Have I told you already of my first, and so far only, experience with The Body Shop? If not, then now is the time. It's a really funny story actually and it took place when I was only 12 years old (i.e.: almost 13 years ago).

On a chilly autumn Monday, Mum and I traveled to Vienna and spent a really fun and happy day there, discovering stores, visiting museums and castles, and walking the streets of this wonderful city. By the end of the day we had gotten bored with all the museums and castles, so we headed to Maria-Hifer Stasse which is practically the Oxford Street of Vienna: it's full of classy stores, which in turn, are full of the kind of products that just make a beauty-addict's mouth water.

Just before we had to turn our back to the street and head back to the bus station we stumbled upon this really colorful and fragrant store in which I could see hundreds of tubes, pots and bottles, waiting to be examined one by one. (I knew I couldn't do anything else but gaze as we didn't have money to spend anymore.) So I persuaded my Mum to enter this one last store and let me take a look at all the beauties a bit. Naturally, I felt as if I had died and gone to Heaven: all those colors, the various scents and bottles, the pots, the tubes...

And the bath pearls. They were sitting in glass bubbles, waiting to be scooped out with a small spoon-like thingy and they came in practically every scent the shop could offer. And they were cheap. Mum finally took pity on me and allowed me to pick four bath pearls. I chose Orange, Apricot, Strawberry and Blueberry. All through the way home I kept sniffing at them and pampering them as if they were babies, but already I was particularly drawn to one of them: the blueberry-scented one. Later, I gave two of them to my best friend, Erika: she chose the Orange and the Strawberry, which left me with the Apricot and the Blueberry. Taking a bath in a tub of water scented with the Apricot bath pearl was nice but forgettable. Now, on the other hand, when I finally decided to use up the Blueberry pearl... It was pure bliss.

The funny thing is that for years I tried to figure out which store we were on that Monday or what brand we bought those bath pearls from, and only a few years ago did it finally dawn upon me that it was a Body Shop store. Of course, once I figured it out I immediately started to form plans of how I'm going to go back to Vienna and raid that store once again. :-)

Perhaps I can forget about those plans now. You see, a few days ago a member of the Hungarian women's forum I often visit posted a letter she received back in 2007 from The Body Shop upon enquiry about when they will finally come to Hungary. Below you can find the contents of the letter.

Dear Ms.....

Many thanks for your enquiry. We are delighted to advise that The Body Shop will be entering the Hungarian market within the next year and we have already selected a franchise partner to assist us with that move. We hope that you will continue as a valued customer of The Body Shop other markets where we are already established until the Hungarian market opens. Looking forward to your custom.

With kind regards,

emea.info@thebodyshop.com

Blueberry Scratch is mine.
He decided to pop into my head,
he let himself be drawn by me only,
and he will rip to pieces anybody else
who tries to get a hold of him.
You've been warned.
:-)