Drifting along the Rhine
Memories of cruising the Upper Middle Rhine, a world UNESO site famous for both its idyllc landscape and its castles
A Few Hong Kong Markets
I fell in love with Hong Kong and her markets many years ago - here’s just a few of my favourites.
The Monks of Laos
Images of the monks in Laos, from alms taking in the pale light of dawn, to daily life in forgotten temples.
Cuttings
Poetry by Anne Harrison - from her collection Songs of a Sad Summer, available on her website anne-harrison.com or via kindle.
Musings on Chopping an Onion
The first in my series of weekly musings. This week’s ponderings cover routines, chopping onions, and making focaccia while dreaming of Florence.
Memories of Paris
A video collage I made from photos I’ve taken when visiting Paris.
A Poetry Reading
A selected reading from my poetry book Songs of a Sad Summer
The Boats of Lake Dal
Life is lived on the water in Srinagar, Kashmir. Lake Dal once offered a retreat for the English during the heat of summer; the exquisite wooden houseboats remain, surrounded by the smaller boats which cross the lake all hours of the day.
A Day Sailing the Cinque Terre
Memories of a day spent sailing (and swimming and eating) along Italy’s Cinque Terre.
The Dancing monks of Diskit
The Dance of the Black Hat performed by the Buddhist monks of Diskit Monastery during a local festival. Diskit lies high in the Nubra Valley in Ladakh, India.
Some Books To Read in Hong Kong
The Romance of the Three Kingdoms by Luo Guanzhong; Fragrant Harbour by John Lanchester; The Painted Veil by Somerset Maugham: three reading suggestions for Hong Kong with my review of each work.
Beneath the Duomo, Florence
Beneath Florence’s Duomo lies an archeological treasure trove: remnants from the old Roman town Florentia, an early 4th C Christian Church, Santa Reparata. This was later rebuilt as the Cathedral Santa Reparata, only to be demolished in 1379 for the new Duomo.
The Ancient Forests of Yakushima Island
Yakushima Island, Japan, is covered in a forest of cedar. Many of the trees here are at least 1000 years old, with some nearing 7000 years. What a wondrous place for a walk!
High in the Foothills of the Himalayas
In a Buddhist monastery somewhere in the foothills of the Himalayas, a brass bowl and offering cup rest on a ledge, which overlooks a snow-capped mountain range.