Strolling About on the Roof of the World

Strolling About on the Roof of the World ( Strollers, to its friends) is the title of a book published in 2001 to mark the first hundred years of what is now The Royal Society For Asian Affairs. They have another centenary to mark this year.

What A Waste

Here is Sam Mendes with the cast of Sceptre. The rating 12A for a film means that it is suitable for children aged 12 and over. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Recent James Bond films have all been given this classification and need it commercially to the extent that the director… Continue reading What A Waste

Blog Fatigue

Even a Duracell Bunny blogger’s batteries run flat and after more than 100 daily posts I am taking a breather. Posts will resume soon. If you register your e mail address in the field at the top of this page you will get an e mail when there’s a new post. When I was posting… Continue reading Blog Fatigue

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Categorised as Psychology

Trick Or Treat?

Our Umbrian farmhouse had apparently lovely bowls of autumnal fare including squashes, gourds and pumpkins. Sarah painstakingly prepared them, doing a lot of peeling and de-seeding. Unfortunately there was an ornamental pumpkin in the display. Have you ever eaten a gordo ornamentale?

Free Lunch.

About six days work a year, free lunches and £25,000. That’s what a non exec. director usually gets. But what does the shareholder, ultimately employing him/her get?

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Categorised as Business

Autumn in Umbria

It is distinctly autumnal in north Umbria. Mushrooms, truffles, gourds and pumpkins are on display in the shops; and chestnuts. The view across the valley from L’Ospidale to Monte Santa Maria Tiberina is beautiful. L’Ospidale was probably a hostel for pilgrims and was restored by its current owner about 25 years ago. Today we drove… Continue reading Autumn in Umbria

Toast

The announcements on trains in Italy are made first in Italian and then in English. The English version has been pre-recorded in the same way as the announcement of tube stops are on London Underground.

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Categorised as Travel

First World Problems

A hotel bedroom is really just, as E M Forster might have written, A Room with a Loo but people can be picky and that includes me.

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Categorised as Travel

Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose

(That’s the only French content in this post.) This is what the old Odeon in Kensington High Street will look like after it has been re-developed as flats with seven cinema screens in the basement. Looks good to me. The Art Deco facade has been preserved but the conservationists are still furious.