Christmas Shopping

Well, my trip has been extended. This is a good thing in that I have not done everything that I want to do while I am here. It is an okay thing (not good, not bad) in that I haven’t really the time nor the money to do all the things that I could come up with to do. In that I will have very limited time to do my Christmas shopping when I return to the states, I had the brilliant idea to do some of my Christmas shopping here. This last is not a good thing. Some “Brilliant Ideas” should remain brilliant ideas and not be implemented.

I had the even more brilliant idea to do nothing more than shop here. No buying, just shopping. (See the entry on "Cost of Living.") This later and greater idea come to me as I was shopping. The uncanny ability I have to be able to immediately walk up to the single most expensive item in a store and immediately need to try it on, examine it, or decide what it is seems unaffected by the fact that I am now shopping in a foreign country.

I spent all day looking in shops and doing conversions in my head. Suffice it to say I still have a lot of shopping to do when I get home!

I did, however look at some very nice items for myself. And by “very nice” I of course meant “insanely expensive!” There was the (moderately reasonable) blazer, coming in at a mere £275.00. (That’s approximately $550.00 in today’s exchange rate.) Of course I could go for the same blazer in a nice fabric like wool for only another £100. I tried on a really nice jumper (what they call a sweater) but what they called the price was what I would call excessive tipping the scale at £190. But my favorite of all; this lovely leather blazer, it was like butter! So silky soft so warm and inviting, it even fit well! I have no idea how I resisted spending the £1,195 that they wanted for it. Oh wait, now I remember how I resisted… I’ve yet to have that lobotomy! My entire wardrobe isn’t worth $2,400; there is no way I am spending that much on one coat! It doesn’t matter how nice it is!

I did have a good time of it, though. I got to the stores everyone has heard of like Harvey Nichols. Harrods has great windows. All of them are based on fairy tales this year. The best one was of Snow White. There is an Evil Queen mannequin standing before a big mirror that is made of one way glass. The mirror slowly fades to opacity as a spot light is shone on the revese side where the Snow White mannequin is revealed, it’s a cool window!

I know what you're thinking: “Don, you’ve lost it!” That is unfair! Just because I enjoyed shopping there is no reason to question my sanity. Remember: I was shopping in London! It makes all the difference!

Have a great day!

Don Bergquist – Thames Ditton, United Kingdom – 11, December, 2004