I love shawls and scarves. They bring warmth on a cold day. They’re versatile. You can fold them so that they only take a small space in your bag (or sometimes tie them to the bag handle), and bring them out when the temperature drops or when the cold wind blows. They also add a bit of color to an otherwise dull attire of blacks and grays and browns, worn during winter or autumn.

More than these reasons, my shawls and scarves bring with them a bit of memory of each place I went to and each experience I had. These 14 shawls are more than rectangular pieces of fabric to me. They are a colorful tapestry of experiences, people and places.

The first and second from the left are gifts from my Ate (older sister) when I visited the UK for the first time in 2019 so these are really special to me. The third one (light blue) is from Manila; I bought it during my last Christmas there prior to my foreign assignment. The fourth (purple) is from Vienna during my first visit in December 2018. The 5^th is from SM North, a popular mall in Quezon City; I bought it just a week before I left for Paris.

The 6^th is from Abu Dhabi; its maroon color and gold threads show the richness of Middle Eastern art. I got it as a souvenir during our apprenticeship/training there prior to posting. The 7^th is from Myeong-dong, South Korea, during one of our side trips after the work meeting ended. The 8^th is from a Pylones shop in Paris during my 1^st walk around the area near the Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal. It’s one of three designs I got and I really like its vibrant colors; the others are already with two of my dear friends. The 9^th is also from Paris; I bought it 2018 during the Christmas market in Jardin des Tuileries. Featuring a painting of the Eiffel Tower, it is my second favorite. I bought three others from the same stall, all featuring famous paintings. Those three were given as gifts to my three sisters.

The 10^th is from Koh Samui, Thailand; I got it from a stall in an open market. I noticed that elephant prints are common in Thai designs but I chose the three nicest ones—one each for me, my mom and my friend’s mom. The 11^th (maroon/gray with flower prints) is from an open market in Paris which is only open from 7am-1pm every Saturday. My work colleagues brought me there to be familiar with the area during my first few months in Paris. The 12^th (pink with embroidered flowerets, and gold threads in each pistil) is my favorite. It is from Pakistan and my Ate’s gift to me. The 13^th (red) is from the Charminar area in Hyderabad, India. The last one (light brown, checkered) is from a shopping mall in Paris and the last one I bought.

Musings

I really love the designs in Pylones. This French gift shop chain brings out the child in me. Whenever I visit one, I have to stop myself from buying many things especially that I’m not a child anymore. Haha! A shawl is alright. 🙂

I can’t help but miss the warmth and enthusiasm of vendors and sellers in the Philippines, especially in open markets or tiangge when I happen to go to similar places abroad. For example, the lady seller in Myeong-dong was so irritable. I think she considered it a waste of time that I was looking for more than a minute among her wares. The good thing was, I found two I really liked and that was enough for me to still smile and thank her after I bought the shawls.

With regard to the elephant designs of the shawls in Thailand, I was sure they’re distinct. But imagine my surprise mixed with dismay when I saw a similar design in Divisoria (a popular tiangge in Manila). I remember thinking, “Oh why?” 😦 But it’s okay, the one I have is still much more special. (Remember the haughty rose in “The Little Prince”? It’s something like that.) 😉

Some open markets have more selections than the shops in malls. With a discerning eye for quality, one can buy a lot of shawls and home accessories for just the price of three items in malls.

I have many more thoughts, but I’ll end here. Just remember that when I give you a shawl, it doesn’t mean I ran out of gift ideas. It means you’re special to me. Oh, I have more thing to add: No matter how warm a shawl makes me feel, I still prefer the warmth from a heartfelt hug. 🙂