I must admit that I have bought a Burber (sp?) scarf from an Asian woman who was selling them on a sidewalk blanket in front of the Hotel Mediadia in Madrid a few years ago when I was there for Christmas/New Years. I never wear it though because it's so darn scratchy on my neck. I'm almost afraid to wash it for fear it will disintegrate. The woman couldn't speak any more Spanish than to say the price and I could only believe she was an illegal alien.

There was an article recently (in Spanish) on Madridiario about how the police are being stationed at 20(?) points around the city to crack down on these illegal "top manta" sales. These 20 (or so) stations include all the tourist centers but also the Salamanca neighborhood, Atocha, and metro stations. I must admit I didn't read the article from beginning to end but it seems something is being done in order to "clean up the image of Madrid to become more that of an 'Olympic City'".

Saludos, MadridMan