A big shout-out to Lesvos Shoe and Bag Repairs at the main Wellington railway station. I have walked past there for years and never had a need to go inside. But I had a tricky repair of my wind jacket so I thought I would give them a try. They fixed it OK but their shop/workshop was a joy to behold. They must have been in the same location for decades and it shows. Old-fashioned sounds a bit patronising but the shop/workshop was how shops used to be: quirky, crowded, idiosyncratic but everything in its own place and a system that just works. Most of the four of five workers there looked like they have been there as long as the shop itself. It was like a step back in time and felt very refreshing to be honest.
(I checked the companies register and there was Lesvos Shoe and Bag Repairs registered in 1965 but is no longer. Time sounds about right though!)
I outed my usually inner grumpy old man this morning and told off a schoolboy on the train for having his bag on the seat beside him. As usual these days the trains are very crowded and people were standing. I felt a bit bad for him afterwards, but I can't abide those that 'seat hog' this way.
My daughter said to me as we shared a train ride into work this morning, "Today's the first day I feel proud for what Hungary has done."