Bibliotel

Yesterday I had some time and browsed through some old books that I hadn’t looked at in years. I opened one of the books and out came a bookmark that instantly caught my attention.  On the top of the bookmark there is a symbol that is reminiscent of an opened book and next to the symbol it says Bibliotels – lesend reisen – reisend lessen (travelling while reading – reading while travelling).  There are actually hotels out there that cater to the avid reader. And I thought, we were the only place on this earth that offered tons of book to be enjoyed by our guests. Since this bookmark definitely  predates e-readers and the whole online internet craze, I used my modern technology and googled ‘bibliotels’ (a nice example for a portmanteau word btw) and  wahoooo, there are still many, many bibliotels in existence. To be found all over the world and one of them is right here in Oklahoma (The Stone Turtle)!!!!!  It makes me so happy to know that there are still people out there who enjoy a good book. Nothing can come close to the feeling of being totally enchanted by a good read, holding a real book in your hand while comfortably curled up on the sofa. It’s even better when it is rainy and dreary outside, or, as in Oklahoma, too windy.

So that is how I remembered many, many years ago – before the modern technological age had started, when a book was published called ‘The Never-ending story’ by Michael Ende. It was on my booklist to buy as soon as I had the time to get to a bookstore. This was in the 1980s. It was the age before instant gratification became the norm and I still remember how sweet the anticipation was to wait for something that one really desired. So, one evening, I came home from work and walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. I was looking for stuff to make dinner and my eyes saw something totally foreign in a refrigerator:  ‘The Never-ending Story.’ Oh my, I was soooo happy  to see that book. But since my husband had been so sweet to go out and buy this book for me and create such a sweet surprise for me, I thought that he deserved some kind of dinner. Cooking dinner seemed to take forever.  We ate and cleaned up the kitchen and NOW, I could finally start with my new book. Oh what a joy! It was a rainy and dreary day outside, we didn’t have a fireplace so there was no fire crackling, but, nevertheless,  it felt so unbelievably good to curl up on the sofa with a nice warm blanket and a fluffy pillow and that much-anticipated book and begin to read. I read until the wee hours of the next morning when I finally decided it was time to get some sleep; after all, I had to go to work in just a few hours.

Often I wonder, if people still get to experience this simple pleasure in the day and age of instant gratification. When you miss out on the ‘Vorfreude’ (the pleasant anticipation while waiting for something you desired so much), miss out on the curling up on a sofa, miss out on having a real book in your hand where you can actually turn the pages, mark the pages, highlight areas, add notes. And strangely enough missing out on all the pleasant memories reading can give you. I never thought that something as mundane as reading a book can leave you with those warm pleasant memories that last a lifetime.

So, if you have the need to create memories that involve books and coffee, feeling warm and fuzzy, book a weekend in a bibliotel and enjoy every second of it. And remember – there is a bibliotel right here in Oklahoma – just call us for a reservation.

Happy Reading, my friends!

Ingrid