I looked out of the window at Saturday morning. It was cloudy, but not raining. I opened the front door to feel the air. It was cold, but not freezing. The day was growing light, a busy week was behind me and the next hour would be my own. As I crept out of the … More Saturday morning secret
I had all of Saturday to travel from Swansea in the West to Cambridge in the East, so I decided to stop mid-way. A refuge from the fast lane which promised to peel back the centuries. All the way to the sacred oaks of Awsty Wood, the marching feet of Roman legionnaires, and the group … More A Sanctuary
I asked my friend, Fitta, to give me a proverb. I’ve been hunting for proverbs in books, magazines and online. I’ve consulted sugar sachets from Spain; I’ve discovered the wisdoms of the Akans; and I’ve learned that these clever turns of phrase which express universal truths may not themselves be universal. My recent interest in … More Milestone Words
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
It’s our last breakfast in Algodonales, Spain, Summer 2018. We sit on red plastic chairs at a small pavement café and find that our table has a mind of its own. We wedge napkins under its thin metal legs to correct the wobble, and enjoy brief seconds of success before someone rests an elbow and … More Trust in time
First stop is lunch at The Skinny Kitchen – decent food and cracking crockery, but both its atmosphere and smiling staff are lacking (I guess the clue was in the name). There is no such mediocrity in the Cathedral – a beauty disguised by scaffolding. The whole complex is undergoing more than a mere facelift, … More Canterbury, Thomas and Gormley
The seaward-looking statue that sits at the Battle of Britain Memorial to the east of Folkestone wears a flying jacket which purposefully obscures both his nationality and rank. One-fifth of Fighter Command battling against the German offensive was not British, and most airmen were inexperienced. This pilot’s unwavering gaze in the face of an unremitting … More Scramble
Our Maid of Kent host doesn’t exactly sing nearby Folkestone’s praises, suggesting we visit sweet Hythe instead. However, we eschew pretty for gritty in our rush around Kent; and beyond the outskirts which diminish many towns, discover that there is a soul to Folkestone. The Old High Street is an elevating riot of colour, creativity, … More Skimming Folkestone
An escape to Kent seems a bit tame at just an hour down the road and without leaving our home county, but we Kentish Maids and Men are venturing to where the Men and Maids of Kent reside. So it should be a little different … Day One keeps us indoors with Storm Dennis lashing … More Tame in Kent
I’ve known I was a Cornish Pasty ever since I can remember. It’s a family thing, a bit silly, but consider that my parents’ audience (many years ago) was a delighted group of three small kids. We loved that my biggest brother was a Cockney Sparrer, and that my other brother and I were great … More Cornish pasty
Have Paprika, Will Travel 