Darwin markets - what i found and why its a must

Hello blogger-land, i have finally crossed over into a realm of  gen y-ness that i probably should have cottoned-on to a long time ago, seeing as i have never used twitter and started using facebook years ago only due to the fact none of my myspace friends were using their accounts anymore...(i then understood why i stopped getting replys!((i keep telling myself that's why)) ), so it's about time!

Okay so the reason i thought of creating this blog is that i seemed to have an itch for telling people about things i found/bought/just love and have to have, this began annoying my boyfriend, friends and mother to the point that they would role their eyes and simply just wouldn't understand why i HAD to buy that ceramic gun vase because i saw it in the lifestyle section of SHOP magazine months ago and decided to collect all quirky white ceramic objects from that moment on and it would go perfectly!
So for anyone who shares my love of things from anywhere and little gem finds around the place, hopefully you can become as excited as i get when i post my new must haves and kinda already boughts up on this website.

So for my first blog i will begin with a 'haul' of what i found and then purchased at the Mindel beach and Parap markets whilst in Darwin for a mini work trip/holiday, i will vouch anyday that the Mindel beach markets are a must due to the fact that not only all the locals love it and go regularly (which is always a good sign), but you can get so many cool souvenir's along the way.
There are plenty of hippie style stalls with tye-dye shirts and gypsy looking bags but even if you aren't into that it's just nice to roam around, grab dinner at one of the many food stalls (think greek/italian/seafood/oysters/thai/mexican), then head over to the beach to watch one of the sunsets that Darwin is famous for.

When the sun goes down the place seems livelier, that's why it's recommended to go on a Thursday over the Sunday for Mindel Markets, just be prepared for alot of slow paced walking as it can get very busy and squashed! Now, in a matter of 2 weeks, i went 3 times i just loved it that much, but my favourite stalls were the pearl jewellery and photography ones, i found one that had a freshwater pearl bracelet for $41, and i stocked up on photos of Darwin to put up around the house and a little bracelet for mum. The brown book thing in the picture below i got from the Parap markets that are on Saturdays which have alot of similar stalls but a different variety of food, and i tell ya, a freshly made apple juice smoothie is ah-mazing first thing in the morning! The book i got is Indian leather with recycled paper and pressed flower petals inside for $35, and i like to collect notebooks, but that's another blog to come...

The book on the right is a photography book by a Darwin photographer Paul Arnold, my boyfriend and i wandered around in his shop in the city and were just amazed by the gorgeous pics but couldn't purchase as they were a wee bit spensive! so we thought we'd cheat and have this as a coffee table book. Lastly the little shells/coral pieces i scrounged from the just as pretty Fannie Bay, we loved it so much we went most evenings and i spent most of the time with my head down collecting these and watching the little crabbies run around as it's low tide and the rock pools emerge.

So that is my first blog, probably more advertising Darwin than purchases but it's still a must! i shall have another blog up soon with more pretty buys later in the week,thanx for reading, ta ta for now!