Whenever I visit the shopping districts, I would head straight to the bookshop. They are always a source of inspiration and ideas. The amount of books published under any one subject is phenomenal. The internet may be good for browsing but one can never get the feel of a book - the quality of the paper, the layout, the illustrations and more importantly the content. Also many bookshops are closing owing to lack of support from the general public who would want to save a few pounds in these days of tight budgets. At what expense I ask.
The small local shops are fast disappearing from our streets and it is these shops which give character to our towns and villages. Together they form the heart of any small town and without our patronage, the town would soon lose its heart. Try walking down a street with lots of empty shops and see how you feel.
I am currently on holiday in Singapore and the bookstalls and bookshops are teeming with people who are constantly trying to find something to read. Owing to the huge influx from Chinese from mainland China, there is an increasing demand for Chinese language books. My brother who now lives in Australia with his family has bought countless books to take home as they are difficult to locate and buy. Titles ranging from business strategies to what food to eat to maintain a healthy lifestyle are readily available.
One of my ambitions is to record the types of local food which are fast disappearing from the local markets of Singapore and perhaps learn how to make or cook them so that the younger generations in my family can enjoy and partake in the heritage of a culture which is rich and multi-faceted. Luckily, there are many books available for reference and you can tell my luggage is getting heavier by the day!
So, go shopping and keep scouring the bookshops. The culture of a country is often reflected in the food her citizens consume and food often open up a host of questions and answers at a party!
