sarah speaks Spanish and could help negotiate our deals, and luckily the vendors took deal making as a matter of fact.

We only shopped the vintage side of the market, but there were also stalls featuring wonderful fruits and veggies along with clothes and new (read: cheap) trinkets.

All in all, time well spent. And in case you’re wondering, I did manage to get the paintings home. For once, I was in praise of huge suitcases (Kim’s, that is! The biggest painting—the one we’ll call “Girl with Violin,” fit amazingly well between the two halves of her hard-sided bag. What luck!)

“Every child is born an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist as you grow up.” ~ Pablo Picasso