Drinking
Non-Alcoholic Pub Drinks
Let’s start with an apology. The title of this article alone will be enough to provoke a sudden and dangerous rise in blood pressure amongst many readers, and for that I am extremely sorry, but [more…]
Hobbies
20th Century
European Journey 1953, Part Eight – Sezanne
This small French town of Sezanne is one of those places — like Crewe — that you are always passing through but somehow never get to know. Three routes nationales converge on it like the [more…]
Animals
Larry’s Diary, Week Two Hundred and Fifty-Three
Monday Good morning from a not very happy cat. I trotted down to the bottom of the garden and it was horribly cold and wet, and I returned a soggy cold moggy. I must admit [more…]
21st Century
Postcard From Birmingham, Part Seven
Shall we climb the Minecraft Library of Birmingham as far as Mrs AWS’s iffy-with-heights wobbly legs will take her? Find a balcony and enjoy the vista? Yes, we will, and we’ll take a few photos [more…]
20th Century
A Ukrainian Enigma
I have an original photograph bought as part of a “bundle” from a militaria seller whose business model is to put together sets of documents, photographs and ephemera that appear to be vaguely related so [more…]
20th Century
European Journey 1953, Part Seven – Trogen
The village lies in a sheltered fold of the mountains, 3,000 feet above sea level. On a fine day you can see clear across to Lake Constance, a bit of burnished silver under the strong [more…]
Hobbies
The Wolds, Part One
It takes a week to cycle from Penzance to Berwick. It took me 40 years. Because on the way, I wanted to include every town in England, in what amounted to some two years of [more…]
Animals
Larry’s Diary, Week Two Hundred and Fifty-Two
Monday Good morning everyone and it’s back to work this nasty wet Monday morning. The forecast for London today is wet all day, even with some thunderstorms. I wonder if I could move down to [more…]
20th Century
A Distant Monument to Unrequited Love
If breaking a journey between Nairobi and Kampala, gentlemen and lady travellers might like to give the city of Nakuru a chance. If it becomes tiresome you can always take a tuk-tuk for a day [more…]