Afternoon on the Town

Portsmouth City Center
Originally uploaded by princess_buttercup.

This afternoon around 2, I left Boyfriend at the hotel and took a walk around Portsmouth's downtown. It's a great town and very walkable, with a bustling city center that looks very European -- beautiful red brick buildings, restaurants with lots of seating outside and on the sidewalk, etc.

Had lunch at Portsmouth Brewery Company (salad, gumbo, a light beer), and went to a little bookstore in town and picked up Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. I had wanted to read this book for a long time.

Went to a Starbucks in downtown, ordered a latte with whipped cream, and sat outside and began reading this book.

Sadly, one of the first things the book disputed was my big theory a few years ago that the reason Europe and China are more advanced technologically is because they have colder climates, and in the face of harsh winters people were forced to be more creative, to invent more things, etc. Apparently, this theory is absurd. Ah well. I will see what better theory Diamond can come up with.

Boyfriend joined me at 4, and together we drove to the outlets in Kittery, and I finally got my favorite, favorite, favorite carry-on bag ever, as well as a few other pieces of "essential" luggages.

Reader, I know that I have been mentioning this particular subject of luggage waaaay too much in this blog, and now that I finally have it, I promise that I will stop.