Random observations on UK trip

At Selfridges

We observed a great number of Men in Black, with ear piece firmly in place, and looking sombre, if not downright fierce looking. V commented that it is curious for a shopping paradise to display such conspicuously severe security. Then I read in the newspapers that just one week before our visit, a gang of men wielding axes chopped their way to a heist of luxury watches worth 1 million! No wonder they are furious now. And quite luckily we weren't there at that time :P

Death of the Used-books Shop

Several years ago on my first visit to England, there were many shops selling used books. As I meandered from town to town, my backpack became increasingly heavy with purchases. This time, I hardly saw any of these shops anymore. In fact, only the academic area of Bloomsbury seems to have a few left. Why should I be surprised? The Kindle has helped to make my backpack much lighter, and I haven't bought many new, physical books in these recent years. Is this a portent of the demise of paper books?

Yet while wondering through stately country houses, I couldn't help but notice how the leather-bound volumes added an air of erudition to the character of the home. Maybe books are going to take on a more ornamental role. After all, one can show off what books there are in the kindle.