So I went to the streets supposed to be full of furniture, and not a sausage. Either nobody in these streets throws anything away, or there's more to these days than I currently understand. Oh well. What I did find was a woolworths, a French supermarket and a shop called 'Pfaff'.

One thing I can't find is a desk lamp. I need some kind of light to have on the mezzanine bit of my flat so I can read in bed. All the shops here are full of plenty of equipment for burning your house down, i.e. unstable looking candlesticks, high-octane candles and storm lamps, but the idea of harnessing the power of electricity to create light seems an unpopular one. The nearest thing I've found is a 10-watt table lamp in the shape of a cartoon aeroplane, price € 10. I think it would be too dark to read by though..

So some people have commented that I look very miserable in this picture of me in my new flat. I was pretty knackered at the time, but also I always have a concerned expression when I try and use the timer on my camera, because it never looks like it's going to work (compare with this photo, also taken with the timer). Anyway, your concern is very touching

Right, tonight I have to find the Wäscherei, after a couple of drinks here, and then tomorrow I might be playing a bit of footy, while England throw away their chances of going to Portugal next year..