A Good Yarn (...Crafting Pun, Apologies)

Muchas cremalleras = many zippers

So. I have this project that's sort of time-sensitive. What kind of project, you ask? One I can't go into too much detail for, because it involves my cousin who may or may not occasionally read this blog.  Suffice it to say I needed a very specific craft supply, and there was a little hurdle in me finding it.  What was it again?  ...oh yes.  I just moved to Spain.

Miracles of miracles, I was able to find a Spanish craft store via Google, and after metroing downtown just to find it closed one day, I was finally able to go during business hours.  Here came the tricky part.

I speak Spanish.  I have an official State Department language score, which may not mean much to anyone but the federal government, but my score is not too shabby.  However, I didn't exactly learn a lot of crafting vocabulary in my Spanish for Diplomats classes at the Foreign Service Institute.  So I looked up a few words in my dictionary, jotted them down in a mini-notebook, and hoped for the best.  Here's what transpired (all in Spanish).
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Me: Excuse me?  I'm looking for... I'm sorry, Spanish isn't my first language... I don't know exactly what it's called... but I'm looking for a hoop, or a circle, made of wood... for embroidery?

Clerk: We don't have that.

Me [crestfallen]:  Oh.  Okay.  Do you know where I could find one?

Clerk: Yes, there's a store a few blocks from here.  [At this point he pulls out the shop's business card, flips it over, and begins drawing me a map.]  Okay, we're here.  This street here is Calle de la Cruz.  This street here is Calle de la Paz.  And the store is here.
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I thanked him, took the map, and headed out.  A few minutes later I was standing in the midst of what seemed to be the garment district, in front of his recommendation.  Not a store, per se, but more a collection of craft vendors in an enclosed space, not unlike the Mercado de San Miguel, but for thread and trim and lace instead of ham and fruit and oysters.  I walked around the vendors until I spotted the embroidery hoop I desired, plunked down two euro, and hightailed it outta there, still proud of my highly specific yet ultimately successful communication.

Language, man.  It's a crazy thing.