This morning I decided to bike into town in order to buy new shoelaces. Two shoes lay around busted and unusable for many weeks because I kept postponing the journey over and over again.

So why then do I need to go all the way into town to do that when there is a shopping mall right around the corner?

There's this special shoe repair shop near the market, a tiny little counter on the side of this building really, run by the nicest oriental person you've ever met. For all my shoe-related problems (new soles, loose threads, shoe polish, shoelaces, etc) I always go there for the fantastic and personal service he gives me.

Two pair of shoelaces, one black and one brown and both seventy-five centimeters long, and the oriental guy has the widest thankful gleeful look in his eyes as if I had just purchased a 10-carat diamond ring from him.

That was my fun and relaxing adventure for the Saturday.