Thursday, November 07, 2013
Barter Books. Alnwick.
We went to Alnwick.
I went with some enthusiasm and memories of a holiday camping on a farm to the west of the town in the late 1970s.
But in fact we had spent little time in the town - just long enough to buy supplies for our meals. I remember the mutton pies Bill liked from an Alnwick butcher.
We had no money then for a visit to the castle or castle grounds......just as we didn't have enough time or money last week.
Last week I felt confused by the town....not as I remembered.
More crowded and bustling than I remembered.
We were beginning to wander a bit aimlessly and were feeling uncomfortable.
So, we wandered a little out of town to the old station, which is now a second hand bookshop - Barter Books.
Did they have every book ever published? Well, no, of course not..........but they did have thousands and thousands on every kind of subject. Some, in cabinets, were rare editions and a few cost over £2,000.
But not all were out of reach to us......indeed I found one about Box Hill that was cheaper than I have it up for in Dorking.
But Dorking is the right place to have a book about Box Hill.
But we bought no books. Clare always has hopes of finding books on faith and philosophy, but there were none she wanted.
Bill and I went to the cafe and ordered tea, thinking that Clare would be ages browsing books. But she was with us quickly and we ordered more drinks and cake.
We decided to leave Alnwick in my memories and we headed to the coast to explore Alnmouth.
But first some book shop pictures....and a couple of Alnwick.
Gateway into Alnwick.
In Barter Books.
Station waiting room; now part of the cafe.
A toy train puffed round a loop of rail above our heads.
Station clock - not working.
It was a good couple of hours later than the time shown when we were there.
Leaving Barter Books.
An old doorway just outside Barter books.
I went with some enthusiasm and memories of a holiday camping on a farm to the west of the town in the late 1970s.
But in fact we had spent little time in the town - just long enough to buy supplies for our meals. I remember the mutton pies Bill liked from an Alnwick butcher.
We had no money then for a visit to the castle or castle grounds......just as we didn't have enough time or money last week.
Last week I felt confused by the town....not as I remembered.
More crowded and bustling than I remembered.
We were beginning to wander a bit aimlessly and were feeling uncomfortable.
So, we wandered a little out of town to the old station, which is now a second hand bookshop - Barter Books.
Did they have every book ever published? Well, no, of course not..........but they did have thousands and thousands on every kind of subject. Some, in cabinets, were rare editions and a few cost over £2,000.
But not all were out of reach to us......indeed I found one about Box Hill that was cheaper than I have it up for in Dorking.
But Dorking is the right place to have a book about Box Hill.
But we bought no books. Clare always has hopes of finding books on faith and philosophy, but there were none she wanted.
Bill and I went to the cafe and ordered tea, thinking that Clare would be ages browsing books. But she was with us quickly and we ordered more drinks and cake.
We decided to leave Alnwick in my memories and we headed to the coast to explore Alnmouth.
But first some book shop pictures....and a couple of Alnwick.
Gateway into Alnwick.
In Barter Books.
A toy train puffed round a loop of rail above our heads.
It was a good couple of hours later than the time shown when we were there.
Leaving Barter Books.
