I like the way you and our well-read friend think, Steve. Or perhaps we could each choose one of the world's greatest libraries and move in for a spell, as long as don't mind sharing it with hoards of book lovers. I'll take Dublin's Trinity College Library.
I think you once shared a photo of Trinity College Library, and I instantly fell in leaf with it. Spine tingling. I recall a tale - don't know if it's true or not - of a beautiful library which was once built. But the architect made a tragic error. He forgot to account for the weight of the books.
That could indeed end tragically, though I don't imagine many book shops were custom built. When I returned to Northern California from England, the hardest thing to leave behind, besides my precious friends, was my late husband's natural history library. Moving books abroad costs a fortune.
I can well imagine. Natural history. That's a great one. One of my favourite places in the world is the Natural History Museum in London. I could live there. It's like a tremendous library, but instead of the written word about it, all of the books are the real thing.
I also love that place. We used to go every year.
Perhaps shouldn't share this publicly, but I think I can make it OK. The last time I went, I took young Aussie ladies, two of whom I was certain would fall in love with it. One tore off round the place like a Tasmanian Devil, the other had an event she didn't tell me about until years later… 1/2
2/2 …For what occurred, she became famous, or at least widely known of in Australia. I can't describe what happened as it's hugely embarrassing, but the sort of compelling story you don't forget. And she told the whole tale to me so very well, it really should come only direct from her.
Got this (perhaps wrong) memory from long ago that there is a secret (lesser known) tunnel between there and my other favourite place, the Science Museum. Sort of like if you've gained entry to one, you're also in the other. They're so vast, I'm certain we could move in and no one would notice.