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…]
Postcard
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…]
Arts
Blaise Hamlet
Blaise Hamlet is a collection of 9 grade I listed cottages situated to the North West of Bristol, near the village of Henbury. The cottages are all owned by the National Trust (admission to the [more…]
21st Century
A Postcard from the IFG Part One
International Festival of Glass, Stourbridge, August 2022 Earlier this year, around May-June if I remember correctly since it was right in the midst of the chaos of our moving home, it was with some excitement [more…]
Arts
The Marisco Tavern
One or two Puffins may well be of a vintage where the adage “you’ll never forget where you were when it was announced that JF Kennedy was shot” rings true. SWMBO and I are fortunate [more…]
Literature
Postcard from Cork
Warning: do not expect to find anything in this postcard about Irish craic, trad’ music, green pastures, comely colleens, or comparisons between Murphy, Beamish and Guinness stouts. There won’t be much either about “the 850 [more…]
History
Jersey – a Postcard
No, it’s not about trains, in fact there are no railways on Jersey, the horror! Being a pureblood, many holiday destinations (USA, Spain, Cruises) are out of the question at the moment. Not that big [more…]