Category: Travel

A Place in the Country

People often talk of having “a place in the country” a splendidly non-specific expression that means anything from a castle set in 10,000 acres that has been in the family since the reign of Elizabeth I to a rented potting shed. My place in the country in the 1990s was the latter.

A Tale of Two Banks

Martin Vander Weyer writes in The Spectator about Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena. It comes close to the top of a few league tables: Italy’s third largest bank, Europe’s weakest bank, the world’s oldest bank.

Fingers on the Button

If you live in a democracy it’s a good plan to have the casting vote (just in case). Votes cast for watching University Challenge at home are exactly 50% in favour but I don’t have that casting vote, so it’s a treat to be on my own for a few days and to indulge.

Bath Time

If you are reading this on Christmas Day I wish you a happy, peaceful and holy Christmas. I don’t have any truck with calling it “the holiday season” or similar weasel words denying its place as the second (or third?) most important date in the Christian calendar.

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Get me to a Nunnery

A recent comment reminded me that I was a vendangeur in 1972; cue for me to ramble on a bit about my “gap year”.

Near and Far

At this time of year many newspapers adopt charities and invite their readers to contribute. I never have but it has led me to reflect on how I allocate my charity budget. It comes down to this.

Churrigueresque

After finding the Holy Grail in yesterday’s post, today’s can only come as a disappointment but read on, in case you don’t know who wrote Luke’s Gospel.

Bon Dia

Valentia is one of the most westerly points in Ireland, lying off the South-West coast of Kerry, connected to the mainland by a bridge. If you want to go there be careful not to buy a ticket for Valencia – and vice versa.

Mom’s the Word

Season of mists, etc. – thank you Keats. What with Southern Rail’s autumn timetable that leaves a forty-five minute gap between trains from Victoria to Gatwick and those mists I had a longish day yesterday.

Thursday on Lac d’Annecy

It is easy to be lazy in this sleepy town. A walk along the lake to a neighbouring town for lunch seems an ambitious project.

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