Postmarked Wolverhampton, dated 26 July 2008.
The Bookshops of Hay-on-Wye.
Hay-on-Wye is known as the town of books. It has 30 - 40 bookshops and two castles, but fewer than 2000 inhabitants. It was Richard Booth who put Hay on the map in 1977 by declaring it an independent nation on 1 April, and since then it has become a bookshop centre and the venue for an annual Literary Festival sponsored by The Guardian. It is situated in the in the Brecon Beacons National Park, on the bank of the river Wye. Both Offa's Dyke and the Wye Valley Walk pass nearby.
This card was sent to me through Postcrossing from someone I had not previously known, but coincidentally I visited Hay on Wye myself at precisely the same time the card was posted.
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That is quite a coincidence.
ReplyDeleteI have been to Hay... twice, both times in the distant past. Once visiting a friend of a friend with the friend. The people we went to see owned a music shop and I recall a singsong round a piano in the shop window. The second time I was camping overnight by the river with my family, woke very early and went for a walk, leaving the children asleep. Wouldn't do that now.
Reading is my passion, so I would get lost in the Hay bookstores and love every minute of it. Looks just beautiful.
ReplyDeleteYour blog is very nice. I lived in England for 2 years and I really loved the looks of the little shops.
ReplyDeleteAs a fervent book collector, you don't know how much I would love to visit this town. I will have to put this place on my list when I visit England.
ReplyDeletepeace,
mike
livelife365
It's great to get such a surprise from someone you don't know well,Isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI have a I have an award for you, PLS check it on my site. Hope you like it: For The Coolest Blog I Ever Know :)
@jakill, indeed you wouldn't leave the children alone now. So sad. I went for a walk along the river there too. It's a lovely area.
ReplyDelete@jodi, yes, I did lose myself for hours.
@stormee, it's a pretty little town.
@Mike, I'm sure you'd love it. You truly could spend a full day going around the bookshops, more if really dedicated!
@iwalk, thanks for the award. I'm a little behind with things at the moment, but will get around to a "public" thank you :)