It’s hard to socially distance with a stranger on a narrowboat, but we cannot resist the invitation. These are real Oxford Gyptians on a real canal that curves into a backwater of the real River Thames. … More Real Gyptians
A friend in Malawi sent through this short film today. My immediate thoughts were: Strong legs! How many children? (I count ten). Do they do that every day? Where are the masks, and aren’t they very close? What about safety? My friend tells me there is no access to any PPE in the remote trading … More An African Ride to School
As long as I can remember, my mother has dismissed matters of concern with the words “It’s fate!” Meaning: don’t worry about things you can do nothing about (although saying those words has never saved her from sleepless nights). Recently, my eldest son was sitting a test at a random location (not for COVID-19, but … More An Aside on Fate
A love story from Andalucía (adapted from Lorenzo Valla’s 15th century version of the Legend of La Peña de los Enamorados). A young man once served as a slave in the house of a Moorish leader in the Kingdom of Granada. The man’s name was Tello, and he was a Christian soldier who had been … More Tello y Tazgona
I didn’t think I was writing a love story. I didn’t think I was writing a sad story. Nor one with uncomfortable truths. I thought I was writing a sunny story set in a Spanish Sierra, and I started with someone very similar to Elena, the Tortilla Maker. A story intended to be life-affirming and … More A Love Story
Have Paprika, Will Travel 