places I don’t hate pt 2
I know in my last post I was talking about how amazing getaways are, and I do admit myself, the next one doesn’t seem to be one. But then again this is my personal list and you can disagree freely. Or you can just try it and then later tell me your opinion.
In the heart of the city getaway places seem hard to find. And that’s true: there are few places that I really feel comfortable in, and they usually have one thing in common: Books.
So the places I don’t particularly hate are notably bookshops: here in Rostock, I don’t dislike to be in Hugendubel and Thalia. Yes I know, they are chain bookshops, but I’ll come back to them later, as well as why I include both of them and can’t choose one that I hate much less than the other.
I can anticipate your first question. How can a bookshop be a place I wouldn’t dislike going? Aren’t there people that try to get into your personal space? Why take the journey to squeeze yourself into ill-fitting trousers, make your way into the city, sit next to sweaty, smelly people, feel like a tuna in a can in a tram, just to go to that place?
Why do all of the above if there is the simple solution to sitting in comfy pants and ordering them online via, for example, amazon.
I get it, totally get it. I myself have already bought countless books from amazon.
But there is always something missing: there is a certain distance between yourself and the book you’re choosing to buy. Bookshops in general are simply amazing because you have the opportunity to find books you may never have looked at twice. Being in a bookshop gives you the feeling that you’re discovering hidden treasures, looking into someone’s mind while lazily leafing through the most interesting books. You are being left alone by the salespeople, taking in the calming smell of new books without feeling pressured of making a decision on whether you want to buy the book or not.
In a bookshop, you’re attracted by the aesthetics, the beauty of the book spine and the sound of intriguing titles. You have much more freedom to decide if this gem you discovered is really a book you would enjoy. Sometimes there are even recommendations, if a book is especially good, and you might just find your new favourite book because of those.
So yes, even though bookshops like Hugendubel and Thalia are still chains, it doesn’t stop the calmness, the special book smell and the diversity of books you are able to find. In addition, you even have the opportunity to sit at either bookshop with a tea or a coffee or even something to eat while starting a book or watching the people outside carrying their bags and hurrying from one place to another.
In case you’re wondering why I did not mention the Andere Buchhandlung at the Doberaner Platz, I can explain that quite quickly. It does not possess the diversity of books and is not actually a gateaway right in the heart of the city, I did not count it in. Also I feel like the salespeople would rather jump at you instead of leaving you alone, so yeah.
If you don’t believe me, try it and spend some time in one of those bookshops: relax and find yourself some new reading material.
