Lincolnshire motor trade returns to work…with Covid-19 caution
IAIN ROBERTSON With the news that car dealerships can return to work from June 1st, Iain Robertson was keen to discover what it felt like on the frontline and...
In the pureness of Mount Athos – World Meanderings (n°86)
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny Greece will soon slowly reopen its doors to foreign tourists. From June 15 international flights will be able to land...
Coping with Coronavirus 22. Rainbow Roast Vegetables
Rainbows have been very popular during the Coronavirus pandemic. Everyone has been painting them and sticking them in their windows. The seven colours of the rainbow are red, orange,...
MALTA DIARY: Elaborate and extensive catacombs in Malta and a Punic tomb recently discovered probably dating back to 500 BC
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: The Carthaginians ruled Malta before they were ousted by the Romans in about 250 BC...
Can you trust our government with its future EV plans?
IAIN ROBERTSON Within what seemed like minutes of winning last year’s General Election, states Iain Robertson, the UK government was promising that 2035 would be the ‘termination’ date for...
Taxi Noir: Black Sabbatical
As the lockdown continues I’ve been thinking a lot about how time is used differently by different people. Some folk have an abundance of time while others feel there...
Karl’s Chronicles Article 33 Out To Sea
Wide and open, under the vast canvas of a shifting sky, the Cuckmere Haven in England’s South East epitomises the striking blend between man, nature and the subtle chiselling...
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. ...
Volvo installs speed limiters in its cars but should it?
IAIN ROBERTSON Sometime Swedish, now Chinese brand, Volvo, has a long-standing and much-respected reputation for both the primary and secondary safety aspects of its motorcars but Iain Robertson feels...
Rachel´s Wanderings – Moving Around the Province
So after leaving the house 5 times in eight weeks, not counting walking the dog in the olive groves, we are now free to move around within the...
Harry’s Ramblings My Dad, the Unsung War Hero
by Harry Pope It wasn’t until he had had died in 1997 that I came to appreciate just what my dad had done during WW2. He didn’t talk about...
Quid pro quo is a 40 years old quad pro quattro for Audi
IAIN ROBERTSON It is astonishing, explains Iain Robertson, how an invented word can become 4×4 synonymous with a German motorcar brand that also formulated a non-translatable expression, ‘Vorsprung durch...
Ten spices to travel to Istanbul in your kitchen – World Meanderings (n°85)
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny Champing at the bit and feeling more and more frustrated not to be able to get on a plane for...
Malta Diary: Yesteryear’s “protective clothing” – from prying male eyes! Now back to square one for different reasons?
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: The explosion for the need of anti-viral protective clothing has probably achieved in solidifying the concept...
Leon undergoes comprehensive evolution for revitalised Seat
IAIN ROBERTSON Provided with an early opportunity to review the latest Seat Leon, Iain Robertson admits that it took a ‘double-take’ to appreciate that it is a completely new...
A Trio of Cathedrals
Photos by Rob Tysall, Tysall’s Photography. Ann Evans tells us about her home city of Coventry and its three cathedrals. Most people are aware that the City...
Virtual English Gardens
A sprinkling of England’s horticulture hotspots Dusty pink geraniums, draping wisteria, beds and borders overflowing with floral displays and packed plant pots jammed full of colour, the English...
Harry’s Ramblings Pier Entertainment
by Harry Pope When Eastbourne’s pier was built in 1870, it was just a promenade out to sea, with no buildings. Unfortunately, the pier suffered severe damage on 1st...
Try the ultimate feel-good recipe, “Rent a Finn”! – World Meanderings (n°84)
Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny Did you know that Finland has been awarded as happiest nation in the world for the third time in a row...
Malta Diary Hubble bubble, toil and trouble – medicinal folklore in the Maltese Islands – were they genuine remedies or fantasies?
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: Cast your minds back to the days when a person could go through a whole life...
Covid-19 and its impact on road safety
IAIN ROBERTSON While admitting that a dramatic reduction in traffic volumes should also mean that Road Traffic Incidents are similarly reduced, Iain Robertson notes that UK bicycle sales have...
Taxi Noir; Surviving the Aftermath
Indications are that a hard rain’s gonna fall this summer: recession, redundancy, and businesses going bankrupt. We’ve been here before though. The media have compared the current crisis to...
Welsh Witterings: Home Cooking is here to stay
Whilst in covid19 confinement many Brits have turned to home baking and have got themselves out of the evening meal rut. Our home baking endeavors have been so great...
Trevor’s Wildlife Week; Yet another Duckling Rescue for East Sussex Wildlife Rescue
VIDEO with logo: VIDEO without logo: PICTURES: We can provide screen shots from the videos on request. East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) were called...
Coping With Coronavirus 21. Will there be Food Poisoning in Bars & Restaurants after Lockdown?
Boris is talking about easing the Lockdown on Monday. After many years in catering, I know what goes on behind the scenes. In my past, I spent several days...
Trevor’s Wildlife Week. Ducklings Rescued from Chimney in Uckfield
Rescuers from East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) had an unusual call to some ducklings in a chimney, which resulted in the Fire Service coming out to...
Jean Cocteau and the French Riviera, an ever-lasting love story – Meanderings through France n° 216
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric Mouren Although Jean Cocteau died 57 years ago he still is a source of inspiration for present artists and beloved by many...
Coping With Coronavirus 20. Plants & Recipes
Remember how I told you how to grow tomatoes from tomato slices? Well, look at the results after another week. And remember how I told you about the...
Sometimes, being ‘disagreeable’ can reveal con-jobs and skulduggery
IAIN ROBERTSON Realising that he is hardly alone in questioning the premature return-to-work strategy being exercised almost wholesale across the UK motor industry, Iain Robertson is concerned about other...
HOT NEWS! – Peugeot admits finally to madness under veil of COVID-19
IAIN ROBERTSON It has been an unusual symptom, recognised by neither the WHO, nor the very Chinese State that has been funding Peugeot’s efforts for the past few years,...
Nausicaá, a Window to the Ocean.
Nausicaá, a Wndow to the Ocean. Ann Evans gives us a virtual look at Europe’s biggest sea life centre, Nausicaá – a window to the Ocean. As we’re...
Kent, A County Full of Surprises
The English county of Kent, known as The Garden of England, is as pretty and as charming as its name suggests. Rural Kent, with its gentle rolling hillsides, rich...
Rachel’s Wanderings in Spain – Don’t Count the Days, Make the Days Count
I am amazed we have now completed seven weeks on lock down. Where did April go? Did it happen? As someone who thrives on business it has been...
Trevor’s Wildlife Week. Hedgehog Week Cake Competition
The 3rd May sees the start of Hedgehog Awareness Week are in serious decline, and every year East Sussex Wildlife Rescue & Ambulance Service (WRAS) deals with more...
Gareth Butterfield takes a wild ride in one of the maddest Abarth creations yet, the 595 Essesse
I’VE always had a soft-spot for anything with an Abarth badge. The basic principle behind the Italian brand is to take a run-of-the-mill Fiat and inject it with an...
Dream trip through Moravia’s vineyards – World Meanderings (n°83)
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny Although Moravia is the smallest region of the Czech Republic it produces 96% of its wines, the remaining 4% being...
Vauxhall courts plug-in hybrid technology with enticing electrified GrandlandX
IAIN ROBERTSON Over the years, Iain Robertson admits to ‘Mickey-taking’ Vauxhall’s crossover model, mostly of its name but never in respect of the incredible sales success it has earned...
Coping With Coronavirus 19. Why are the Garden Centres Closed? + Growing Tomatoes From Seed
Why are all the garden centres closed when everyone wants to buy compost, seeds, and lots of garden plants; flowers, vegetables, salad plants and herbs? There’s a lot more...
Malta Diary An enchanting timeline of history and beauty – the ten most beautiful places in the Maltese Islands – and why
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: We are now approaching the month of May. Under normal circumstances the Maltese Islands would be teeming with...
Stick to a remit of ‘city car’ and an all-electric smart fortwo makes immense sense
IAIN ROBERTSON As a long-time proponent of purposeful modes of transport, Iain Robertson believes that addressing environmental issues is essential to all of us but it neither means donning...