Hay-on-Wye

Hay-on-Wye is lovely small Welsh town close to the border with England. It is known as the 'Town of Books' with over thirty bookshops in it's narrow old streets selling both new and second-hand books. Every summer the town holds the Hay Festival of Literature, ten days of talks and entertainments. It's a lovely place to visit and impossible to leave without buying a book (or few!)

This week the windows are dressed for Halloween with a paper moon and a bat flying across the display in Richard Booth's glorious bookshop on Lion Street. He is the person responsible for transforming this small market town into the world's first book town. It's definitely something to crow about!

The exterior of the shop is full of interesting ornamentation

and it is hard not to be tempted inside.

Upstairs the Folio Society Reading room has comfy chairs

and for Halloween, a Dracula cushion to lean against!

Other shops are equally pleasurable

and sell not only books

but 

also

all manner of covetable things.

 There's a pair of matching corner cupboards from France in the window of Llewelyn and Company.

"Where can we put them?"

"We can't, we haven't got enough room."

"Oh, what a pity!"

We have only got enough room for the tiny furniture on these shelves.

Another shop is selling 'best quality old tat'!

There is nothing remotely tatty about the greengrocer's shop. 

I look with pleasure at what is on offer, it's a delight to see local produce, quince and Ribston Pippin apples, a name that I remember from childhood, long since banished from our supermarket shelves.

A large red apple called 'American Mother' is for sale. It's a variety that I've never heard of and I'm just remarking on the fact when the supplier happens to walk by. The shopkeeper comes out, amused at our enthusiastic conversation. He can't promise to always introduce me to his suppliers, he tells me, although he'll do his best!

 It's market day

and the town is busy.

But Hallowe'en is coming

so we better get home before dark!

for Skywatch Friday.