MALTA DIARY: In the darkness of night, the mists of time – mysterious old wives’ tales that people swallowed
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: Some well-known fairy tales dated pre-history and were subsequently and diligently handed down from one generation to another...
Trondelag, Mid-Norway
The Norwegians have a saying, There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing! Trondelag is in Central Norway, stretching up to the Swedish border. It’s known as...
Centro De Portugal
It’s amazing in this day and age that there are still virtually undiscovered areas in Europe. I visited Centro de Portugal a few years ago, but it will still...
Malta Diary The island of Comino – small but with a history during various eras Last week it had a population of three but sadly now down to two
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: The Maltese Archipelago, probably one of the smallest in the world, consists of five islands, Malta, Gozo, Comino, Filfla and St Paul’s...
Ferrari takes another step into the stratosphere with ‘Modificata’
IAIN ROBERTSON It may not possess the ‘winningest’ team in Formula One (at present), highlights Iain Robertson, but its record in sportscar racing, in many ways more relevant...
Britain’s Horrific Treatment of Chinese Labourers During World War 1.
How the Chinese helped the British and French to win the War, but were treated like Slaves. A hundred years ago the Great War ended and Memorial ceremonies have...
Jeni on Drawing 3 Drawing on Past Experience
More years ago than I care to count, when I was doing an art foundation course at Hull Art College, I fell in love with life drawing....
“Tuska Utopia”, mixing online travel and metal music in Finland – World Meanderings (n°102)
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny At a time when travel and music industries strive to survive “Tuska Utopia” proposes a new way to see metal music concerts...
Malta Diary Touches of sanity in today’s eyesore concrete jungle -archaeological sites and buildings now Scheduled and cannot be destroyed or altered in any way
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: I have written it before and repeat, if my great grandparents and grandparents were to be resurrected today and placed anywhere in...
The Mini that should be renamed MAXI is revised again as Countryman
IAIN ROBERTSON Any vestiges of original Mini-ness are now totally removed with the largest version of BMW’s comic-book replica of the once-British stalwart, reports Iain Robertson, as a comprehensively...
“Le Blue Denim Gin”, the new gin born in Camargue – Meanderings through France n° 222
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny After years of testing imagining new recipes and different processes a French couple from Nimes have created a unique Mediterranean gin....
Dipping into VW Group’s enormous spare parts bins enables new Audi A3 hybrid development
IAIN ROBERTSON At a moment in time, when the automotive business is looking all shaky and EV charged, highlights Iain Robertson, it is heart-warming for fans of quality cars...
As readily defensible as oak and Coke, an all-new Moke might be 3rd-time-lucky!
IAIN ROBERTSON At around the same time as he developed the ubiquitous classic Mini, states Iain Robertson, the inventor of the Car of the Century also designed a rudimentary...
Malta Diary 22 THE LAMPUKI SEASON LOOMS – not a quality fish but ever popular and easy to cook
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: When the month of August looms, this is a signal for Malta and Gozo’s fishing community to gear up for...
Back to Greece: Spetses, a one of a kind gem-island – World Meanderings (n°92)
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny Since the early years of the twentieth century the tiny and secret island of Spetses has been a trendy destination...
The Canary Islands Re-opens for Tourism. Our visit to La Palma
Several years ago we spent an interesting week on La Palma, which is re-opening in a week’s time for Tourism. After booking in to our hotel on La Palma,...
In these tough times, let me put a VW eBulli smile on your face!
IAIN ROBERTSON While hardly a money-no-object exercise, writes Iain Robertson, sourcing a clean, original VW campervan, notably of the rare 20-window type, and then converting it from flat-four to...
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...
Politics, funnelling, ‘1984’ and Volvo’s electric XC40
IAIN ROBERTSON Volvo, a Swedish accented Chinese carmaker, is set to introduce the Recharge P8 version of its compact-ish and very stylish XC40 in early-2021, highlights Iain Robertson, as...
Welsh Witterings: Simply Good Food
In these strange times I must confess I have lamented the inability to get out for a coffee or a spot of lunch. I love cooking for my family,...
5 star glamping on the French Riviera – Meanderings through France n° 217
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny “Esterel Caravaning” one of the most classy camping site of the French Riviera was finally able to reopen on June...
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....
Dream trip with Robert Louis Stevenson in the French Cevennes
By Annick Dournes & Frédéric de Poligny It all began with a broken heart in 1878. That autumn 28 years old Scottish author R. L. Stevenson decided to go...
MALTA DIARY: Were the stones magically or divinely transported – or is it just Old Wives’ Tales?
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: With time hanging heavy on my hands, I browsed through some well-known fairy and folklore tales...
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...
New Audi RS4 could be an admirable ‘dinosaur’ from the Bronze Age
IAIN ROBERTSON It is a strictly limited-edition model, of just 25 examples, priced from a whopping £82,395, but Iain Robertson is tickled pink that Audi is adopting a defiant...
Dacia, whether pronounced ‘Dacier’, or ‘Datcher’, is an automotive gift
IAIN ROBERTSON Every industry needs its ‘Poundstretcher’, its entry-level to whichever, to gain market traction and to provide a perception of good value, where none may exist, and Iain...
GLA completes the ‘compact’ circle for Mercedes-Benz
IAIN ROBERTSON In a new car market now predominated by SUVs, writes Iain Robertson, Mercedes-Benz is well entrenched with models in every relevant class and the latest GLA model...
Malta Diary Were space aliens present in Malta – are elongated skulls the proof?
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: Malta overflows with myths and mysteries. One theory is that Malta was the ‘nerve control centre’...
Christmas’ Magic in French iconic chateaux, part two: Château de Cheverny – Meanderings through France n° 205
By Annick Dournes & Frederic de Poligny Welcome back to French chateaux’ festivities! This year for Christmas time we invite you in three different wonderful French chateaux, Vaux-le-Vicomte,...
The fine art of car retailing; in how many ways can a cat be skinned?
IAIN ROBERTSON Polestar, Volvo’s EV technology partner and producer of an ‘interesting’ new range of own-branded models, has decided to ‘change the face of vehicle retailing’, reports Iain Robertson,...
THE LANTERN OF ARDEN
Photos by Rob Tysall, Tysall’s Photography Ann Evans takes a closer look at Astley’s St Mary the Virgin Church, once known as The Lantern of Arden. ...
The rarity of a decent estate car is served by Volvo’s excellent V90
IAIN ROBERTSON Market shift is epitomised by Volvo’s development of the estate car genre, writes Iain Robertson, an up-market exercise that re-gauges quality control, supreme comfort and trim detailing,...
Loaded DS3 Crossback takes avant-garde route to compact car sector
IAIN ROBERTSON If you were moved by the swan-like DS7, as Iain Robertson was, then you will fall in love with the ‘ugly duckling’ DS3, as much for its...
Volvo’s roller-coaster ride rolls on with new XC90
IAIN ROBERTSON To be frank, Iain Robertson believes that ‘roller-coaster’ is inappropriate for Volvo Cars’ current and inexorable rise to the top, registrations of which are outstripping every luxury...
Malta Diary Were beds as we know them today first used in Malta and Egypt? Could well be! The association between Malta and beds is lengthy and varied.
ALBERT FENECH e/mail – Facebook: My Blog: The Maltese Islands have a history that is latent with its connections to beds, bedding...
To prove that car fans can never get enough of what they want, the ‘new’ Bentley Blower…
IAIN ROBERTSON Aston Martin, Jaguar Land Rover and a couple of other carmakers have been dabbling in the classic car scene, reports Iain Robertson, by revisiting their pasts and...
Taycan takes technology to new peaks for Porsche
IAIN ROBERTSON When considering that Porsche has never done things by convention, states long-time fan Iain Robertson, you can comprehend that its all-electric Taycan offering is likely to...
Gareth Butterfield reviews Lexus’s new entry into the small SUV market, the UX
IF you’re in the market for a small SUV – and, let’s face it, the world and his wife seems to be at the moment, then you’ve got a...
Bordeaux, an appealing town between vineyards and ocean – Meanderings through France n° 192
By Annick Dournes & Frederic de Poligny In less than 25 years Bordeaux has been going through huge works of renovation and innovation, turning this old...