Arts
Postcard From November, Part Six
Happy Birthday to Me My birthday is November 4th and as a child my main memory of it was always of my parents laying on a party for my friends who all turned up bearing [more…]
Postcard
Arts
Postcard from Liverpool
Mrs B and I are currently on a QM2 cruise to Liverpool and back to Southampton which occurred because of the cancellation of a transatlantic sailing after a fault was found in the funnel, of [more…]
History
Postcard From Manipur
In seach of a hidden gem “Lucky bugger,” muttered Swiss Bob as he sat beside the log fire at the staff end of the Explorer’s Room in the exclusive Going Post Gentleman’s (Ladies welcome) Club [more…]
Culture
Postcard From Marrakech
Introduction For my 50th birthday, as I didn’t have my children all available, I decided to experience Marrakech. A lot of people recommended it, so decided it was a good time of year to visit [more…]
Arts
A Postcard From The Third World
(I) It is 5-30am and children come out of the gloom like ghosts in silent procession. They are laid heavy with satchels, wear blouses and shirts which are so white that they hurt your eyes [more…]
Authoritarianism
Year of the Rabbit
When I first arrived in Hong Kong, many years ago, I bought a microwave grill for the new flat from Park and Shop, a big supermarket chain. Could it be delivered? “Yes, when do you [more…]
America
Postcard from Texas
Introductory sweeping generalisations Well, yeehah y’all! Just a few words to bring you an update on the second biggest state in the USA. They say there are three seasons in Texas: July, August and summer. [more…]
Arts
Postcard from Aberystwyth
In September it was our 29th wedding anniversary and we decided it would be good to celebrate by spending a couple of nights away somewhere. As is usual, it was my job to organise these [more…]
Arts
Pumpkin time
By now, you will doubtless have figured out that I have a very keen interest in glass, so while we were visiting the lovely Northeast of England for a few days recently, we took the [more…]