Arts
Manouche – Part Two
After leaving the Manouche, I stayed in London for about a year, putting some money together, and surprised myself by getting married to a Colombian lady. While in London, Beudjeu and I still wrote to [more…]
Holiday
Arts
Manouche – Part One
Ernesto sang a beautiful haunting rhumba from his native Brazil, and then Chocote took the guitar to accompany Memé’s singing. Chocote’s big labourer’s fingers were transformed as they danced nimbly around the chords, his other [more…]
Holiday
WG’s Summer Cruise, June 2026 – Part Five
Thursday 25th June – At sea Do you ever get the feeling you have done something wrong and you actually haven’t? Well, the information to put the clocks forward to European time went out yesterday, [more…]
Holiday
WG’s Summer Cruise, June 2026 – Part Four
Saturday 20th June – At sea, heading for Gibraltar Today is my birthday and I am sure you all know the saying, “You are only as old as you feel.” Well, today I feel old [more…]
Holiday
WG’s Summer Cruise, June 2026 – Part Three
Sunday 14th June – At sea, off southern Portugal and into the Mediterranean When your intrepid diarist woke, it was still dark, but a tap on my iPad screen revealed it was 06:45. Then I [more…]
Holiday
WG’s Summer Cruise, June 2026 – Part Two
Wednesday 10th June – Home to Southampton and to sea Very little to do this morning before leaving home. I did have to lug my suitcase downstairs from a spare bedroom where I had been [more…]
Holiday
WG’s Summer Cruise, June 2026 – Part One
The Prologue I booked this cruise while onboard P&O Arvia in the Caribbean the Christmas before last (2024). P&O are a bit artful, they leave a copy of the latest cruise brochure in your stateroom, [more…]
Arts
A Laotian Farewell (past memories part II):
It was early March in 1975 when the editor wandered into the newsroom of the New Zealand Herald and asked for volunteers to go to Vietnam. Specifically, Saigon. The older men kept their eyes down, [more…]
Arts
Bash 2026 Report
I am a little weary despite a good Sunday lunch followed by a decent night’s sleep, other than that pretty good, unlike some lightweights. A few days light exercise, some sunshine, beers and good company [more…]