Jackie,

Why don't you mind your own business? If people like to shop on THEIR vacations how does that concern you? I personally couldn't spend my whole vacation shopping or in boring museums. Not everybody is like you, is that a crime?

Shopping is great fun! I love it. My favorite vacation is to go to big factory outlet malls cause you get great shopping there and bargains galore. It's fun and I find the plus size fashions I can't find in my own area of the state. Shopping is useful
and fun and a great way to spend a trip.
My sister and I have found some great things in outlet malls and just had a blast.

Some of us have alot of disposable cash and like to spend it when we are on vacation. Some of us also travel alot and have already done the tourist stuff and are looking for another way to spend our time. Some of us also have big houses and like to furnish them with unique items from our travels.

This is the stupidist thread I've seen.

Haha.

Mike

I'm not a big shopper, but I do love to do *SOME* shopping when I travel. It's fun to pick up fun mementos (spelling?) from the places I've visited, and to bring gifts home for friends. Like someone way back in this thread mentioned, it's a great feeling to maybe wear a scarf that you bought in Paris. Then everytime you wear that scarf, it brings back so many memories from your trip. The way I look at it is this...if someone spends $$$$$ to go on vacation, they should be able to do what THEY want to do. And if it's lots-o-shopping, so be it! If that's what you enjoy most, that's what you enjoy most.

Because they can!

I don't think Jackie is monitoring other peoples' vacations...I think she is just curious as to what motivates people to shop while on vacation when they could be looking at historical sites...after all, shopping can be done at home anytime. However that said I believe people get a sense of enjoyment from shopping. Some people don't like looking in museums, boat rides, etc. Some people don't read books. Really. Their main interest in life is shopping. They simply like to shop.
When we stopped in the US Virgin Islands during our cruise what did we see first? A shopping mall. Then when one gets to downtown USVI what does one see? A tourist oriented shopping area aimed at? Tourists! What I can't figure out is why a tourist would want to buy something at a Tommy Hilfiger store in the Virgin Islands!
Another thing I find interesting is that tourists will bargain with the locals for their stuff but would not dare bargain with a chain store for something they can get back home anyway. Go figure!
Someone posted that they can't get something made in Spain at their local Target Store...I beg to differ...just about everything in America is imported...

I have to say that I think the last post was pretty stupid. Saying that you can get the same stuff at Target that you find on your trips all over the world is ridiculous. I'm not for or against shopping. I don't care what other people do on their trips. I also have to say that the comment about bargaining was pretty stupid. People bargain in other countries because it's expected, that's the way it is. It's completely different if you're dealing with the owner of a small shop who can make executive decisions about the price to sell at, compared to dealing with teenagers that work at your local mall. Not the same thing.

I am the person that made the original reference to Target, and Ellen completely misunderstood it. I didn't say I couldn't get items made in Spain at my local Target. I said I couldn't get the particular pieces of pottery I picked up. I love to shop and always set aside some time to do it while away. There is something very special about purchasing unique items while on vacation to remember your trip by. Jackie, I would venture to guess that many of the people that post here are highly educated, but don't use their education as excuses for what they choose to do on vacation. How utterly pretentious.