Moth House

At Barmeath there was a Moss House constructed of moss-clad wood. In the 19th century it was a destination for picnics carried up in a dog-cart. When I was at Barmeath a few weeks ago I was interested to see that a new “moss house” is being put up on the site. The picture above… Continue reading Moth House

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Categorised as Family

Japan

The Japanese economy has been stagnant for the last thirty years. The Nikei 225 index was briefly above 38,000 in 1989; today it is about 20,000. Unsurprisingly my previous forays into Japanese stocks have not ended well. However, when I wrote recently about Emerging Markets a reader commented that Japan was worth a look too.

Heart to Heart

It’s 8.25 pm on Thursday 6th September 1962. You switch on the TV and all around Europe the same programme is being broadcast by the BBC (UK), RTE (Ireland), RTF (France), ORF (Austria), SRT (Sweden), NRK (Norway), RAI (Italy), NTS (Netherlands) and YLE (Finland) as part of a project called The Largest Theatre in the… Continue reading Heart to Heart

Manzanilla

When I was in Madrid in the 1980s I ordered Manzanilla. A pot of chamomile tea arrived. I was reminded of this reading an article by Jancis Robinson in the FT Weekend Magazine.

Nincompoop

I have never met Charlie Dewhirst but he looks like a nincompoop; a shoo-in to be one of the dimmest members of the Drones Club. However, he has three things going for him …

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Categorised as Politics

A Shilling for Candles

Came down with a heavy cold while I was staying in France but it’s getting better now. By a stroke of luck I’d slipped the perfect comfort reading into my bag and it much improved the homeward journey.

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Categorised as Literature

Home Life

Chapeau melon et bottes de cuir is, as you know, what The Avengers is called in France. Rather long-winded and goodness knows what it is called in Germany.

Bob a Blog

I hung around SE Asia in 1989, based in Singapore. Inspired by one of the funniest travel books I have ever read, Into the Heart of Borneo by Redmond O’Hanlon, I spent a long weekend in Sarawak. It was published only six years previously, in 1983, so not much had changed.

White Vin Man

  One of the pleasures of being in France is getting to know the region; its flora, fauna and vineyards. No sign of a hoopoe yet but plenty of vineyards.

Two Aesthetes & Boris

Today’s post is an homage to Robert O’Byrne, The Irish Aesthete. I had the pleasure of meeting Robert in Ireland last weekend; my sister asked him to a merry dinner.