When I was growing up, my family watched the Eurovision Song Contest every year. It was essential viewing. I briefly stopped watching the Contest whilst at university but resumed after I left. It’s become a much more professional affair nowadays but I enjoyed the days when countries sang in their own languages and dressed in … Continue reading / view photos ABBA Voyage
Category: Culture
Norse mythology
In his introduction to Norse Mythology, Neil Gaiman says that many Norse myths have been lost. By the time these stories were transmitted in folktales, retellings, poems and prose, Christianity had already displaced the worship of the Norse gods. Prior to reading Neil Gaiman’s version of the Norse myths, my only knowledge came from reading … Continue reading Norse mythology
Marvellous Multiverse
The other day, I went to see Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with a friend. She’s one of the few people I know who enjoys watching Marvel films as much as I do. This may be because she works as a visual effects artist who creates the “special effects” (as they were once … Continue reading Marvellous Multiverse
Worchester and Japan
An impromptu daytrip took me to the city of Worcester, fifty minutes from Birmingham. On exiting the train station, I walked to the town centre then onto the riverside. I saw the cathedral in the distance — a striking sight — and walked along the River Severn to find it. The cathedral is free to … Continue reading / view photos Worchester and Japan
Goodnight New York
My final walk in New York City was in the evening, which is safe to do. I went to the free concert at The Lincoln Center. It was a lovely summer evening and people were dancing. I also walked along the Hudson River and, earlier in the day, visited the National Museum of the Native … Continue reading / view photos Goodnight New York
The streets of New York City
My favourite cities are those that you can walk around if you want to and have good public transport if you don’t. New York City falls into that category. I spent quite a bit of time walking around NYC sometimes going from the top of Central Park to Brooklyn. It’s the best way to see … Continue reading / view photos The streets of New York City
The Bronx
The Bronx was out-of-limits during my first trip to New York. The staff at the YMCA told me not to go there. It was too dangerous. This time it was a different story. In India, I met various people in our homestay in Varanasi. One of them was Paul, an artist from New York. When … Continue reading / view photos The Bronx
Brooklyn
Last week, I was looking at photos from my last trip abroad, which was to the USA almost three years ago. I noticed that I hadn’t written about my last week in New York (NY). It’s difficult to believe it was such a long time ago. I was again reminded of the photos when I … Continue reading / view photos Brooklyn
Leaving Shuna
After one of our walks in Shuna, Cath found what looked like a tick on her arm. Ticks can be harmless but also dangerous, causing Lyme Disease. This prompted all of us to inspect ourselves. When Cath looked at the back of my arm, she saw a tick. It was embedded in my skin — … Continue reading / view photos Leaving Shuna
Ironbridge
An impromptu diversion took us to Ironbridge in Shropshire, possibly the heart of the Industrial Revolution. En route, I found a walk in the area that passed many of the places that were key to the industrial era. The walk itself quickly rose into Lloyd’s Coppice then continued to Coalport. We crossed the River Severn … Continue reading / view photos Ironbridge