This was our annual pilgrimage to the "Mecca" of books - Frankfurter Buchmesse. Just like last year, the weather was fabulous! It was again a warm October Sunday, and we managed make it to the book fair no earlier than 3pm, as always. Yeah,we were quite pressed for time since the book fair was ending at 5.30pm.
We really did try hard this time to make an effort to be early: We left church immediately after the service ended. When we got home at 12.55pm, I found myself frantically getting lunch ready that I even forgot to take off my jacket. Got the kids fed by 1.45pm. Well, if only they could eat faster... if only they could eat on their own.... Then in between, Alan had to go change a soiled diaper for Kristin, and finally we had our lunch. And since it was such a brilliant day, we left home at about 2.15pm and thought, hmmm, why don't we let Bryan cycle there so that we could tire him out a little and he wouldn't be whiny by bedtime??
So we did. Instead of hopping onto the next U-Bahn, which we are by the way only a stop away from the Trade and Convention centre, we took a long leisure walk, while Bryan cycled and Kristin was sitting happily in the pram. So by the time we made it through the ticket office (yes, we had to pay 10 Euro per adult for entrance), past the entrance and up onto the shuttle bus and across the many halls in the whole Trade and Convention Centre, we finally arrived at Hall 8 at 3.15pm. That's where all the English books were housed. Ok, we were a tad earlier than last year, since we did not stop by the German Children's books section in Hall 3 this time round, and we also did not make the mistake of getting to Hall 8 on foot!
By about 3.40pm, we only managed down the A, B, C aisles, and there were plenty more to go. I think we were barely 1/4 through the hall and we got only a magnifying glass at 8 Euro (yeah, we came to a book fair to get Bryan a magnifying glass), a poster on learning about time (the Malaysian exhibitors were so friendly that they also gave the kids posters of the Malaysian states), two more posters on numbers from another Malaysian exhibitor (the kids received a pack of colouring pages, puzzle and stickers from them again) and two Christian books on Love from 1 Corinthians, and a Time for Everything from Ecclesiastes 3 at 4 Euro (we really didn't want to appear that we were bargaining. They wanted 5 but between Alan and myself we only had two 2 Euro coins. And we didn't want to break our 50 Euro note.) By this time, Bryan had gotten himself another free book on Pirates from another exhibitor. What a lucky boy, was the only thing I could say in an attempt to hide my embarassment! Then at this particular stand, I saw these Write and Slide wipe offf books for Phonics, Spelling and Maths. Now I couldn't resist. I knew I had to get them. They were at 8 Euro each! I thought, that's awfully cheap, considering they all had a sticker on one corner that read 7.99 GBP! So I got all three of them. Then when we got home, Alan discovered that it said 15.99 GBP each at the back of the book! Yeah, you can see the proud smile I was wearing on my face.
Ok, it was almost 4pm and we still hadn't got much in our bags, unlike last year. I was fretting when I reached Harper Collins and Sterling. Bryan and I picked up 3 Berenstain Bears and 5 People You Meet in Heaven from Mitch Albom at Harper Collins and I was about to pay when I realised I had to get some cash from Alan. So I told the man I would be back and went back to Alan when he was hanging around the Sterling booth. Then he pulled me aside and showed me the piece of paper on the floor: Free Books! The peace didn't last long when the Sterling people started shouting, Free Books! By this time, there were 30 odd people at the stand and they were grabbing whatever their eyes fancied. I went through the children's books and cookbooks briefly and twice I was pushed out by the crowd. Haha... looks like Singaporeans still have a long way to go when it comes to being a world-class kiasu freebie grabber!
Anyway, we were quite happy with the giveaways at Sterling and we called it a day since people were already ripping off the carpet in the other part of the hall. Yeah... we still didn't make it half way through one hall, just like last year, but we went home with a lot of books. At first, I was still fretting about how late we arrived at Hall 8 and how cash low we were - we did try to get cash but the ATM at the entrance was out of order. Now I finally know things happened for a reason. And Sterling was the reason!
Just a look at the free books we gathered:
The left pile was given and the right pile was bought.
We really did try hard this time to make an effort to be early: We left church immediately after the service ended. When we got home at 12.55pm, I found myself frantically getting lunch ready that I even forgot to take off my jacket. Got the kids fed by 1.45pm. Well, if only they could eat faster... if only they could eat on their own.... Then in between, Alan had to go change a soiled diaper for Kristin, and finally we had our lunch. And since it was such a brilliant day, we left home at about 2.15pm and thought, hmmm, why don't we let Bryan cycle there so that we could tire him out a little and he wouldn't be whiny by bedtime??
So we did. Instead of hopping onto the next U-Bahn, which we are by the way only a stop away from the Trade and Convention centre, we took a long leisure walk, while Bryan cycled and Kristin was sitting happily in the pram. So by the time we made it through the ticket office (yes, we had to pay 10 Euro per adult for entrance), past the entrance and up onto the shuttle bus and across the many halls in the whole Trade and Convention Centre, we finally arrived at Hall 8 at 3.15pm. That's where all the English books were housed. Ok, we were a tad earlier than last year, since we did not stop by the German Children's books section in Hall 3 this time round, and we also did not make the mistake of getting to Hall 8 on foot!
By about 3.40pm, we only managed down the A, B, C aisles, and there were plenty more to go. I think we were barely 1/4 through the hall and we got only a magnifying glass at 8 Euro (yeah, we came to a book fair to get Bryan a magnifying glass), a poster on learning about time (the Malaysian exhibitors were so friendly that they also gave the kids posters of the Malaysian states), two more posters on numbers from another Malaysian exhibitor (the kids received a pack of colouring pages, puzzle and stickers from them again) and two Christian books on Love from 1 Corinthians, and a Time for Everything from Ecclesiastes 3 at 4 Euro (we really didn't want to appear that we were bargaining. They wanted 5 but between Alan and myself we only had two 2 Euro coins. And we didn't want to break our 50 Euro note.) By this time, Bryan had gotten himself another free book on Pirates from another exhibitor. What a lucky boy, was the only thing I could say in an attempt to hide my embarassment! Then at this particular stand, I saw these Write and Slide wipe offf books for Phonics, Spelling and Maths. Now I couldn't resist. I knew I had to get them. They were at 8 Euro each! I thought, that's awfully cheap, considering they all had a sticker on one corner that read 7.99 GBP! So I got all three of them. Then when we got home, Alan discovered that it said 15.99 GBP each at the back of the book! Yeah, you can see the proud smile I was wearing on my face.
Ok, it was almost 4pm and we still hadn't got much in our bags, unlike last year. I was fretting when I reached Harper Collins and Sterling. Bryan and I picked up 3 Berenstain Bears and 5 People You Meet in Heaven from Mitch Albom at Harper Collins and I was about to pay when I realised I had to get some cash from Alan. So I told the man I would be back and went back to Alan when he was hanging around the Sterling booth. Then he pulled me aside and showed me the piece of paper on the floor: Free Books! The peace didn't last long when the Sterling people started shouting, Free Books! By this time, there were 30 odd people at the stand and they were grabbing whatever their eyes fancied. I went through the children's books and cookbooks briefly and twice I was pushed out by the crowd. Haha... looks like Singaporeans still have a long way to go when it comes to being a world-class kiasu freebie grabber!
Anyway, we were quite happy with the giveaways at Sterling and we called it a day since people were already ripping off the carpet in the other part of the hall. Yeah... we still didn't make it half way through one hall, just like last year, but we went home with a lot of books. At first, I was still fretting about how late we arrived at Hall 8 and how cash low we were - we did try to get cash but the ATM at the entrance was out of order. Now I finally know things happened for a reason. And Sterling was the reason!
Just a look at the free books we gathered:
The left pile was given and the right pile was bought.
And this is my ecstatic find at Sterling:
Yes, Bryan loves the rhymes here!
And the hero of the day was Alan! Imagine he carried back most of the books in one huge blue Ikea bag. How many times did we swear last year that we would return this year with a suitcase? Why didn't we learn our lesson?
Here's one with Daddy enjoying his hard work:
Oh I conveniently forgot about Harper Collins. Look, we wouldn't want to add on to Alan's burden, right?
8 comments:
Lucky woman! That's a big pile of FREE books! Wonder when I'll get such luck ...
Look at all those free books! Lucky you! Next time, bring trolley bags, those that you use for groceries, with you. That's what mommies in Sg are doing when comes book fair.
Hey, I got the Mitch Albom's book for S$9 from a flea market and was already very happy becoz its about 50% off..Can't imagine if its free.
Yeah, Viv, when's our turn?? Haiz, Sg's book fairs are never that generous..
Wow! Each time the annual book fair in paris comes by, I think to myself that I should go, then I pictures of crowds come to mind and we never end up going. Now I'm inspired!
wow.. free books.. so envy. We will never have this chance in Spore!
Wow so shiok!!! I remember rushing around like a siaocharbor when I was at the book fair 2 years ago. Grabbing from the free booths, so embarrassingly kiasu hehe.
I had loads of free stuff too but gave most away.
Btw, have you ever been to Sg's MPH Expo sale? Love that man. It's on next weekend and I'll be in Sg! Wonder if I should go! Really tempted, but how to lug my haul back to Moscow??
ah, dilemma!
Haha... for the record, I felt like a "book-bandit" after that!
Hi Viv, Sarah, Irene!
Alan says when this happens in Sg, people will just grab everything. At least over here, they still read the titles to sieve through the stack. So if it does happen, books will be snapped out in a few seconds. You mommies really got to work out those arm muscles now!
Hi Ivana!
What are we waiting for??? Just hit the English books hall.
Hi Lilian,
Bet you went there with a suitcase!!! :o)
Nope, never been to the MPH Expo Sale. Heard that it's a big thing. Next time I'll go with you! That will make two siaocharbor's ;)
Berenstain berenstain!!! they make us crazy! we are working towards completing the collection, already have 20 now. should have 'tongpang' u to get them! how muchie there?
abt 5ish here.
Hi Lena!
No lah... it was 4 Eur per copy! So we dropped them like "hot potatoes"!
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