The Ailing Tradition of Christmas Cards- Blessing or Loss
It’s not really news that the art of sending Christmas cards is an ailing one. I still like to send Christmas cards, indeed to me it is part of...
Wishing you a Happy Early Christmas!
It’s mid-November. The roads and streets are eerily quiet. The shops and mega stores closed, no shoppers, no tourists. The feeling is bleak, no sense of festivity, no excitement...
Mumbai Memoir ~ All for a pot of curd!
The 21st century Mumbai buzzes with all the activities that a modern world city possesses. But besides it modern appeal, its ancient roots still reflects when the city celebrates...
Harry’s Ramblings Love Me Tender
by Harry Pope My wife thinks I can’t sing. She is right, but just sometimes I can hold a note sufficiently long to be able to entertain others as...
“Celestyal Cruises” offers a free travel insurance including COVID-19 cover – World Meanderings (n°101)
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny Celestyal Cruises the world-renowned Greek cruises company proposes a free additional insurance including the COVID-19 cover for every booking made...
Karl’s Chronicles Article 51 The Wicked Burning
‘Remember, Remember, the fifth of November, Gunpowder, Treason and Plot!’ Well, there is still plot in the nights terrifying logistics, plenty of gunpowder rammed into those exploding rockets, and...
Taxi Noir: Behind the Silk Curtain
It’s fair to say that food plays a central role in my life. My working day is planned around meal times, and when I’m not working, I’m either eating...
Welsh Witterings: Simple Cake Memories
As a mother of five I have many books on cooking with children, which I leaf through and sigh, ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful to whip up a three tiered,...
“La Grande Odyssée”, the most spectacular dog sled race in Europe – Meanderings through France n° 221
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny Once again from 9 to 20 January 2021 international mushers and their dogs will be ready to conquer one...
Rachel´s Wandering´s in Spain – Still Masked, Breathless and a Grandma
Compulsory mask wearing still has not got me beaten. Every opportunity, opening the office door or car door, and it is whipped off! I’m not as quick to...
It’s All Happening at Hatton and Gaydon
Whilst things are changing on a daily basis due to Covid-19, three Covid – safe events are planned for the coming weekends around Warwick. Ann Evans has...
Mumbai Memoir 135- Virtual Travels from Mumbai city!
Travelling is a great way to free the mind. It’s a way of transporting one’s self into a totally different environment and refreshing one’s soul in the process. But...
Mumbai Memoir 134 – Truly an Eco-Friendly Ganesh Festival in Mumbai!
Ganesh festival is a big 10 -day festive event in Mumbai. But this year due to the pandemic, the festival celebration was as invisible as the new coronavirus! Festivals...
MALTA DIARY: You can take the Maltese out of fireworks – but you can’t take fireworks out of the Maltese!
Gloom and low morale offset by colour and spectacle ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: August was planned as a bonanza month when in...
Welsh Witterings: Great British Food Award Finalist
This year all the food awards have been a little strange as a result of the Covid19. The dates for entries to be sent for judging have been all...
Mumbai Memoir -133- Glitter in the midst of Mumbai’s ‘darkness’!
This year’s 15th August marked the 74th Independence Day of India. Due to the COVID-19 ambiance most of Mumbaikar’s are experiencing a surreal gloom about the festivals that are...
Malta Diary A pictorial panorama of the Maltese Islands over the last 200 years
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My four grandparents died 50, 40 and 30 years ago. I often muse that if they were resurrected today and...
Taxi Noir: Drinking for Britain
What a mad few months it’s been. A lot has happened, and a lot of things have been turned on their heads. For instance, kids could go to Primark...
Malta Diary The feast of Illuminations ‘L-Imnarja’ – but this time in a lesser light …
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: The 29th of June, date of the feast commemorating Saints Peter and Paul, has been a major event in...
Glenfiddich comes to the aid of the Speyside community – World Meanderings (n°88)
By Annick Dournes Frédéric de Poligny Due to the Covid-19 epidemic the 2020 edition of the Spirit of Speyside Festival had to be cancelled. To support the local...
Audi endured racing success for more than two decades
IAIN ROBERTSON The pandemic has upset the plans of many companies and events, not the least in the field of motorsport, which Iain Robertson suggests has been decimated by...
NGS Reopen Their Open Gardens!
Ann Evans brings great news for garden lovers! The great news for everyone who loves gardens and gardening, is that the National Garden Scheme’s open gardens are...
Time to awake your senses with “Greek Summer” 2020 – World Meanderings (n°87)
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny Greece is ready to welcome tourists again and intends to let it be known. Last week at the Aegli, an...
Giant Snake Invades Sussex Town!
Secret Stones are very popular. People paint a small stone and hide it within view where someone is almost definitely going to find it. Then they take it and...
Go wild – it’s good for you!
Will you be taking part in 30 Days Wild with The Wildlife Trust in June? Ann Evans points out just how good it is for us. ...
PDSA Pay Tribute to our Animal Heroes
Photos courtesy of the PDSA As we celebrated the 75th anniversary of VE Day last Thursday, it’s good to remember the many animal heroes also on the front line....
Malta Diary Longing to return to as we were – or are we better off as we are – but MINUS corona scourge?
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: Let me take you back a year ago to a Friday, not a particular Friday but...
Coping With Coronavirus 10 Applause for the Workers!
Last night (Thursday) at 8pm everyone went outside to applaud the key workers who are keeping our country running. Even the three Royal children were filmed applauding. It started...
Mumbai Memoir 122- The duality of a city like Mumbai!
When tourists visit any world-famous city, they are taken to the historical corners of the town or to the famous tourist spots by the tour guides. The visitors innocently...
Bresse poultry, the cream of the crop of French chicken – Meanderings through France n° 212
By Annick Dournes & Frederic de Poligny If you’re concerned with animal welfare buying and eating Bresse poultry will meet your expectations. Bresse is a small area...
Steve’s Sojourns. First Female Cruise ship Captain.
For the first time in maritime history, an all-female bridge and onboard leadership team set sail yesterday, commemorating International Women’s Day. Led by Captain Kate McCue, the first American...
Welsh Witterings: counting my blessings
It is easy to take things and loved ones for granted. We all do it to some extent, but lately I have been reflecting on this and also on...
West Midlands Tourism Awards Success
Last week saw the presentation of the West Midlands Tourism Awards. Ann Evans highlights some of the winners. The West Midlands Tourism Awards celebrated the success...
Life Begins at 69
by Harry Pope When I was 69, I had a pacemaker fitted, which transformed my life. Before, I was fainting a lot in inconvenient places when my heart beat...
Malta Diary Entering the Lenten period – a time for sackcloth and ashes? It used to be – but no longer … memories of the past
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: Today is Ash Wednesday. Carnival activities of boisterous merriment came to an abrupt end at midnight...
Steve’s Sojourns: Maiden Voyage of new CMV cruise ship
Traditional British Cruise company Cruise and Maritime Voyages have announced the Maiden Voyage of their latest ship Amy Johnson. Following delivery and a refurbishment programme she will sail from Singapore Thursday...
Malta Diary Maltese blood in the US Washington White House? Could well be! Maltese diaspora rootin’ ‘n tootin’ for Pete Buttigieg
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: Most of the world has now heard of Pete Buttigieg, the Democrat striving to win...
Malta Diary Carnival – time to let your hair down or is it just an excuse for wanton revelry? To be correct or incorrect – that is the question nowadays
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: In a couple of weeks’ time Malta and Gozo will be celebrating their Carnival weekend –...
Mumbai Memoir 118- 6th Anniversary of Mumbai Memoir!
Exactly 6 years before, my very first article got released in I got this opportunity after I introduced myself to the members of Society of Women Writers and...
Rachel´s Wanderings in Spain 14 New Year, New Century and Day of the Kings
Happy New Year to you all. Red underwear or not (see previous article Christmas in Spain Then and Now for clarity) we´re into not only a new year but...