Arts
(A Little) Off the Beaten Track in Rome and some Rugby Thing
Mr A and I had been to Rome to watch the 6 nations match, England versus Italy, 2 years before and enjoyed it so much we wanted to go again. Last time we visited all [more…]
Rome
Animals
Larry’s Diary, Week Two Hundred And Eighty-One
Monday Good morning, happy readers, from a sunny but chilly early morning London, where I am happy to see Liebore has learnt nothing from last week’s election, and its representatives on the Sunday morning political [more…]
Animals
Larry’s diary, Week Two Hundred And Seventy Nine
Monday Good morning on this Bank Holiday Monday. It is nice and quiet here in Number Ten with only a small crew on. The girl who was on feeding duty this morning was not very [more…]
Christianity
An Appreciation Of The Papacy of Francis I
Might every age get the Pope it deserves? If so, then what of the Age of Francis I? Jorge Mario Bergoglio, once Archbishop of Buenos Aires and the latest Bishop of Rome, died on Easter [more…]
21st Century
Always Worth Saying’s Easter Railway Review
Last week’s trip to Albania being too mainstream, this edition of Railway Review (how I yearn for the return of Question Time!) was going to be of an obscure South American mineral line. Observing the [more…]
History
Rise (& Fall) of Empire
As any fule kno, the word “imperialism” comes from the Latin word imperium. It refers to a nation or a state implanting its rule on other states, treating them as subordinates and in an inferior [more…]
21st Century
Detour To The Eternal City
We interrupt my grandparents’ 1950s Continental road trip to bring Puffins a contemporary photo montage just arrived via that modern-day family photo album that is Instant Messenger. Inspired by childhood dinner table tall tales of [more…]
Arts
Always Worth Saying’s Papal Funeral Review
It’s not often a reviewer has an opportunity to cast a critical eye across a papal funeral, although in the bizarre times in which we live having two Popes on the go at once is [more…]
20th Century
Postcard From Latina
If one, parent’s night, your daughter’s Italian teacher tells you Latina is the ugliest city in Italy and adds in a whisper, “And then there’s Mousillini”, don’t agree with her until you’ve visited. Situated on [more…]