I spent the day wandering around the nearby Glasgow University; I went to their campus bookshop and the library (the library is a 12 story building with more than two million volumes; I have a feeling I will spend some amount of time there as it is within walking distance and, as a Strathclyde graduate student, I can check out books).
From there, I made a general loop around the wider neighbourhood. I first went into a little back-alley bookseller where books were literally piled in heaps on the floor. Most of the shelves had books two or three deep in ranks. I don’t know if they occasionally rotate the stock back to front or if the rear volumes have been there since the 1930’s.

In this bookshop was a black and white cat; when I entered, it was sitting on a pedestal by the door. I assume she is the security of the place as she gave me a look over. While I was there, the fellow at the desk let her out (notable later).

Behind this place is a funky little tea house named Tchai-Ovna; the owner is half Czech and the waitress and I exchanged a few words in Czech (she is taking classes at Glasgow Univ.). They serve, of course, Middle-Eastern food.

After that, another bookshop…and then another…and then I stopped at a book fair. I am proud of the fact that, while I saw a lot of books that looked interesting, I did not purchase any books today. One, I am trying to save money and know that I will have to buy books for school; two, I know that I will have to move all these books at the end of the year.

The cat showed up twice after her first appearance. Once was just down the street. She was stalking a small bird. After that, some distance away, she was sitting in the entrance to an antiques shop greeting visitors there. She must provide security services to several shops in the neighbourhood.

I also stopped at the Botanic Gardens; there is an exhibition of bonsai trees on right now. They had some really wonderful examples on display (in peril from the curious fingers of children who were gleefully wandering about the glasshouse).

I’m going to set down with a book for the evening; something’s put me in the mood to read.