Had the most bizarre experience today.

It was raining, so I decided to see some of the bad weather out by heading into one of the local stores. Wandering around in there is always quite relaxing, there's lots of pretty things to see.

This afternoon I stumbled across a beautifully painted leather box, apparently made in Japan. It captivated my interest, and I examined it in the quiet, darkened shop, running my hands over the butter-smooth leather.

I opened the lid of the box, which housed a mirror and was lined with a tea-coloured paper covered with Japanese script. Then I opened the first drawer beneath that, which was lined with black velvet. And then the second.

It contained a delicate silver key with a swastika at the top of it, silently gleaming against the black velvet lining.

Although I know the swastika-style symbol is part of Buddhist culture, it still was a little odd, perhaps because I'm half-German. Seeing such a thing that reminds you of horrors, death and evil in a beautiful container like that leather box is startling, to say the least.

I had to shut the box and the thoughts as I wandered out of the shop in which the lady who works there calls me "Elizabeth."