Barcelona, España
photo by Styrous®
In the winter of 2003-4, I was in Barcelona
for a couple of months and I was still buying regular batteries for my
camera at that time. I had converted from film to
digital in 2001 but it hadn't dawned on me yet that it might be cheaper
to use rechargeable batteries (duh!). I was in a city that is one of the most photogenic in
the world so, of course,
taking a zillion photos was not out of the realm of reality. This
resulted in a huge expense in batteries to say nothing of the
environmental impact!
Spain had adopted the euro two years earlier. The upside was that it made it so much easier to buy things with the euro as opposed to when the peseta was the currency (trying to figure out pesetas to dollars . . . . . oy vey!) . . . .
Spanish peseta
. . . the down side was that the euro was worth more than the dollar (realizing you were getting screwed, mucho mas oy vey!).
At some point I discovered I could buy a package of 8 batteries at El Corte Inglés for 10 euros; a bargain in comparison to every place else.
Then, Eveready ran a promotional deal on their batteries at the department store; a package that included 12 (TWELVE!) batteries for 8 (EIGHT!) euros. And the package not only included the batteries but a really cool flashlight to boot!
Then, Eveready ran a promotional deal on their batteries at the department store; a package that included 12 (TWELVE!) batteries for 8 (EIGHT!) euros. And the package not only included the batteries but a really cool flashlight to boot!
Eveready flashlight from El Corte Inglés
photo by Styrous®
WOW! What a deal!
Not to be outdone, Duracell
jumped into the action and produced their own battery promotion with similar packaging for the same price, also at El Corte Inglés. Theirs included an even cooler
(very Darth Vader) black flashlight. The design of both flashlights is similar: efficient, functional, beautiful and, best of all, long-lasting.
Duracell flashlight from El Corte Inglés
photo by Styrous®
I
bought 20 or so of those
promo packages just for the batteries; however, I had no use for 20 or so flashlights!
So . . .
. . . I gave a lot of those snazzy torches as presents to my friends there in Barcelona that Christmas and to friends here in the States for many more Christmases that followed!
So . . .
. . . I gave a lot of those snazzy torches as presents to my friends there in Barcelona that Christmas and to friends here in the States for many more Christmases that followed!
. . . and I still use a couple of them.
Eveready flashlight from El Corte Inglés
photo by Styrous®
Gràcies, Corte Inglés!
photo by Styrous®
Bon Nadal a tots!
Great story! Love the photos of the flashlights and your thoroughly entertaining tale!
ReplyDeleteLove Mercy and Comfort to both you and Tom on this Christmas eve (I will see you at Barbara's on Sunday!) xoxoxoxoMary