July 3, 2025
🗺️ 📸 Playing Tourist in the Village - The Slow Life Stories - Bedtime Stories for Adults - Cozy Stories for Grownups and All Ages
Welcome to The Slow Life - A village filled with cozy stories for everyone. This story is called Playing Tourist in the Village, and it’s about comfortable shoes, leaving my phone at home, and things I’d forgotten.
🇨🇦 These stories are written, edited and narrated by Jennifer Zwicker.
Support at Patreon: https://patreon.com/theslowlifecalmingstories?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
~~~~
Benefits of listening to cozy stories or adult bedtime stories with The Slow Life:
1. Relaxation and Stress Relief
• You want to unwind after a stressful day.
• The gentle pacing, soothing tone, and comforting narratives help calm your mind and body.
2. Help Falling Asleep
• Many people use bedtime stories as a sleep aid. We’ve been told ours help.
• A calming story distracts from anxious or racing thoughts, making it easier to drift off. Especially with a second reading as we have, because you already know what happens.
3. Comfort and Nostalgia
• You’re looking for the emotional safety and warmth that often comes with familiar or gently imaginative stories.
• Cozy stories can evoke fond childhood memories or a sense of being cared for.
4. Escape and Imagination
• A peaceful story can provide a gentle escape from reality without overstimulation.
• Listeners enjoy being transported to a calm village, a peaceful garden, or a quaint and cozy inn.
5. Mindfulness and Presence
• The slow, descriptive nature of cozy storytelling encourages a mindful focus on the present.
• It can be a form of meditative listening, grounding you, the listener, in sensory details and slow pacing.
6. Companionship and Connection
• Perhaps, for people who live alone or feel lonely, a narrator’s voice can feel like friendly company.
• It’s a quiet, non-demanding form of social presence.
🧡 Bedtime stories for grown ups
🧡 Bedtime stories for kids
🧡 Meditation story
Playing Tourist in the Village is a story about doing touristy things in your own town. There is beauty, there is comfort. It may help put you to sleep. Calming stories to help you sleep. Relieve anxiety.
⚠️ Take care listening while driving or doing any activity that requires your full attention.
- All stories - Copyright Jennifer Zwicker 2024, 2025
1
00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:06,810
Welcome to the slow life of
Village, filled with cozy
2
00:00:06,820 --> 00:00:12,840
stories for everyone.
I'll read this story 2 times to
3
00:00:12,850 --> 00:00:17,560
help you zone out or even fall
asleep during the second
4
00:00:17,570 --> 00:00:23,120
reading.
This story is called Playing
5
00:00:23,130 --> 00:00:28,060
Tourist in the Village and it's
about comfortable shoes.
6
00:00:28,470 --> 00:00:33,040
Leaving my phone at home and
things I'd forgotten.
7
00:00:36,390 --> 00:00:41,980
The morning light spills across
my kitchen, brushing everything
8
00:00:41,990 --> 00:00:46,530
with gold.
I stand by the sink, looking out
9
00:00:46,540 --> 00:00:50,210
the window, a cup of tea in my
hands.
10
00:00:50,980 --> 00:00:56,030
I'm already dressed in my most
comfortable walking shoes and
11
00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:59,830
lightweight linen pants that
catch the breeze.
12
00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:04,760
When I walk, my camera rests on
the table.
13
00:01:05,069 --> 00:01:10,040
My real camera, as they're now
called, not the one built into
14
00:01:10,050 --> 00:01:14,320
my phone.
The phone stays behind today
15
00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:20,230
purposely so I won't be tempted
to scroll or check messages or
16
00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:24,570
post the photos I take while I'm
out today.
17
00:01:24,580 --> 00:01:30,640
I'm a tourist in my own village.
I want to see what pops up with
18
00:01:30,650 --> 00:01:35,450
new eyes.
I'm going fully into it too.
19
00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:40,710
I fold an old paper map of the
village and tuck it into my
20
00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,210
backpack.
It's mostly decorative.
21
00:01:44,300 --> 00:01:49,430
I know the place like the layout
of my own home, but I want the
22
00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:54,830
full experience really.
I'm going to compare the village
23
00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,140
now to the map to see what's
changed.
24
00:01:59,070 --> 00:02:02,680
As a tourist, it adds to the
charm of my day.
25
00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:09,490
The wide brimmed straw hat goes
on last fastened gently under my
26
00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:13,170
chin.
Still pretty chic, I winked to
27
00:02:13,180 --> 00:02:18,690
myself in the hall mirror.
I step out into the warmth of
28
00:02:18,700 --> 00:02:21,990
the morning.
The slight breeze is coming in
29
00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,090
the right direction for me to
smell the fresh bread and
30
00:02:26,100 --> 00:02:30,960
pastries from the bakeries and
cafes in the town square.
31
00:02:32,340 --> 00:02:37,550
Bees hum beside me in the
gardens as I walk slowly towards
32
00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,740
the calm action of the heart of
the village.
33
00:02:41,820 --> 00:02:47,690
No errands today, just this.
Just me and the place I've known
34
00:02:47,700 --> 00:02:52,430
for many years.
My first stop is the used
35
00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:56,470
bookstore on a side street just
before the square.
36
00:02:57,350 --> 00:03:02,640
I check my map which is 1 I have
from years ago, and this book
37
00:03:02,650 --> 00:03:07,660
store is one of the landmarks
that I know would be on here as
38
00:03:07,670 --> 00:03:12,110
it was established before I was
born there.
39
00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:17,480
It is in tiny letters by my
finger, the crooked bookshelf.
40
00:03:18,710 --> 00:03:23,080
I've left my current reeds at
home so I can browse like
41
00:03:23,090 --> 00:03:26,870
someone discovering this place
for the first time.
42
00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:33,190
I'll choose a book to have with
me throughout the day, resting
43
00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,930
on benches, or to sit with after
a small lunch, still sipping on
44
00:03:38,940 --> 00:03:45,230
a drink between pages.
This store is a decent size laid
45
00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:49,460
out on three floors with an
elevator in the back.
46
00:03:50,610 --> 00:03:54,680
I remember coming to their
fundraiser to be able to have it
47
00:03:54,690 --> 00:04:00,500
installed when they cleverly
invited everyone to help raise
48
00:04:00,510 --> 00:04:06,470
the fun for everyone.
I scanned the odor circle of the
49
00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:12,130
first floor and a well loved
copy of a travel memoir catches
50
00:04:12,140 --> 00:04:16,180
my eye.
I don't recognize the author,
51
00:04:16,230 --> 00:04:21,240
but the cover shows them walking
on a narrow St. in a country
52
00:04:21,250 --> 00:04:26,100
I've yet to visit and I decide
that's perfect for to day.
53
00:04:27,490 --> 00:04:32,700
I purchase it with coins from my
bag and slip it in beside the
54
00:04:32,710 --> 00:04:36,250
map.
Already I feel a little
55
00:04:36,260 --> 00:04:40,180
transformed.
No longer the person who lives
56
00:04:40,190 --> 00:04:44,490
just two streets over, but
someone passing through.
57
00:04:45,890 --> 00:04:50,180
I turn left out of the shop,
knowing this will take me
58
00:04:50,190 --> 00:04:55,200
further from the village centre
to a cluster of small streets
59
00:04:55,270 --> 00:04:59,070
that have kept the original
cobblestones in place.
60
00:05:00,170 --> 00:05:04,170
Walking into the area takes me
back in time.
61
00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:10,790
A child bumps by on her bicycle,
humming a tune that wobbles her
62
00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:15,570
voice with every bounce.
As we do when sliding down the
63
00:05:15,580 --> 00:05:22,570
stairs on our bottoms, I wander
along cobbled paths, pausing to
64
00:05:22,580 --> 00:05:27,370
take a picture of window sills
with flower pots and a stone
65
00:05:27,380 --> 00:05:32,800
wall dripping with vines.
I make a point to take only
66
00:05:32,810 --> 00:05:37,380
those photos that I will get
printed off to put in tiny
67
00:05:37,390 --> 00:05:43,270
frames around the house.
In this historical area is one
68
00:05:43,280 --> 00:05:47,900
of the oldest homes in the
village, turned into a museum.
69
00:05:49,180 --> 00:05:53,590
If I kept wandering, I would
surely come across it, but I
70
00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,220
pull out my trusty map in order
to find it.
71
00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:01,860
I see that I'm close, just
around the corner.
72
00:06:03,070 --> 00:06:08,060
It's a low stone cottage with a
crooked chimney and a garden of
73
00:06:08,070 --> 00:06:11,760
herbs.
I wait by the door with a small
74
00:06:11,770 --> 00:06:17,800
group of visitors, a couple from
Halifax, a mother and daughter
75
00:06:17,810 --> 00:06:22,900
from Vermont, and two older
friends who let me practice my
76
00:06:22,910 --> 00:06:27,390
French with them.
They have a paper map too.
77
00:06:27,700 --> 00:06:32,350
Some have cameras hanging from
their necks and others use their
78
00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:37,470
phones.
As such, the tour begins winding
79
00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:42,450
through the narrow rooms filled
with old furniture, family
80
00:06:42,460 --> 00:06:47,150
photographs and displays of
village life from long ago.
81
00:06:48,550 --> 00:06:54,320
The guide is enthusiastic and
perfectly dramatic, his voice
82
00:06:54,330 --> 00:06:59,650
rising and falling, keeping us
engaged the whole way through.
83
00:07:00,950 --> 00:07:06,260
I note many things I'd forgotten
or never learned about the place
84
00:07:06,270 --> 00:07:10,530
to begin with.
As we move from room to room,
85
00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:16,650
conversation stirs between us.
The couple from the city laughs
86
00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:20,600
with interest when I mention I
live just up the street.
87
00:07:21,850 --> 00:07:24,820
You're on vacation in your own
backyard?
88
00:07:25,580 --> 00:07:29,810
I nod, smiling.
I tell them I left my phone at
89
00:07:29,820 --> 00:07:34,430
home and brought a paper map.
They're delighted by the whole
90
00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:38,130
idea.
The mother from Vermont says she
91
00:07:38,140 --> 00:07:40,350
might do the same when she gets
back.
92
00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:45,990
I've lived in the same town for
30 years, she says, and never
93
00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:52,630
even been to our local museum.
As we go our separate ways back
94
00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:58,050
out in the sunshine, I am happy
to have inspired someone else to
95
00:07:58,060 --> 00:08:04,220
play tourist in their own home.
The scent of salt drifts towards
96
00:08:04,230 --> 00:08:07,470
me and I see it's nearly
lunchtime.
97
00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:13,750
Many restaurants are just ahead,
so I follow the path past the
98
00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:18,430
benches where artists sit with
sketchbooks and watercolors.
99
00:08:19,430 --> 00:08:24,960
In true tourist fashion, I buy a
sketch of the museum I've just
100
00:08:24,970 --> 00:08:29,660
been in and a painting of the
waterfront which I'm about to
101
00:08:29,670 --> 00:08:34,309
stroll the length of and stop
along for something to eat.
102
00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:40,490
The painting will be given as a
gift to someone on some
103
00:08:40,500 --> 00:08:45,870
occasion, and the sketch I will
hang in my own house as a
104
00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:51,840
reminder of my day away in this
very place that I call home.
105
00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:04,240
Playing tourist in the village.
The morning light spills across
106
00:09:04,250 --> 00:09:08,070
my kitchen, brushing everything
with gold.
107
00:09:09,100 --> 00:09:14,670
I stand by the sink, looking out
the window, a cup of tea in my
108
00:09:14,680 --> 00:09:18,380
hands.
I'm already dressed in my most
109
00:09:18,390 --> 00:09:23,860
comfortable walking shoes and
lightweight linen pants that
110
00:09:23,870 --> 00:09:28,980
catch the breeze.
When I walk, my camera rests on
111
00:09:28,990 --> 00:09:32,460
the table.
My real camera, as they're now
112
00:09:32,470 --> 00:09:35,980
called, not the one built into
my phone.
113
00:09:36,930 --> 00:09:42,460
The phone stays behind today
purposely so I won't be tempted
114
00:09:42,470 --> 00:09:47,580
to scroll or check messages or
post the photos I take while I'm
115
00:09:47,590 --> 00:09:52,190
out today.
I'm a tourist in my own village.
116
00:09:53,100 --> 00:09:56,730
I want to see what pops up with
new eyes.
117
00:09:57,890 --> 00:10:03,580
I'm going fully into it too.
I fold an old paper map of the
118
00:10:03,590 --> 00:10:06,940
village and tuck it into my
backpack.
119
00:10:07,390 --> 00:10:11,860
It's mostly decorative.
I know the place like the layout
120
00:10:11,870 --> 00:10:17,910
of my own home, but I want the
full experience really.
121
00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:22,570
I'm going to compare the village
now to the map to see what's
122
00:10:22,580 --> 00:10:26,360
changed.
As a tourist, it adds to the
123
00:10:26,370 --> 00:10:31,450
charm of my day.
The wide brimmed straw hat goes
124
00:10:31,460 --> 00:10:35,250
on last fastened gently under my
chin.
125
00:10:35,820 --> 00:10:40,220
Still pretty chic, I winked to
myself in the hall mirror.
126
00:10:41,630 --> 00:10:44,680
I step out into the warmth of
the morning.
127
00:10:45,130 --> 00:10:49,300
The slight breeze is coming in
the right direction for me to
128
00:10:49,310 --> 00:10:53,720
smell the fresh bread and
pastries from the bakeries and
129
00:10:53,730 --> 00:10:59,750
cafes in the town square.
Bees hum beside me in the
130
00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:05,190
gardens as I walk slowly towards
the calm action of the heart of
131
00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:10,110
the village.
No errands today, just this.
132
00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:14,150
Just me and the place I've known
for many years.
133
00:11:15,220 --> 00:11:20,370
My first stop is the used
bookstore on a side street just
134
00:11:20,380 --> 00:11:25,280
before the square.
I check my map which is 1 I have
135
00:11:25,290 --> 00:11:30,200
from years ago, and this book
store is one of the landmarks
136
00:11:30,210 --> 00:11:35,120
that I know would be on here as
it was established before I was
137
00:11:35,130 --> 00:11:39,950
born there.
It is in tiny letters by my
138
00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:45,960
finger, the crooked bookshelf.
I've left my current reeds at
139
00:11:45,970 --> 00:11:50,640
home so I can browse like
someone discovering this place
140
00:11:50,650 --> 00:11:55,490
for the first time.
I'll choose a book to have with
141
00:11:55,500 --> 00:12:01,150
me throughout the day, resting
on benches, or to sit with after
142
00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,940
a small lunch, still sipping on
a drink between pages.
143
00:12:07,350 --> 00:12:12,980
This store is a decent size laid
out on three floors with an
144
00:12:12,990 --> 00:12:17,460
elevator in the back.
I remember coming to their
145
00:12:17,470 --> 00:12:22,540
fundraiser to be able to have it
installed when they cleverly
146
00:12:22,550 --> 00:12:27,650
invited everyone to help raise
the fun for everyone.
147
00:12:29,260 --> 00:12:34,310
I scanned the odor circle of the
first floor and a well loved
148
00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,900
copy of a travel memoir catches
my eye.
149
00:12:38,970 --> 00:12:43,660
I don't recognize the author,
but the cover shows them walking
150
00:12:43,670 --> 00:12:49,340
on a narrow St. in a country
I've yet to visit and I decide
151
00:12:49,350 --> 00:12:55,180
that's perfect for to day.
I purchase it with coins from my
152
00:12:55,190 --> 00:12:58,390
bag and slip it in beside the
map.
153
00:12:59,470 --> 00:13:02,620
Already I feel a little
transformed.
154
00:13:02,970 --> 00:13:08,160
No longer the person who lives
just two streets over, but some
155
00:13:08,170 --> 00:13:13,560
1 passing through.
I turn left out of the shop,
156
00:13:13,670 --> 00:13:17,740
knowing this will take me
further from the village centre
157
00:13:17,930 --> 00:13:22,140
to a cluster of small streets
that have kept the original
158
00:13:22,150 --> 00:13:27,930
cobblestones in place.
Walking into the area takes me
159
00:13:27,940 --> 00:13:33,630
back in time.
A child bumps by on her bicycle,
160
00:13:33,820 --> 00:13:37,910
humming a tune that wobbles her
voice with every bounce.
161
00:13:38,380 --> 00:13:44,690
As we do when sliding down the
stairs on our bottoms, I wander
162
00:13:44,700 --> 00:13:49,970
along cobbled paths, pausing to
take a picture of window sills
163
00:13:49,980 --> 00:13:54,570
with flower pots and a stone
wall dripping with vines.
164
00:13:55,700 --> 00:14:00,290
I make a point to take only
those photos that I will get
165
00:14:00,300 --> 00:14:04,270
printed off to put in tiny
frames around the house.
166
00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:10,250
In this historical area is one
of the oldest homes in the
167
00:14:10,260 --> 00:14:16,270
village, turned into a museum.
If I kept wandering, I would
168
00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:21,490
surely come across it, but I
pull out my trusty map in order
169
00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:25,850
to find it.
I see that I'm close, just
170
00:14:25,860 --> 00:14:30,660
around the corner.
It's a low stone cottage with a
171
00:14:30,670 --> 00:14:33,850
crooked chimney and a garden of
herbs.
172
00:14:34,710 --> 00:14:40,030
I wait by the door with a small
group of visitors, a couple from
173
00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:45,650
Halifax, a mother and daughter
from Vermont, and two older
174
00:14:45,660 --> 00:14:49,240
friends who let me practice my
French with them.
175
00:14:50,380 --> 00:14:55,190
They have a paper map too.
Some have cameras hanging from
176
00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,170
their necks and others use their
phones.
177
00:14:58,180 --> 00:15:05,220
As such, the tour begins winding
through the narrow rooms filled
178
00:15:05,230 --> 00:15:10,020
with old furniture, family
photographs and displays of
179
00:15:10,030 --> 00:15:16,430
village life from long ago.
The guide is enthusiastic and
180
00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:22,530
perfectly dramatic, his voice
rising and falling, keeping us
181
00:15:22,540 --> 00:15:28,880
engaged the whole way through.
I note many things I'd forgotten
182
00:15:29,150 --> 00:15:32,290
or never learned about the place
to begin with.
183
00:15:33,450 --> 00:15:38,610
As we move from room to room,
conversation stirs between us.
184
00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:43,950
The couple from the city laughs
with interest when I mention I
185
00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:49,000
live just up the street.
You're on vacation in your own
186
00:15:49,010 --> 00:15:52,440
backyard?
I nod, smiling.
187
00:15:52,790 --> 00:15:57,500
I tell them I left my phone at
home and brought a paper map
188
00:15:57,770 --> 00:16:00,210
there, delighted by the whole
idea.
189
00:16:00,980 --> 00:16:05,090
The mother from Vermont says she
might do the same when she gets
190
00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:08,490
back.
I've lived in the same town for
191
00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:13,700
30 years, she says, and never
even been to our local museum.
192
00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:20,670
As we go our separate ways back
out in the sunshine, I am happy
193
00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:25,420
to have inspired someone else to
play tourist in their own home.
194
00:16:26,810 --> 00:16:31,700
The scent of salt drifts towards
me and I see it's nearly
195
00:16:31,710 --> 00:16:36,480
lunchtime.
Many restaurants are just ahead,
196
00:16:36,540 --> 00:16:41,310
so I follow the path past the
benches where artists sit with
197
00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:47,680
sketchbooks and watercolors.
In true tourist fashion, I buy a
198
00:16:47,690 --> 00:16:52,580
sketch of the museum I've just
been in and a painting of the
199
00:16:52,590 --> 00:16:57,460
waterfront which I'm about to
stroll the length of and stop
200
00:16:57,470 --> 00:17:03,110
along for something to eat.
The painting will be given as a
201
00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:08,410
gift to someone on some
occasion, and the sketch I will
202
00:17:08,420 --> 00:17:14,470
hang in my own house as a
reminder of my day away in this
203
00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:21,690
very place that I call home.
I wish you sweet dreams.
00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:06,810
Welcome to the slow life of
Village, filled with cozy
2
00:00:06,820 --> 00:00:12,840
stories for everyone.
I'll read this story 2 times to
3
00:00:12,850 --> 00:00:17,560
help you zone out or even fall
asleep during the second
4
00:00:17,570 --> 00:00:23,120
reading.
This story is called Playing
5
00:00:23,130 --> 00:00:28,060
Tourist in the Village and it's
about comfortable shoes.
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00:00:28,470 --> 00:00:33,040
Leaving my phone at home and
things I'd forgotten.
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00:00:36,390 --> 00:00:41,980
The morning light spills across
my kitchen, brushing everything
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00:00:41,990 --> 00:00:46,530
with gold.
I stand by the sink, looking out
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00:00:46,540 --> 00:00:50,210
the window, a cup of tea in my
hands.
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00:00:50,980 --> 00:00:56,030
I'm already dressed in my most
comfortable walking shoes and
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00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:59,830
lightweight linen pants that
catch the breeze.
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00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:04,760
When I walk, my camera rests on
the table.
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00:01:05,069 --> 00:01:10,040
My real camera, as they're now
called, not the one built into
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00:01:10,050 --> 00:01:14,320
my phone.
The phone stays behind today
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00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:20,230
purposely so I won't be tempted
to scroll or check messages or
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00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:24,570
post the photos I take while I'm
out today.
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00:01:24,580 --> 00:01:30,640
I'm a tourist in my own village.
I want to see what pops up with
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00:01:30,650 --> 00:01:35,450
new eyes.
I'm going fully into it too.
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00:01:35,800 --> 00:01:40,710
I fold an old paper map of the
village and tuck it into my
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00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,210
backpack.
It's mostly decorative.
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00:01:44,300 --> 00:01:49,430
I know the place like the layout
of my own home, but I want the
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00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:54,830
full experience really.
I'm going to compare the village
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00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,140
now to the map to see what's
changed.
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00:01:59,070 --> 00:02:02,680
As a tourist, it adds to the
charm of my day.
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00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:09,490
The wide brimmed straw hat goes
on last fastened gently under my
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00:02:09,500 --> 00:02:13,170
chin.
Still pretty chic, I winked to
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00:02:13,180 --> 00:02:18,690
myself in the hall mirror.
I step out into the warmth of
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00:02:18,700 --> 00:02:21,990
the morning.
The slight breeze is coming in
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00:02:22,000 --> 00:02:26,090
the right direction for me to
smell the fresh bread and
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00:02:26,100 --> 00:02:30,960
pastries from the bakeries and
cafes in the town square.
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00:02:32,340 --> 00:02:37,550
Bees hum beside me in the
gardens as I walk slowly towards
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00:02:37,560 --> 00:02:40,740
the calm action of the heart of
the village.
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00:02:41,820 --> 00:02:47,690
No errands today, just this.
Just me and the place I've known
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00:02:47,700 --> 00:02:52,430
for many years.
My first stop is the used
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00:02:52,440 --> 00:02:56,470
bookstore on a side street just
before the square.
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00:02:57,350 --> 00:03:02,640
I check my map which is 1 I have
from years ago, and this book
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00:03:02,650 --> 00:03:07,660
store is one of the landmarks
that I know would be on here as
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00:03:07,670 --> 00:03:12,110
it was established before I was
born there.
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00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:17,480
It is in tiny letters by my
finger, the crooked bookshelf.
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00:03:18,710 --> 00:03:23,080
I've left my current reeds at
home so I can browse like
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00:03:23,090 --> 00:03:26,870
someone discovering this place
for the first time.
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00:03:28,280 --> 00:03:33,190
I'll choose a book to have with
me throughout the day, resting
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00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:38,930
on benches, or to sit with after
a small lunch, still sipping on
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00:03:38,940 --> 00:03:45,230
a drink between pages.
This store is a decent size laid
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00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:49,460
out on three floors with an
elevator in the back.
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00:03:50,610 --> 00:03:54,680
I remember coming to their
fundraiser to be able to have it
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00:03:54,690 --> 00:04:00,500
installed when they cleverly
invited everyone to help raise
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00:04:00,510 --> 00:04:06,470
the fun for everyone.
I scanned the odor circle of the
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00:04:06,480 --> 00:04:12,130
first floor and a well loved
copy of a travel memoir catches
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00:04:12,140 --> 00:04:16,180
my eye.
I don't recognize the author,
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00:04:16,230 --> 00:04:21,240
but the cover shows them walking
on a narrow St. in a country
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00:04:21,250 --> 00:04:26,100
I've yet to visit and I decide
that's perfect for to day.
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00:04:27,490 --> 00:04:32,700
I purchase it with coins from my
bag and slip it in beside the
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00:04:32,710 --> 00:04:36,250
map.
Already I feel a little
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00:04:36,260 --> 00:04:40,180
transformed.
No longer the person who lives
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00:04:40,190 --> 00:04:44,490
just two streets over, but
someone passing through.
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00:04:45,890 --> 00:04:50,180
I turn left out of the shop,
knowing this will take me
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00:04:50,190 --> 00:04:55,200
further from the village centre
to a cluster of small streets
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00:04:55,270 --> 00:04:59,070
that have kept the original
cobblestones in place.
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00:05:00,170 --> 00:05:04,170
Walking into the area takes me
back in time.
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00:05:05,240 --> 00:05:10,790
A child bumps by on her bicycle,
humming a tune that wobbles her
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00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:15,570
voice with every bounce.
As we do when sliding down the
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00:05:15,580 --> 00:05:22,570
stairs on our bottoms, I wander
along cobbled paths, pausing to
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00:05:22,580 --> 00:05:27,370
take a picture of window sills
with flower pots and a stone
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00:05:27,380 --> 00:05:32,800
wall dripping with vines.
I make a point to take only
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00:05:32,810 --> 00:05:37,380
those photos that I will get
printed off to put in tiny
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00:05:37,390 --> 00:05:43,270
frames around the house.
In this historical area is one
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00:05:43,280 --> 00:05:47,900
of the oldest homes in the
village, turned into a museum.
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00:05:49,180 --> 00:05:53,590
If I kept wandering, I would
surely come across it, but I
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00:05:53,600 --> 00:05:57,220
pull out my trusty map in order
to find it.
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00:05:58,300 --> 00:06:01,860
I see that I'm close, just
around the corner.
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00:06:03,070 --> 00:06:08,060
It's a low stone cottage with a
crooked chimney and a garden of
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00:06:08,070 --> 00:06:11,760
herbs.
I wait by the door with a small
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00:06:11,770 --> 00:06:17,800
group of visitors, a couple from
Halifax, a mother and daughter
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00:06:17,810 --> 00:06:22,900
from Vermont, and two older
friends who let me practice my
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00:06:22,910 --> 00:06:27,390
French with them.
They have a paper map too.
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00:06:27,700 --> 00:06:32,350
Some have cameras hanging from
their necks and others use their
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00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:37,470
phones.
As such, the tour begins winding
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00:06:37,480 --> 00:06:42,450
through the narrow rooms filled
with old furniture, family
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00:06:42,460 --> 00:06:47,150
photographs and displays of
village life from long ago.
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00:06:48,550 --> 00:06:54,320
The guide is enthusiastic and
perfectly dramatic, his voice
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00:06:54,330 --> 00:06:59,650
rising and falling, keeping us
engaged the whole way through.
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00:07:00,950 --> 00:07:06,260
I note many things I'd forgotten
or never learned about the place
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00:07:06,270 --> 00:07:10,530
to begin with.
As we move from room to room,
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00:07:10,760 --> 00:07:16,650
conversation stirs between us.
The couple from the city laughs
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00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:20,600
with interest when I mention I
live just up the street.
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00:07:21,850 --> 00:07:24,820
You're on vacation in your own
backyard?
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00:07:25,580 --> 00:07:29,810
I nod, smiling.
I tell them I left my phone at
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00:07:29,820 --> 00:07:34,430
home and brought a paper map.
They're delighted by the whole
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00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:38,130
idea.
The mother from Vermont says she
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00:07:38,140 --> 00:07:40,350
might do the same when she gets
back.
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00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:45,990
I've lived in the same town for
30 years, she says, and never
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00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:52,630
even been to our local museum.
As we go our separate ways back
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00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:58,050
out in the sunshine, I am happy
to have inspired someone else to
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00:07:58,060 --> 00:08:04,220
play tourist in their own home.
The scent of salt drifts towards
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00:08:04,230 --> 00:08:07,470
me and I see it's nearly
lunchtime.
97
00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:13,750
Many restaurants are just ahead,
so I follow the path past the
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00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:18,430
benches where artists sit with
sketchbooks and watercolors.
99
00:08:19,430 --> 00:08:24,960
In true tourist fashion, I buy a
sketch of the museum I've just
100
00:08:24,970 --> 00:08:29,660
been in and a painting of the
waterfront which I'm about to
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00:08:29,670 --> 00:08:34,309
stroll the length of and stop
along for something to eat.
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00:08:35,720 --> 00:08:40,490
The painting will be given as a
gift to someone on some
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00:08:40,500 --> 00:08:45,870
occasion, and the sketch I will
hang in my own house as a
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00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:51,840
reminder of my day away in this
very place that I call home.
105
00:08:55,800 --> 00:09:04,240
Playing tourist in the village.
The morning light spills across
106
00:09:04,250 --> 00:09:08,070
my kitchen, brushing everything
with gold.
107
00:09:09,100 --> 00:09:14,670
I stand by the sink, looking out
the window, a cup of tea in my
108
00:09:14,680 --> 00:09:18,380
hands.
I'm already dressed in my most
109
00:09:18,390 --> 00:09:23,860
comfortable walking shoes and
lightweight linen pants that
110
00:09:23,870 --> 00:09:28,980
catch the breeze.
When I walk, my camera rests on
111
00:09:28,990 --> 00:09:32,460
the table.
My real camera, as they're now
112
00:09:32,470 --> 00:09:35,980
called, not the one built into
my phone.
113
00:09:36,930 --> 00:09:42,460
The phone stays behind today
purposely so I won't be tempted
114
00:09:42,470 --> 00:09:47,580
to scroll or check messages or
post the photos I take while I'm
115
00:09:47,590 --> 00:09:52,190
out today.
I'm a tourist in my own village.
116
00:09:53,100 --> 00:09:56,730
I want to see what pops up with
new eyes.
117
00:09:57,890 --> 00:10:03,580
I'm going fully into it too.
I fold an old paper map of the
118
00:10:03,590 --> 00:10:06,940
village and tuck it into my
backpack.
119
00:10:07,390 --> 00:10:11,860
It's mostly decorative.
I know the place like the layout
120
00:10:11,870 --> 00:10:17,910
of my own home, but I want the
full experience really.
121
00:10:17,920 --> 00:10:22,570
I'm going to compare the village
now to the map to see what's
122
00:10:22,580 --> 00:10:26,360
changed.
As a tourist, it adds to the
123
00:10:26,370 --> 00:10:31,450
charm of my day.
The wide brimmed straw hat goes
124
00:10:31,460 --> 00:10:35,250
on last fastened gently under my
chin.
125
00:10:35,820 --> 00:10:40,220
Still pretty chic, I winked to
myself in the hall mirror.
126
00:10:41,630 --> 00:10:44,680
I step out into the warmth of
the morning.
127
00:10:45,130 --> 00:10:49,300
The slight breeze is coming in
the right direction for me to
128
00:10:49,310 --> 00:10:53,720
smell the fresh bread and
pastries from the bakeries and
129
00:10:53,730 --> 00:10:59,750
cafes in the town square.
Bees hum beside me in the
130
00:10:59,760 --> 00:11:05,190
gardens as I walk slowly towards
the calm action of the heart of
131
00:11:05,200 --> 00:11:10,110
the village.
No errands today, just this.
132
00:11:10,440 --> 00:11:14,150
Just me and the place I've known
for many years.
133
00:11:15,220 --> 00:11:20,370
My first stop is the used
bookstore on a side street just
134
00:11:20,380 --> 00:11:25,280
before the square.
I check my map which is 1 I have
135
00:11:25,290 --> 00:11:30,200
from years ago, and this book
store is one of the landmarks
136
00:11:30,210 --> 00:11:35,120
that I know would be on here as
it was established before I was
137
00:11:35,130 --> 00:11:39,950
born there.
It is in tiny letters by my
138
00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:45,960
finger, the crooked bookshelf.
I've left my current reeds at
139
00:11:45,970 --> 00:11:50,640
home so I can browse like
someone discovering this place
140
00:11:50,650 --> 00:11:55,490
for the first time.
I'll choose a book to have with
141
00:11:55,500 --> 00:12:01,150
me throughout the day, resting
on benches, or to sit with after
142
00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:05,940
a small lunch, still sipping on
a drink between pages.
143
00:12:07,350 --> 00:12:12,980
This store is a decent size laid
out on three floors with an
144
00:12:12,990 --> 00:12:17,460
elevator in the back.
I remember coming to their
145
00:12:17,470 --> 00:12:22,540
fundraiser to be able to have it
installed when they cleverly
146
00:12:22,550 --> 00:12:27,650
invited everyone to help raise
the fun for everyone.
147
00:12:29,260 --> 00:12:34,310
I scanned the odor circle of the
first floor and a well loved
148
00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,900
copy of a travel memoir catches
my eye.
149
00:12:38,970 --> 00:12:43,660
I don't recognize the author,
but the cover shows them walking
150
00:12:43,670 --> 00:12:49,340
on a narrow St. in a country
I've yet to visit and I decide
151
00:12:49,350 --> 00:12:55,180
that's perfect for to day.
I purchase it with coins from my
152
00:12:55,190 --> 00:12:58,390
bag and slip it in beside the
map.
153
00:12:59,470 --> 00:13:02,620
Already I feel a little
transformed.
154
00:13:02,970 --> 00:13:08,160
No longer the person who lives
just two streets over, but some
155
00:13:08,170 --> 00:13:13,560
1 passing through.
I turn left out of the shop,
156
00:13:13,670 --> 00:13:17,740
knowing this will take me
further from the village centre
157
00:13:17,930 --> 00:13:22,140
to a cluster of small streets
that have kept the original
158
00:13:22,150 --> 00:13:27,930
cobblestones in place.
Walking into the area takes me
159
00:13:27,940 --> 00:13:33,630
back in time.
A child bumps by on her bicycle,
160
00:13:33,820 --> 00:13:37,910
humming a tune that wobbles her
voice with every bounce.
161
00:13:38,380 --> 00:13:44,690
As we do when sliding down the
stairs on our bottoms, I wander
162
00:13:44,700 --> 00:13:49,970
along cobbled paths, pausing to
take a picture of window sills
163
00:13:49,980 --> 00:13:54,570
with flower pots and a stone
wall dripping with vines.
164
00:13:55,700 --> 00:14:00,290
I make a point to take only
those photos that I will get
165
00:14:00,300 --> 00:14:04,270
printed off to put in tiny
frames around the house.
166
00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:10,250
In this historical area is one
of the oldest homes in the
167
00:14:10,260 --> 00:14:16,270
village, turned into a museum.
If I kept wandering, I would
168
00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:21,490
surely come across it, but I
pull out my trusty map in order
169
00:14:21,500 --> 00:14:25,850
to find it.
I see that I'm close, just
170
00:14:25,860 --> 00:14:30,660
around the corner.
It's a low stone cottage with a
171
00:14:30,670 --> 00:14:33,850
crooked chimney and a garden of
herbs.
172
00:14:34,710 --> 00:14:40,030
I wait by the door with a small
group of visitors, a couple from
173
00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:45,650
Halifax, a mother and daughter
from Vermont, and two older
174
00:14:45,660 --> 00:14:49,240
friends who let me practice my
French with them.
175
00:14:50,380 --> 00:14:55,190
They have a paper map too.
Some have cameras hanging from
176
00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,170
their necks and others use their
phones.
177
00:14:58,180 --> 00:15:05,220
As such, the tour begins winding
through the narrow rooms filled
178
00:15:05,230 --> 00:15:10,020
with old furniture, family
photographs and displays of
179
00:15:10,030 --> 00:15:16,430
village life from long ago.
The guide is enthusiastic and
180
00:15:16,440 --> 00:15:22,530
perfectly dramatic, his voice
rising and falling, keeping us
181
00:15:22,540 --> 00:15:28,880
engaged the whole way through.
I note many things I'd forgotten
182
00:15:29,150 --> 00:15:32,290
or never learned about the place
to begin with.
183
00:15:33,450 --> 00:15:38,610
As we move from room to room,
conversation stirs between us.
184
00:15:39,240 --> 00:15:43,950
The couple from the city laughs
with interest when I mention I
185
00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:49,000
live just up the street.
You're on vacation in your own
186
00:15:49,010 --> 00:15:52,440
backyard?
I nod, smiling.
187
00:15:52,790 --> 00:15:57,500
I tell them I left my phone at
home and brought a paper map
188
00:15:57,770 --> 00:16:00,210
there, delighted by the whole
idea.
189
00:16:00,980 --> 00:16:05,090
The mother from Vermont says she
might do the same when she gets
190
00:16:05,100 --> 00:16:08,490
back.
I've lived in the same town for
191
00:16:08,500 --> 00:16:13,700
30 years, she says, and never
even been to our local museum.
192
00:16:15,160 --> 00:16:20,670
As we go our separate ways back
out in the sunshine, I am happy
193
00:16:20,680 --> 00:16:25,420
to have inspired someone else to
play tourist in their own home.
194
00:16:26,810 --> 00:16:31,700
The scent of salt drifts towards
me and I see it's nearly
195
00:16:31,710 --> 00:16:36,480
lunchtime.
Many restaurants are just ahead,
196
00:16:36,540 --> 00:16:41,310
so I follow the path past the
benches where artists sit with
197
00:16:41,320 --> 00:16:47,680
sketchbooks and watercolors.
In true tourist fashion, I buy a
198
00:16:47,690 --> 00:16:52,580
sketch of the museum I've just
been in and a painting of the
199
00:16:52,590 --> 00:16:57,460
waterfront which I'm about to
stroll the length of and stop
200
00:16:57,470 --> 00:17:03,110
along for something to eat.
The painting will be given as a
201
00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:08,410
gift to someone on some
occasion, and the sketch I will
202
00:17:08,420 --> 00:17:14,470
hang in my own house as a
reminder of my day away in this
203
00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:21,690
very place that I call home.
I wish you sweet dreams.
