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| The fun starts with the bargain tables on the sidewalk |
The bookstore in our neighbourhood bears the name of
Diomedes, the Greek warrior/hero whose discipline, bravery, cunning and resourcefulness are described by Homer in the Iliad. Diomedes Libros is a literary labyrinth, a jumble of used books that invites readers to spend time browsing, hunting and gathering. When you take a book from the shelf at Diomedes you discover that there's another layer, a row of fascinating titles hidden behind the first. Your only option is to remove the line of books from the front row and pile those volumes on the floor in order to get a look at the full selection. Books line the aisles in chaotic disarray, a librarian's nightmare that demands rummaging through volumes of politics, psychology, religion, history and poetry in order to find an English novel. The store has a distinct odour of mildew, old leather and damp paper. This shopping experience is a far cry from the quick, clean, easy transactions completed at Chapters Indigo in Canada.
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| A mountain of inventory |
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| Seek and ye shall find. |
For those brave enough to face the challenge, book-lovers who don't mind getting their hands dirty, there is treasure buried in the stacks at Diomedes. This children's book entitled "
Canada" written by David Scott Daniell in the 1950s and published by Ediciones Albon in Barcelona, was my reward for digging deep.
Written in Spanish, the story charts the journey of Alison and John as they make a trip from London England to Canada. They tour all the regions of the nation, and just like the Royal couple the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (Prince William and Kate), the fictional characters encounter a host of Canuck stereotypes along the way. I love the retro-style illustrations by Jack Matthew.
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Fishermen in Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia
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| View from the Citadel, Quebec City |
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| A log cabin in the Laurentians, Quebec with busy beaver |
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| The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Ottawa, Ontario |
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| Farmers harvesting wheat in Saskatchewan |
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| Indians ( aboriginals) in Calgary, Alberta |
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| Cowboys at the Calgary Stampede |
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| Trapper in the great white Northwest Territories |
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| Bears in the Rocky Mountains |
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| Vancouver, British Columbia |
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| Boarding the return flight |
As Alison and John reflect on their visit to Canada, they come to the conclusion that "Canada is very big, very rich and all its people work hard and are happy."
What a find - especially during a week when Canada's national newspaper
The Globe and Mail is presenting daily highlights of the
Royal Visit complete with images that are remarkably similar to the illustrations in this book, drawn over 50 years ago. From Mounties to aboriginal drummers in traditional dress, not much has changed in our home and native land.
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| The Royal couple visit Yellowknife, NWT |
