The World’s Biggest Booktown

by

Das Buch als Betriebssystem ist noch lange nicht am Ende
Hans Magnus Enzensberger

Have you heard of Hay-on-Wye in Wales – well, it’s situated just a few steps into Wales from the border to England?  This is the world’s first and biggest book town with 30 antiquarian bookshops, one with more than 200.000 books, in a little market town of 15.000 inhabitants – that’s really unique! Hay is the Paradise for book lovers, a place where shelves with more than one million books were waiting for us. When we read about this town Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma were shouting: “Great, let’s go over there!”

Habt ihr schon von Hay-on-Wye in Wales gehört (naja, es liegt gerade ‘mal ein paar Schritte jenseits der Grenze von England nach Wales)? Das ist die erste und größte Bücherstadt der Welt, 30 teils riesige antiquarische Buchläden, einige mit Beständen von über 200.000 Exemplaren, bei um 15.000 Einwohnern – das macht ihr keiner nach! Es ist das Paradies für Buchliebhaber, ein Ort, in dem über eine Million Bücher dicht in Regalen auf uns warteten. Als wir darüber lasen, riefen Siri 🙂 und 🙂 Selma wie aus einem Munde “nix wie hin!”



Excitedly Selma 🙂 started researching while Dina was booking a fine B&B for us. Richard Booth, the self-crowned king of Hay, started in his hometown the first antiquarian bookshop because nothing was going on here and Wales was undersupplied with bookshops. So everything began. Now the charming centre of the town is full of bookshops and bookstalls for every taste from nobel to the last home of poor battered books.

Selma 🙂 begann aufgeregt zu recherchieren, während Dina für uns ein feines B&B buchte. 1962 hat in seiner Heimatstadt Hay-on-Wye Richard Booth seinen ersten antiquarischen Buchladen gegründet, da hier nichts anderes los und Wales mit Büchern unterversorgt war. So fing alles an. Heute zieren die anmutige Stadtmitte Antiquariate und Bücherstände für jeden Geschmack von edel bis zur letzten Heimat gebeutelter Bücher.

Captain Robert Falcon Scott writing in his journal in the cabin

First, we were lured into a wonderful bookshop where Siri 🙂 and our Master were immediately drawn to the corner filled with books about polar exploration. Addyman Books is an original antiquarian bookshop in which books are presented in their corresponding settings. The shop reminded us of this amazing living “Library of Babel” by Jorge Luis Borges which was memorialised in Umberto Eco’s “The Name of the Rose“.
In the picture above you see our Master in the corner of the books about snow and ice that was a kind of copy of Scott’s hut in Antarctica – fortunately, it was warmer there. We noticed happily that there exist quite some snow-and-ice-lovers. Some of them wrote clever books we had to buy to blog next winter about our love of winter. Be curious!

Als Erstes lockte uns ein wunderschöner Buchladen, wo es Siri 🙂 und Masterchen sogleich in die Ecke Werke polarer Expeditionen zog. Addyman Books ist ein originelles Antiquariat, in dem Bücher in entsprechender Umgebung dargeboten werden. Es erinnerte uns Buchfeen sogleich an diese erstaunliche Bibliothek aus dem Text von Jorge Luis Borges, den Umberto Eco in “Der Name der Rose” ein Denkmal setzte.
Oben im Bild seht ihr Masterchen in der Ecke der Eisbücher, die der Hütte Scotts in der Antarktis nachgebildet war – nur dass es dort wärmer war. Froh stellten wir fest, wie viele Schnee-und-Eisliebhaber-Kollegen es gibt, die oftmals kluge Bücher schrieben, die wir einfach kaufen mussten, um nächsten Winter darüber zu bloggen. Seid gespannt.

In this bookshop, there are vampire and crime corners as well which are styled quite spookily.
We are full of envy because above several floors of books in this building from the 17th c. there is the owner’s bedroom. And do you know what? There is a ghost! Unfortunately, we Bookfayries didn’t see it because it’s a lady who loves to appear when men are around. But she didn’t have any chance as our Master was much more taken by the magic of the books. 

Es gibt dort auch Vampir- und Crime-Ecken, die schön schaurig gestaltet sind. Und wir sind ja voll neidisch, über mehrere Stockwerke voller Bücher pflegt der Besitzer in diesem Gebäude aus dem 17. Jh. zu schlafen. Und wisst ihr was? Dort soll es einen Geist geben. Leider erschien er uns Buchfeen nicht, denn es ist eine Lady, die sich liebend gerne Männern zeigt. Bei Masterchen hatte sie jedoch keine Chance, für ihn war die Magie der Bücher stärker.

Who needs a higher dose of shivers has to visit the bookshop “Murder and Mayhem” and to come down afterwards we recommend a posh map shop where you will find besides geographical maps beautifully hand coloured etchings. But they were much too expensive for our poor Bookfayrie pocket money.

Wer noch eine größere Dosis Grusel benötigt, der muss das “Murder and Mayhem” Antiquariat besuchen und um sich dann wieder abzuregen, empfehlen wir einen Besuch des edlen Kartenladens, wo außer Landkarten wunderschöne, meist handkolorierte Stiche zu betrachten sind. Die waren jedoch für Buchfeen-Taschengeld unerschwinglich.

After three days of book orgy, all our pocket money was gone and nothing was left in Dina’s and Master’s wallet. So we packed our dear Volvo that doesn’t take offence being heavily loaded. Because Dina had searched out the heavy photo books in all the bookshops we visited – actually all of them. And we can tell you these large-format books are really heavy. 

Nach drei Tagen Buchorgie war unser Taschengeld dahin und in Dinas und Masterchens Portemonnaies Ebbe. So wurde unser Volvochen bepackt, das zum Glück eine hohe Zuladung nicht übel nimmt. Dina hatte nämlich in fast allen Buchläden die sich biegenden Fotobücher-Regale aufgespürt. Wir können euch sagen, diese großformatigen Bücher sind mächtig schwer.

Sorry, but now we have to catalogue all the books we bought and the bigger challenge will be finding shelve space for them. Books oblige! If we will have time for blogging because there is so much to read – well, you will notice.

Nun müssen wir jedoch alle Bücher katalogisieren und einordnen und machen deswegen Schluss. Ihr wisst doch, Bücher verpflichten. Ob wir noch vor lauter Lesen zum Bloggen kommen werden – naja, ihr werdet es sehen.

Happy reading
Frohes Lesen wünschen
The Fab Four of Cley
💃🚶‍♂️👭

Other booktowns all over the world, other WP-blogposts about booktowns in Norway and Scotland.

 

 

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© Text and illustrations, Hanne Siebers and Klausbernd Vollmar, Cley next the Sea, 2019

 

201 thoughts

    • Hallo, liebe Ulli,
      das können wir uns gut vorstellen.
      Du weißt, nehmen wir an, dass es in Deutschland auch ein oder inzwischen gar mehrere Buchstädtchen gibt.
      Mit lieben Grüßen vom windigen, aber sonnigen Meer
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  3. I have been to Hay, and wondered how all those bookshops manage to survive in one small place. No doubt the famous Hay Festival helps.
    And then there are those special visits, by people like the Fab Four! 🙂
    You love of books comes through in all the words, and those wonderful accompanying photographs.
    Love from Beetley, Pete and Ollie. X

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good evening, dear Pete,
      we parked on the central parking lot in Hay and every afternoon after the shops had closed we had to buy a ticket for the next day. We always met lots of people coming back to their cars with many books. Our B&B people told us that nearly all the folks staying at theirs buying masses of books. We were no exception.
      Thanks a lot for liking our post. Yes, we do love books and our dear Bookfayries couldn’t survive without them. The problem is the space in our house. We suppose our dear Master has to build new shelving and then all our walls are cosily covered with books.
      With lots of love from the sea
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Guten Abend, liebe Sonja,
      wir hätten Wochen dort in Hay-on-Wye bleiben können. Aber das hätte uns ruiniert.
      Danke für deinen Kommentar.
      Ein angenehmes Wochenende wünschen wir dir
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

  5. I don’t know how ABAB hasn’t made it to Hay yet; time and money might have something to do with it. But I suspect Mrs Britain might be worried that we’d never leave. Loved both your commentary and your excellent photos – as usual. You have made me determined to move this one up the list!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Hi,
      well, we stayed for three days there spending all our time in the bookshops from morning to evening. But we could have stayed several months without being bored. But highly dangerous! Then we would need a trailer to bring all the books home and books would take over our house. No more place for us like in a Kafka-story.
      Thanks for commenting.
      Wishing you a great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  6. A heavenly post for all book lovers .. of which I’m one! 😀 The book shops are all so inviting and unique – no wonder you returned home ladened wifh treasures. As I once bought a set of Encyclopaedia Britannica which involved countless boxes of heavy boxes and packed these into my Volvo I know approximately how many books a Volvo holds … have a brilliant time cataloguing and reading them. We will see you when you pop up from the printed word! As for Hay … it’s a place I’ve heard about but knew nothing about apart from the festival! I will have to visit! 😀

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good evening, dear Annika,
      funnily enough we found a full set of the Encyclopedia Britannica as well about a year ago. The problem was to find space for all these volumes. But actually we are running out of shelving all the time as books find us nearly every day. It seems to us that books attract more books and more books and more books …
      Our dear Master finished cataloguing but reading all these books and finding space for them … oh dear! The problem is that we have our books alphabetical organised within the different subjects and there are no more gaps and books lying on books is normal as well. Dina doesn’t like this. We even have piles of books next to our sofa. When we moved in our house we had the unrealistic idea of one book-free room. This is long gone.
      Thanks for commenting.
      We wish you a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Oh no, you can’t have a book-free room! 😀 I applaud your alphabetical organisation of all your books – something I’d achieved until the last move. Since then I have my own system and it seems to work as I find books easily enough!😀 Wishing you all a great weekend … and hope you’re not getting too battered with the winds.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Annika,
      when I was working as an author my library was organised following the books or the scripts I was writing. But now I don’t work for a year or more about some topic any more. So we started to order all our books alphabetically within several subjects. Additionally we use a library programme where all our books are in an alphabetical order – authors and titles. We kind of find books easier – but not always 😉 Maybe there exist naughty Bookfayries too who misplace books at night.
      WOW, we have quite a wind at the coast here and we suppose you have strong winds as well. We keep our fingers crossed that you don’t get too battered by these furious winds neither.
      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Liebe Martina,
      das wäre auch ein Ort für dich, da sind wir uns sicher. Dieses Mal hatten wir drei Tage für die Buchläden, das nächste Mal werden wir uns mindestens eine Woche Zeit nehmen. Es gibt noch ein bes. schönes Buchstädtchen in Schottland. Das werden wir sicher ebenfalls demnächst heimsuchen. Wir hörten, dass Ascona sich auch in ein Buchstädtchen verwandelt hätte. Das ist doch nicht so weit entfernt von dir, oder?
      Mit lieben Grüßen und vielen Dank
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

    • Ja, dieses Städtchen, das ihr uns vorgestellt habt lädt wirklich zum verweilen ein! Ich bin schon gespannt auf eure Erlebnisse in Schottland! Wir fahren ab und zu nach Ascona und haben die Buchmesse dem See entlang auch schon mal angetroffen, aber, wenn ich das richtig sehe, gibt es dort nichts Vergleichbares! Es ist immer wieder bereichernd von euch zu hören und ich danke vielmals und habt’s gut. L.G. Martina

      Liked by 2 people

    • Liebe Martina,
      jetzt sind wir erst einmal mit unseren Büchern beschäftigt und dann kommt der Garten dran und Renovierung unseres Wohnzimmers und danach als Belohnung geht’s nach Schottland – nicht vor Herbst.
      Mit lieben Grüßen
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭
      Wir waren mal in Ascona und haben das nicht als ‘booktown’ erkannt.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Hi, dear Manja,
      thank you very much for commenting 🙂 🙂
      It’s really worth going there for every book lover – and a dangerous place as well. All the people we talk to had bought much more books than intended.
      Wishing you a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  10. What a splendid idea to transform this little welsh town into a go-to dream for literary lovers! ❤ I love all things great and small dedicated to the love of written word and your post with the gorgeous photos tells me I should go soon. I'd love to hear more about the books you brought home. The polar attic corner looks so cute! ❤
    God helg til mine venner i Cley!
    KLEM
    Hjerter ❤

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Hjerter,
      books we brought home:
      The original photographs taken by Amundsen and of Amundsen as well as Scott’s photographs, a history of Arctic exploration, several books about the NW Passage and NE Passage, a book with and about the photographs of Ansel Adams and Stephen McCurry “The Path to Buddha”, some books about snow and ice and log-books of different expeditions trying to reach the poles.
      Our dear friend, we wish you a great weekend.
      Love and hugs
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

  11. OMG, so attractive, but I wouldn’t dare enter this little town. What a nightmare, after having visited so many bookshops, having to face the counter at the airport with a very strictly restricted weight limit. 😦
    I wonder how long it would take my Volvo to bring me there? 🙂
    KRAM, Annalena xx

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Our dear friend Annalena,
      it took our dear new Volvo a bit more than four hours to bring us there. Well, for you it would be much harder, as the UK is getting more and more isolated. There isn’t any more a car ferry from England or Scotland to Norway. You have to go by ferry to Germany and then from there driving to The Netherlands where you take the ferry to England. And we suppose that the UK gets even more isolated after Brexit. – Anyway visiting Hay-on-Wye is a no go if having to fly home.
      With lots of love ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

  13. Fab Four of Cley,
    What outrageous and wonderful places you find to explore! I have to admit, this village would have me camped out for some time as I can lose track of time in my one and only bookstore for an entire day. I can well understand if you get lost in your newly acquired books and are incapable of blogging. I consider each book an adventure, so I certainly hope each one of you has an interesting and educational journey with your acquisitions.
    Enjoy your weekend. Should the weather be nice, perhaps you’ll sit under a tree or by the water for your adventure.
    GP Cox

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear GP Cox,
      it would be highly dangerous for you to go there because we passed by meters of shelving full with books about the history and philosophy of warfare. We spent three days in the bookshops there but we could easily have spend there weeks.
      Indeed every book is a new adventure. Now there is the challenge where to start reading. Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma are a bit chaotic, they read many books at the same time because they can’t decide and sometimes they even fight over a book.
      We will read in our conservatory but maybe even on the bench under our fig tree as we have spring here although it’s quite windy.
      Wishing you a wonderful weekend full of joy and happiness.
      Love
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Rupali,
      indeed, there are. You find a link under our post to a list of the all the booktowns worldwide.
      Thanks for your comment 🙂 🙂
      We wish you a fantastic weekend as well
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  18. What an interesting blog. I have never heard of Hay-on-Wye, although I know the river there as I used to canoe on it in another life! I am finding a lot of reasons to take the boys up to Wales, and this has just been added to the list!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Laurie,
      it’s the place to go for every lover of books and maps. We are sure you would love it.
      Thanks for your comment.
      Have a relaxing weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  21. How absolutely wonderful. And I appreciate the booksellers’ clever displays. During my only visit to Oslo, I was impressed with the number of bookshops – although at the time, the front window of every one was pushing the same book, an identical pyramid of “Blood on the Snow,” which turned out to well below Nesbø’s usual standard.
    If I get to this village, I’ll set a budget and just bring cash, leave the credit cards at home so I don’t bankrupt myself, but I’ll still need a packhorse to carry all the books – that’s ok, my horse thinks Hay-on-Wye sounds delicious. Thanks for a delightful post! RPT

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Robert,
      in comparison to the rest of Europe people read a lot in Scandinavia. If you go even further north to Iceland then you are at the place where people read most in the world – well, measured in books per family.
      The last of Nesbø’s we read was “Macbeth”. We liked how he transformed the Shakespeare story into a modern crime novel. We haven’t read “Blood on the Snow” and now we know we don’t need to read it.
      Actually, we had set a budget for buying books at Hay-on-Wye and when it was spend we went.
      Thanks for commenting.
      Wishing you a great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  23. Now that’s a town after my own heart, and obviously yours as well. From the late 1950s through the late 1960s, I would walk half a mile from my home in the suburbs, take a bus for half an hour to the beginning of the subway, and then ride the subway for at least another half hour to get to “Book Row” on Fourth Avenue below Union Square in Manhattan. It was the wonderful center of the used book trade in New York, with more than 40 booksellers:

    https://ephemeralnewyork.wordpress.com/2016/06/06/solitary-browsing-on-fourth-avenues-book-row/

    Like Dina, I know from experience, especially walking the last half mile back home, how heavy books can be. At least you visited your book world by car.

    When I saw on the brown sign shown in your post the phrase “tref y llifrau” translated as “town of books”, the resemblance of “llifrau” to Spanish and Italian “libro” struck me as too great to be mere coincidence. Sure enough, I confirmed that Welsh borrowed the word “liber” from Latin. Apparently the Welsh didn’t have books before the coming of the Romans.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Steve,
      indeed, books are very heavy.
      The Welsh word ‘llith’ for reading is derived from Latin ‘lectio’. There are quite some similarities between Welsh and Latin. I am not quite sure but I suppose the Welsh didn’t have books before the 16th century. To my knowledge, the first book in Welsh was published in 1546 but this form of Welsh was different to the modern Welsh.
      We were amazed that we didn’t hear anybody speaking Welsh in the pubs f.e. or in the streets. Of course, Hay-on-Wye is at the border and this might has to do with this situation.
      Thanks a lot and wishing you a relaxing weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

    • The most obvious similarities between Welsh and Latin are due to the words that Welsh borrowed from Latin, like the llith that you mentioned. Beyond that, though, Welsh is a Celtic language, and both the Celtic and Italic language groups are members of the huge Indo-European family.

      Liked by 2 people

    • As I know, the detailed linguistic connections between Welsh and Latin are not clear yet. But of course as an Indo-European language one can expect similarities. But during my linguistic studies I never touched the Welsh language. Therefore everything I mention here is more like an educated guess.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hay-on-Wye ist nicht nur ein Paradies für Buchliebhaber, sondern es liegt auch in einer wunderschönen Gegend. An deiner Stelle würden wir es auf jeden Fall einmal besuchen.
      Mit lieben Grüße von der heute stürmischen Küste
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Peter,
      indeed, Hay-on-Wye is a perfect example for how many people are book lovers and that the book is still a powerful means of communication. Every day all the year round many people are coming to Hay buying antiquarian books.
      Thanks for commenting 🙂 🙂
      We wish you and your family all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  27. Finally, a window into Hay-on-Wye! I want to be there. Just look at the personally sketched and decorated postcards, the sheds stacked with books from top to bottom… It all encourages deliriousness. Someday! Also, I wanted to say that I was reading Smilla’s Sense of Snow…thank you for the recommendation. It is so unbelievably beautiful.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Hi, dear Dippy Dotty Girl,
      do you know that Smilla’s Sense of Snow is filmed? We liked the book very much except the end. The last pages describe too much action for our taste. But the rest of the book is beautifully written. It’s quite a problem to end a novel and so a lot of novels use the deus ex machina to come to an end.
      There are booktowns in the US as well. You find a link to a list of the all the booktowns world wide at the end of our post.
      Thanks for commenting. Enjoy the weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • It has been popping up on our Amazon Prime and I want to watch but after I finish the book. I am nearing the end. Ooh I am wondering which person is introduced towards the end now! Don’t indulge me here though. 😀

      I shall look up that list. Thanks Klausbernd. Have a good weekend. Cheers.

      Liked by 2 people

    • If you love great antiquarian bookshops then you have to visit Barter Books in Alnwick/Northumberland. A beautiful bookshop in a former Victorian train station. You can spend easily a day or more in there. They have quite some rare books as well.
      What a pity that you can’t find the film. We keep our fingers crossed that you’ll find in the end. It was shown several times in the German TV and when it was out in all the bigger European cinemas.

      Liked by 1 person

    • It’s quite funny Barter Books in Alnwick and Booth’s bookshop in Hay-on-Way call themselves the biggest antiquarian bookshop in the UK. There is another antiquarian bookshop in Hay-on-Way called Cinema Bookshop that is enormously big but without any style, actually quite horrible.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Anneli,
      in most of the bookshops there you find comfy chairs for having a proper look at the books.
      Oh dear, cups on the books … We don’t allow Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma to put their cups on our books. But, on the other hand, these are all pre-loved books there and some of their covers need a decent clean anyway.
      Thanks and wishing you a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • We have this in the Chapters stores, big leather chairs where you can sit to browse a book while you have your coffee …but the cups, tsk, tsk. 😉 Glad you don’t allow it at home. But I love the idea of these cozy bookshops. I could spend hours in them (and then I would need a coffee too).

      Liked by 2 people

    • We once spent nearly a whole day in a big bookshop at the Scottish-English border reading and drinking cups of coffee and eating delicious little cake. That’s civilised, isn’t it? Now we remember, it was in Barter Books in Alnwick in Northumberland. That’s one of the great bookshops in a former Victorian station we visited a year ago and blogged about.

      Liked by 2 people

    • I’m glad things are not changing too drastically towards technology. E-books have their place, but there is nothing like a real bookstore that where you can touch and feel the books (and have coffee and cake). Very nice post! Enjoy your weekend.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Anneli,
      we absolutely agree. The feeling of a book can’t be replaced. On the other hand if you have problems with your eyesight eBooks can help as you can enlarge the writing. But we don’t find it cosy sitting on the sofa or lying in the bed and reading from a screen.
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma are shouting “We want the real thing!”
      Thanks and warm greetings
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thanks a lot, dear Janet 🙂 🙂
      well, Hay-on-Wye is the place to be for book lovers. By the way, there are booktowns in the US as well.
      Wishing you a relaxing weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

    • Hi, dear Dan,
      as we wrote before before that’s the place for book lovers to be. Nowadays, there are booktowns all over the world but Hay-on-Wye is the ‘original’.
      Thanks and all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  32. I used to go to the Annual Book Festival at Hays before it became a world event and got too crowded with people, not necessarily readers, who just wanted to tick another place off their bucket list. It has also become very expensive. Out of festival time however, it is a great little town and one can spend all one’s days, and all one’s money, in and out of the many bookshops. I have just returned from Belfast in N. Ireland where I was attending the Noireland Crime Fiction Festival which was brilliant. The Irish are great readers, and apart from the Festival itself at which were dozens of famous writers giving talks and mingling with we mere readers, there are so many little book-shops in the city that I felt as though I’d fallen into a vat of words. I was reluctant to return from this lovely place with such welcoming people.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Mari,
      we were lucky to be in Hay-on-Wye just a week before this literary festival. But even so, we agree it’s quite expensive there.
      We have never been to Belfast but we stayed ten days in Dublin visiting the grand libraries there. For lovers of illuminated manuscripts and incunabula Dublin is the place to go besides St. Gallen and Wolfenbüttel f.e. Now Belfast is on our list as well.
      Thanks for telling us about Belfast 🙂 🙂 Did you buy a lot of books there? That would have been the big chance for our dear Master as he collects signed copies.
      Wishing you a great weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

    • Indeed, they were – actually, they still are going through all the books we brought home.
      Thanks for commenting.
      Have a wonderful weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  34. LUCKY YOU!!! And lucky us that you shared this marvelous, fantastic, out of this world experience with us. I have come back to this post a couple of times this morning while I have my coffee. Thank you. Much love and many hugs coming to my dear, dear friends, the Fab Four of Cley.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  35. A town I have been to several times. Did you enter across the toll bridge? Such fun! I love bookshops too, but try to avoid them as we have too many books already (but one or two do creep in). There is a lovely bookshop / café in St Just that is a must visit if we are that way. Happy reading!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Jude,
      yes, we entered across the toll bridge, GREAT. Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma loved it that much that they wanted to go back and forth over this old wooden bridge.
      We are at our limits with books as well (actually, over our limits already). We sometimes give away whole collections of subjects we are not interested in anymore. That’s the only way to store all our books. But books have the tendency to attract more books. Don’t you feel that as well?
      Thanks a lot for your comment. Happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Haha… yes, I totally agree that books attract more books. We have just given a bag full of books to our nearest NT bookshop, but almost ended up buying a book before dragging ourselves away to the garden! It is almost an addiction! Hope you have those Bookfayries well tethered if you are experiencing the type of winds we are. 🎈

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Jude,
      we know this pretty well, bringing books to a charity shop and coming back with new books. Maybe we should look if the NHS provides a therapy for book-addicts 😉
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma are only allowed inside today. But they don’t mind as they are reading.
      Love from Norfolk
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  36. What a charming, magical place — thank you so much for the introduction! I imagine getting lost amid its shelves is almost as much fun as getting lost inside one of the many, many books you bought. I’ll miss you if you’re absent from blogging for a while, but I’ll understand. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Heide,
      it’s amazing, we are all the time busy with our books. Finding places and a systems to organise them and find them again. Our help is a library programme but even so that doesn’t create space for new books unfortunately.
      Hay-on-Wye is really a charming little town filled with books.
      Siri 🙂 and 🙂 Selma already started reading. By the way, reading gives us a lot of ideas for blogposts.
      Thanks and have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Heide,
      we have a programme for organising our books because we bought quite often doubles. Now we can look up every book we find in bookshops if we have it already. Two years ago we started to enter all our books into this library app. It took us nearly one year. We were shocked how many doubles we found in our book collection. When we started to use this programme we didn’t know exactly what we wanted to achieve with this app. F.e. we didn’t start a category for signed copies neither for first editions. It would be great to have a category for the condition of a book too. We got aware of this after we had entered several thousand books. To change this afterwards means to go through about our 10.000 listings and change it by hand. Maybe it’s easier to go through our shelves and have a look. That would be a great opportunity to get rid of some of our books we are not interested in any longer.
      You see to keep such a library is quite a time consuming hobby – nevertheless, we love it.
      We use the app iBookshelf because it doesn’t create problems with bigger book collections and it is easy to handle. We run it without problems on our old iPhone 6.
      With warm greetings from our book world
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  37. Oh, dear, I would be in serious, serious trouble there AND I would have to somehow get all those glorious books back to the US!! I think I’d best stick with making constant use of my library card and simply enjoy the virtual visit. 🙂

    janet

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Hi, dear Janet,
      our trip to Hay-on-Wye caused some trouble for us as well. Finding spaces for the new books and to re-organise our library that we will find a book again. But we love having such a big library as we always read with a pencil making notes and underline in the books. Sometimes we write a kind of second book at the sides of the printed text.
      Thanks for commenting. We wish you happy reading
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Leya,
      if we got that right there are at least two booktowns in Sweden as well. But Hay-on-Wye is the ‘original’ and the other booktowns are started from here.
      Thanks and wishing you a wonderful weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Leya,
      we were renovation a big room in our house as a home for parts of our library. It’s amazing how much attention the books need. They want to be read, to be organised in their shelves and they need space. Well, our books kept us busy over the weekend.
      Wishing you a wonderful week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

  40. I enjoyed Hay when we visited the town and would have loved to have stayed longer but at the time my youngest daughter was very small and cross and didn’t want to stay at all! We drove her away from the town up into the hills to Arthur’s Stone where she was very happy and danced about the cairn like a naughty little fayrie!
    I really like the photo of you amongst all those Arctic books, Klausbernd! What a pleasure to have spent three days in Hay and to have found many books to bring home with you!

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Clare,
      we can well imagine that all those dusty bookshops are not the right place for a little naughty fayrie. We went on a trip through the mountains there as well. Very beautiful. But it was quite windy, a little fayrie would have been in danger getting blown away.
      The Arctic corner is where our dear Master likes to be. Maybe he was an Arctic explorer in his former life – now he wouldn’t survive a hardcore expedition.
      Thank you very much for your comment.
      Have a happy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thanks for your comment.
      Finding a home for all the books we brought home is quite challenge, nevertheless we love it.
      Wishing you an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • We had an absolutely great time there! 🙂 🙂
      A lot of the bookshops there were really beautifully decorated, others were labyrinthine and some just dusty places full of shelves.
      Thanks and all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  44. Great little Welsh Border Town….sadly despite many visits it has always rained rather heavily. Entering the first bookshop one doesn’t feel too bad but there after you tend to feel guilty in all the wet clothes that seem to drip everywhere. There is a great book called ‘Under the Tump’ by Oliver Balch that tells memories and current life of the area. Well worth a read. 🙂

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear David,
      we were quite lucky with the weather, well, it rained on and off but more just a drizzle and in between the sun got out. We got never really wet, but we spent nearly all of our time there in the bookshops.
      Thanks for telling us about Balch’s book, we’ll try to get it. We read the book about the live in the Black Mountains by Bruce Chatwin. This area is just around the corner.
      Thanks and wishing you an easy weekend
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear Louis,
      it looks that it does quite well. When we were there, lots of people bought lots of books there like we did. And the founder of Hay as a booktown founded other booktowns all over the world as well. From all the high-street-shops in Europe the bookshops do best. It seems to us there are still a lot of book lovers around. Modern electronic media don’t seem to replace books – fortunately.
      We suppose that Hay-on-Wye is so highly specialised and known for books worldwide that it will do well for the foreseeable future.
      Thank you very much and all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • That’s funny, indeed. When we drove a bit around after our ‘book-orgy’ we really loved your countryside which is so different to ours.
      We wish you a great trip and time in our part of the world.
      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  48. Did I buy many books. Don’t even go there. I thought I might have to pay excess baggage on my return, what with books, breads, souveneir booklets from places like The Titanic Museum, Belfast Castle, and The Mourne Mountains. Do visit, the humour is darker than Dublin’s, the food is brilliant, and the people overwhelming in their welcome.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Mari,
      we have to admit we never ever thought about going to Belfast. The Republic of Ireland, that’s different, but Northern Ireland was beyond our horizon. It’s an area we don’t know anything about. Thank you very much for making us aware of this part of the world.
      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

  49. Whenever I visit a village I haven’t been to before, the first thing I do is to look for a bookshop, and when I find one I inevitably spend too much time in it. You’ve just given me a destination where I know I’ll have no trouble in finding one. Sounds wonderful. loved your post.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Dear Don,
      funnily enough we do this as well – or we have a look at the pre-loved books offered in the churches.
      You will need several days for having a proper look at all the bookshop in Hay-on-Wye, and you will love it.
      Thanks and all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Dear Rabirius,
      it was amazing, indeed!
      Are you using the name ‘Rabirius’ because of the Roman senator Gaius Rabirius?
      Thanks and cheers
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

  52. Charlee: “Our dada says that a book in one of his favorite series, the Merrily Watkins mysteries, was set in Hay-on-Rye. The book was called ‘The Magus of Hay’.”
    Chaplin: “He said it was very interesting to see pictures of the real place.”
    Charlee: “Doesn’t look like there was a Magus in any of them, though!”

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Good morning, dear Hipster Kitties,
      your dada is quite right, the story of this book “The Magus of Hay” is set in Hay-on-Way. Hay-on-Way is pictured there as a picturesque town that was declared an independent state by its self-styled king. This self-styled king can be seen as Richard Booth who calls himself the King of Hay and sees Hay-on-Way as his kingdom.
      We didn’t meet a Magus there but there is surely king.
      Thanks for commenting.
      Have a great week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  53. Wow, ich bin begeistert!!! Was es doch alles Schönes gibt. Ich komme eh schon an keinem Antiquariat vorbei. So ist es wohl gut, dass ich Euch nur virtuell begleiten konnte. Sicher hätte auch ich mich nicht beim Bücherkauf bremsen können. Ich kann mir allzu gut verstehen, dass am Ende Eures Ausflugs in eine solch wundervolle Welt des Buches nichts mehr im Geldsäckel übrig war. Aber ein wenig neidisch bin ich schon auf Euer Erlebnis 😉
    Einen lieben Gruß schickt Euch die Silberdistel

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Liebe Silberdistel,
      ja, dieser Ort ist schon umwerfend, ein Antiquariat neben dem anderen, und alle sind sie erstaunlich gut sortiert. Das ist Verführung pur! Und weißt du, was das Ergebnis unseres Ausflugs ist? Wir bauen einen Anbau unseres Hauses als weitere Bibliothek um.
      Mit lieben Grüßen vom Meer
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

    • Hi, dear Jacqui,
      indeed, Hay-on-Wye is worth visiting, but not for the books only but for the area as well. Just outside the village you find a beautiful mountainous landscape. Of course, for us the books were the main attraction.
      Thanks for commenting 🙂 🙂
      Wishing you an easy week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  55. You have my mouth watering….I’m one quarter Welsh, and never having been there, this could push me over the edge! Perfect combination – find the old church where the ancestors worshipped and get totally lost in Hay-on-Wye (at least you can pronounce the name!). Thank you – wonderful photos!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Good afternoon, dear Bluebrightly,
      as we wrote before, Hay-on-Wye is worth visiting and a must-go-to for every book lover. The little town is charming as well and the landscape around Hay is beautiful. We only knew Snowdonia in Wales before we went to this booktown, we never made it down south from the north of Wales but now we know it’s worth a trip.
      Thank you very much.
      Wishing you all the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 3 people

  56. Meine Güte, dann seid ihr ja bald noch schlauer!!!
    Unfassbar schöner Ort….und sehr atmosphärischer Bericht darüber, man ist fast live dabei….
    Heute morgen bin ich (beim Yoga mit der Mutter eines Musikkritikers) über die Frage nach Orpheus und Morpheus gestolpert, wie dumm ich bin….muss dringend wieder mehr lesen…
    Aber leider wird jetzt wieder Tarantella getanzt. Geld verdienen mit Herumgehopse?
    Träumen mit den Beinen, irgendwie stolpern wir weiter in, hoffentlich, die richtige Richtung…
    Herzliche Grüße von Pia an die Fabfour!!!!!!!

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply

    • Guten Tag, liebe Pia,
      na, dann hopse mal fröhlich weiter.
      Hay-on-Wye ist wirklich sehr anmutig. Die meisten Läden sind schön und einfallsreich gestaltet und selbst unser B&B war wie aus “Schöner Wohnen”.
      Uns macht es Spaß, klüger zu werden, so wie dir das Tanzen Spaß macht.
      Dann habe eine höchst angenehme Woche
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 2 people

  57. Weisst Du, was mich wundert, lieber Klausbernd? – Dass Du nicht immer noch in einem der Antiquariate sitzt und schmoekerst. 😀
    Danke Dir Dina und den beiden Buchfeen fuer diesen faszinierenden Artikel. 🙂
    So zwischen Buechern sitzen, oh wie schoen! Das erinnert mich an zwei meiner Arbeitsplaetze. Der erste war im Englischen Seminar der Uni Bonn. Da gab esm abgetrennt von der eigentlichen Buecherei das Magazin, mit den wertvolleren und meist alten Buechern. Da hatte ich mir dann, inmitten des wundervollen Geruchs alter Buecher, meinen “Privatarbeitsplatz” mit Ausblick auf den Hofgarten eingerichtet. In der Erinnerung kann ich nur seufzen, “hach!” Apropos Buecherei des Engischen Seminars: habe ich Dir eigentlich schon mal erzaehlt, dass ich zusammen mit einem Kommilitonen fuer etwa 7 Monate die Buecherei “gemanaged” habe, als unsere damalige Bibliothekarin ausschied und es dauerte, bis wir wieder eine “richtige” hatten?
    Mein zweiter Arbeitsplatz inmitten von Buechern war in unserer Eigentumswohnung in Alfter, in meinem Arbeitszimmer. Buecherregale bis zur Decke an zwei Waenden, und dann ein von beiden Seite errechtbares Regal in der Mitte, als Raumteiler. Unheimlich schade, dass ich die meisten Buecher in Deutschland lassen musste und dass wir hier so wenig Wandflaeche fuer Regale haben, trotz des sehr grossen Hauses. So lese ich denn jetzt fast Alles auf meinem Handy per Kindle. Das ist zwar ungmein praktisch, aber es fehlt das Haptische, das Feeling eine Buches in der Hand, das Umblaettern von Papier.
    Ihr Lieben, hat’s fein im kleinen Dorf am grossen Meer, und liebe Gruesse,
    Pit

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Guten Tag, lieber Pit,
      zwischen Büchern zu sitzen, ob in Bibliotheken oder zu Hause, das schafft schon eine angenehme und inspirierende Stimmung. Dein Platz im englischen Seminar der Uni Bonn hört sich wunderbar an. Und da hast du auch sozusagen als Aushilfsbibliothekar gearbeitet. Ich habe als Schüler in den Ferien in der Remscheider Stadtbibliothek gearbeitet, was allerdings nicht so anregend war, da ich hauptsächlich Bücher von einem Regal zum anderen schleppen musste. Interessanter war mein Job als studentische Hilfskraft in der Bibliothek der Geowissenschaften der Ruhr-Uni Bochum. Das war eine gut ausgerüstete, helle Bibliothek mit Blick über das Ruhrtal. In einem mit Büchern gefülltem Raum scheinen die Blicke nach draußen sehr wichtig fürs Wohlfühlen zu sein.
      Ich hatte schon als Student eine relativ große Bibliothek, die ich auch verkauft habe, als ich nach Montreal zog. Damals hatte ich hauptsächlich Klassikerausgaben gesammelt. In meinem Haus in Montreal wäre ich einmal fast von meinen Büchern erschlagen worden, als ein Regal voller Bücher auf meinem Schreibtisch herabstürzte.
      Mein Großvater hatte eine feine Bibliothek. Alle Bücher standen fein in Schränken mit Glastüren. Das war in seinem Herrenzimmer, eine Art heiliger Raum für mich, den ich nur auf Einladung betreten durfte. Dort roch es so angenehm nach Pfeifentabak. Meine Großmutter hatte in ihrem Zimmer fast nur Bücher über Musik und Noten, was mich damals weniger interessierte.
      So haben wir alle unsere Geschichte mit Büchern, die uns in gewisser Weise bis heute prägt. Ich finde auch, dass das Berühren des Papiers, das feine Geräusch beim Umblättern der Seiten und dieser gewisse subtile Buchgeruch nicht durch eine Lesegerät ersetzt werden kann. Wenn ich auch noch nie längere Texte auf einem Lesegerät las, kann ich dennoch den Sinn von Lesegeräten sehen. Meine Schwester ist eine eifrige Krimileserin mit allerdings einer starken Sehbehinderung. Für sie ist ein Lesegerät ideal, da sie die Schrift stark vergrößern kann. Ich greife bisweilen zu Hörbüchern, die ich meist bei der Küchenarbeit oder im Auto höre.
      Wo ihr damals bei eurem Besuch hier gewohnt habt, das Zimmer wird nun völlig zur Bibliothek umgebaut. Dort werden unsere schönsten Bücher wohnen, in denen wir immer wieder gerne blättern.
      So, das war genug des Booktalks für heute.
      Aus dem kleinen Dorf am großen Meer ganz liebe Grüße von
      Klausbernd 🙂 und dem Rest der Meschpoke

      Liked by 2 people

    • Thank you very much for your comment and especially for mentioning this book by Paul Collins we didn’t know.
      Wishing you a wonderful day
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  60. Diese Fotos und die Bücher….ein Traum!!!
    So viele schöne Details, ich kann mich kaum satt sehen….
    Nur leider, die 24 Stunden täglich sind sehr kurz…
    Gestern lief ich wieder durch die Schillerstraße an der Markuskirche und der Bücherei vorbei, über der Schiller kurz wohnte. Bong, das sind laute Glocken dort!
    Ich musste bei Tedy Bastelkleber, Gummiringe, Pergamentpapier und bei kik coole HipHop-Shirts kaufen, für billig. Auf den Shirts steht “Always believe in yourself”, naja, rosa mit silberglitzer.
    Der Bastelkleber ist für 150 Tontopftrommeln. Dazu kaufte ich noch Acrylfarben, Tube zu je 1 Euro…u. v. m.
    Was ich sagen möchte: Kaum Zeit zum Lesen übrig, aber ein paar wichtige Sätze finden i m m e r ihren Weg zu mir, zum Glück.
    So kann ich weiter machen mit aktiver Intelligenz, hoffe ich wenigstens.
    Auch habe ich super gefiltertes und verdrehtes Wasser getrunken und einen meiner Blutstropfen in einem Dunkelfeldmikroskop beobachtet, das ist extrem spannend, sage ich euch und grüße euch herzlich
    Pia

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    • Guten Tag, liebe Pia,
      auch wir kommen zur Zeit kaum zu etwas, da unser Gärtner ausgezogen ist und wir den Raum in unserem Anbau jetzt selber nutzen wollen. Da sind einige Umbauten nötig und neu gestrichen werden muss er auch. Zudem warten noch Stapel von Bücher auf uns, dass sie gelesen werden. Masterchen liest gerade mit Sirilein ein schön unterhaltsames Buch “The Watchmaker of Filigree Street” von Natasha Pulley – übrigens ein gelungenes Erstlingswerk. Den Anbau benötigen wir auch für Bücher. Der wird unsere zweite Bibliothek. Aber da ist noch viel Arbeit nötig.
      Ganz liebe Grüße dir
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Danke, diese Natascha liebe ich jetzt spontan schon mal allein für das, was sie postet…
      Am Dienstag schicke ich euch ein Foto des Schlussbildes unseres Tanzes zu “Aloha ke akua”, ob ihr wollt oder nicht….
      Gerade schrieb Caro aus Luzern, nach Yoga Glow, sie musste sooooo an mich denken, sie studierte Psychologie, Doktorarbeit in Arbeit, Tanztherapie…
      Was zum Henker ist Yoga Glow? Siri?
      Der Gärtner ist weg?! Hoffe ihr erkennt euren Garten noch und es war gut so…
      Vielleicht doch das Buch übers lucide Träumen oder musst du jetzt wieder im Garten schuften?! Mich würde es brennend interessieren! Das Buch.
      Carolin hat früher als Kind öfter die Buchstaben verdreht und ist so wie sie heißt, ihr Gravatar:
      Supercalifragilisticexpialigetisch…
      Love, love. love
      Pia

      Liked by 2 people

    • Guten Morgen, liebe Pia,
      nachdem wir uns nun nervig bemüht haben, einen Installateur zu bekommen, nun zu deiner Frage: Das unseres Erachtens beste Buch über luzides Träumen:
      Godwin, Malcolm: The Lucid Dreamer
      Luzides Träumen birgt viele Gefahren, wenn man es nicht langsam und gründlich lernt. Zunächst jedoch soll man es nur lernen, wenn man es für eine ganz spezielle, für einen wichtige Frage benötigt. Viele Laien denken, es sei für “everyday dreaming”, das ist völlig unsinnig. Erstes Gebot: Man benutzt es nur, um ein gewisses Ergebnis zu erreichen und dann ist Schluss. Ein bis zweimal im Jahr kann man es benutzen, mehr, so zeigten Untersuchungen, stört es langfristig den normalen Schlafrhythmus. Du kannst meine Einstellung zum luziden Träumen in meinem Buch
      Vollmar, Klausbernd: Die Weisheit der Träume, S. 145-155
      nachlesen. Aber ehrlich gesagt, da du ja eher dem Abgehobenen zuneigst, wäre luzides Träumen Gift für dich. Es war übrigens in den 90er Jahren eine Mode, aber glücklicher Weise lernten es nur wenige, da Geduld und viel Zeit nötig sind, es zu meistern.
      Zum Garten: Wir alle vier lieben die Gartenarbeit. Körperliche Arbeit tut uns auch gut. Da unser Gärtner dem Garten eine pflegeleichte Grundstruktur gab, brauchen wir diese nur aufrechtzuerhalten. Wir haben bei der Gartenarbeit stets das Gefühl, etwas Sinnvolles zu tun, bei dem man auch sogleich ein Ergebnis sieht. Außerdem erdet es.
      Yoga Glow ist so ein neuartiger Quatsch, der auch hier angeboten wird und von der Geisteshaltung gar nichts mit dem eigentlichen Yoga zu tun hat, sondern eine nette Beschäftigung für frustrierte Hausfrauen ist – meint unsere liebkluge Siri 🙂
      So, jetzt müssen wir uns um einen einen Bauschreiner bemühen, während Masterchen Einbauschränke und eine Spüle ausbaut.
      Herzliche Grüße vom kleinen Dorf am großen Meer
      The Fab Four of Cley

      Liked by 1 person

    • Danke! Ich frage Caro dann, warum sie an mich denken musste…..
      Es interessiert(e) mich die Theorie zum Lucid Dreaming, falls es mir wieder einmal passieren sollte….
      Danke! Liebe Grüße und frohe Gartenarbeit!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Liebe Pia,
      in unserer Kultur träumen viele Menschen spontan luzide ein paar Mal während ihres Lebens. Die Forschung geht davon aus, dass etwa 3% aller Träume luzide geträumt werden. Etwa 2% der Bevölkerung träumt ständig luzide, ohne es gelernt zu haben, was jedoch nichts über ihre Persönlichkeitseigenschaften aussagt.
      Wir können etwa tausend unserer Bücher im Anbau unterbringen, wodurch es im Haus luftiger wird, d.h. unsere Bücherregale werden entlastet, so dass keine Bücher mehr vor und auf Büchern stehen. Dennoch haben wir uns jetzt ein ‘Bücherfasten’ verschrieben. Nur noch Bücher, die uns äußerst interessieren, werden wir kaufen und dazu noch unsere Regale durchgehen und Bücher weggeben, die uns nicht mehr interessieren. Die gesamte Esoterik-Abteilung haben wir bereits aussortiert. Da wir fürs Dorf Bücherregale in der Kirche betreiben und auf der Dorffete Bücher verkaufen, kommen uns nicht mehr interessierende Bücher dorthin.
      Wir wünschen dir ein angenehmes Wochenende
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 1 person

    • Aussortieren ist bestimmt richtig!
      Schaute gerade nach Natascha Bedingfield “Unwritten”, kann man in Deutschland aber nicht anschauen…grübel…
      Der König von Hay…
      Alles ist schon da, wird nur neu kombiniert….
      Beim Lesen werden andere Hirnareale gebraucht, als wenn man den Text auswendig spricht?…..
      Der Körper ist wie eine Landkarte….Tanzübung mit Christel: Stellt euch vor, auf eurem Körper sei eine Landkarte, ihr seid der König (die Königin) und könnt alles auflösen, wie fühlt sich das an?…..
      Diese Vögelchen schauen zu, beim Schreiben, beim Lesen, geduldig….
      Sprache faszinierend…..
      Habe ja den Sonntag über all das erst mal in Ruhe nachzudenken!
      Die Miezie maunst draußen
      Fühle mich geerdet, auf der Suche, überall…..
      Organisiere mich….(und andere mit, Aufführungen wollen organisiert werden)….
      Theorea, Theaora,The Art des Schreibens und Sprechens, Mo ti va t ion???
      Oje…schönen Sonntag euch! Und viel Freude beim Aussortieren!
      Ja, ich liebe es luftig, Erde braucht doch Luft, sonst vermodert´s…oder?!…

      Liked by 2 people

    • Guten Abend, liebe Pia,
      es ist ja paradox, jetzt schaffen wir Platz für etwa eintausend neue Bücher und gleichzeitig sortieren wir aus. Im Grunde sind wir fast ständig mit unseren Büchern beschäftigt, sie zu lesen, sie zu ordnen, für sie Platz zu schaffen. Erstaunlich, welche Ansprüche Bücher stellen. Aber du bist ja auch immer mit Organisieren beschäftigt. Sagte nicht einst mein Großvater “Organisation ist das halbe Leben”. Er war falsch, ist bisweilen fast das ganze Leben.
      Heute haben wir Buchregale ausgesucht und Dina hat die Bodenbretter weiß gestrichen, auf dass sich die Bücher und wir in unserem neuen Bibliotheksraum wohl fühlen.
      Mit lieben Grüßen vom kleinen Dorf am großen Meer
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃🚶‍♂️👭

      Liked by 1 person

    • Dear RH,
      we didn’t know about the good fishing, well, we were spellbound by the books. But we noticed these nice ceramics.
      Wishing you a great week
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

  63. Hi, I`d let you know that I`ve nominated your inspiring blog for the so called Mystery Award. As far as I understood, it is about building a community / networking – and not so much about an award. Please, visit my accordant blog with the requirements for participation if you like. Best wishes, Weiss-Nix

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Dear Cindy,
      you maybe can with the help of Siri’s and Selma’s magic.
      All the best and thanks for commenting
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  68. What a fascinating place and a fascinating post. I’ve never heard of Hay-on-Wye, but any place that is the world’s first and biggest book town has me won over. I am surprised all of you were able to leave, as I am sure when one was ready to go, another must have found a perfect book…and vice-versa. Growing up, I’d go to Powell’s Bookstore in Portland, OR in the USA and it would be the perfect way to spend a day…impossible to leave without at least one purchase. Great photos too which adds even more charm to the post 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Thanks a lot, dear Dalo,
      you wouldn’t believe it, but after three days of looking for special book-bargains even we had enough of books. We went on a great tour in the near mountains. By that time, we had all the books from our list – and many more.
      Living on the continent we visited regularly a huge bookshop in Maastricht/NL. It was like visiting Otherland.
      All the best
      The Fab Four of Cley
      💃👭🚶‍♂️

      Like

    • Dear Karin,
      we are book lovers and book collectors. We love not only to read books but also living surrounded by books. Every wall in our house has shelves filled with books. We love the feeling of real books as you do. Our dear Master was a writer and teaching at the McGill University about symbolism in literature. Now he is retired and happily blogging with us.
      Wishing you a great week to come
      The Fab Flour of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Like

  71. Very interesting post to me, because I love books and read a lot of. I thought that Paris was a big book town. I have visited there since 1975 buying French books and ended my book shop visits about 15 years ago. Now I have about 1500 French books which I have read twice and some thrice.

    Thank you!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    • Dear Sartenada,
      yes, there is a kind of book-town movement in the whole of Europe. It all started in Hay-on-Wye but there are quite some similar book-towns in Germany, Holland, Belgium and Sweden and Norway. Richard Booth, who started this movement, just died a couple of weeks ago.
      Thanks for commenting.
      By the way we lived in Finland for a year, in Hämeenlinna. We loved it, especially the winter. But we spent most of the winter in Inari, what we even liked more
      All the best from the little village next the big sea
      The Fab Four of Cley
      🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂

      Liked by 2 people

    • Hello.

      OMG. Few people know Finland and not to talk about Hämeenlinna or Inari. The castle of Hämeenlinna, Aulanko, Vanajavesi. I have made five posts presenting Hämeenlinna. Of course, I have posts about Inari and last time I presented a cruise on the Lake Inari.

      All the best you and yours.

      Liked by 2 people

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