The Husband's Day

Today was all about the Husband - which means we hit as many book stores and comic shops as possible. We took the tube to Covent Garden and wandered around a bit, mostly because I have trouble reading the street signs and sent us on a roundabout trip to the piazza (it was about 100 yards down to the right, but we went straight and had to backtrack...). Our first shop was in the very touristy market. Our guidebook claimed it had the best selection of remainders in the city. If that's the best, I'm not impressed.

We then headed up to Forbidden Planet, a shop my husband had been to in 1989. He spoke very highly of the place, but sadly it did not measure up to his memories. You can blame the internet for that. It used to be you had to go to these stores in foreign countries to get certain things. Now you order them online and have them delivered to your door. Apparently, it's caused a decline in the British comics industry. Not too much there that we couldn't get at home from our regular shop and at a 20% discount.

But we weren't done with books yet. We headed up to Charing Cross Road, touted as a book lover's paradise. Once again, not impressed. Most of the used shops had the same old stuff - not one compared to McKay's in Knoxville, TN. And the new stores were the same as in LA. Maybe bigger, but mostly filled with stuff we could get at home for cheaper.

We ate at a pub, which was fine. I had a pint which I think cost less than the husband's diet cola. And my husband managed to order their last fish (the fish 'n' chips plate).

After lunch, we walked over thru Leicester Square and checked the half-price ticket booth for availability. Nothing we wanted to see, so we headed up Regent Street. It was nice, but felt like Rodeo Drive. A lot of people looking around, not too many actually buying. We went into Hamley's toys store - very crowded. Didn't buy anything, I just wanted to see a 7 story toy store. I think my favorite part was the Harry Potter staircase.

We worked our way back to Covent Garden and bought a pasty and some hot mulled wine, then got on the tube and headed home. Tried to find someplace to have dinner, but everything was full, so we went to KFC and got take-away. Ate at the apartment while watching Battlestar Gallactica. I have to say, I thought that show was gonna be crap, but I really like it.

Anyway, it's 10:45pm and time to get some sleep. We bought 7 books today. 1 was for me. We'll have to do better next time.

Oh yeah, we got up late this morning, so I had a slice of roast beef, a slice of what the British refer to as "mature" cheese, and yellow mustard for breakfast.