I Thought I Could Write A Poem
A poem from Anne Harrison’s collection Songs of a Sad Summer
Butter and the Paradox of Time
For something everyone knows, time remains intrinsically difficult to define. Making my own butter proved the paradox of observed versus real time, for doing so took but a little time and also a long time.
Medical English:Origins & Idiosyncrasies of Some of Those Crazy Words
A brief history of some commonly used medical terms and phrases, from apothecary to simply sick.
The Loreta: A Convent Carried by an Angel
The Loreta, Prague, was once carried by angels from the Holy Land to Italy, before miraculously appearing in Prague. It’s a gem of a discovery in this most beautiful of cities.
Petrichor, Rain, and My Washing
The word petrichor was termed back in 1964 by two Australian scientists studying the smells of wet weather. As one does. For it’s a smell to be found in a contrast of places: a bottle of red wine, a road steaming after a summer storm.
Basket boats of China Beach
The basket boats of China Beach, Vietnam, began life as a tax dodge. These manoeuvrable vessels can be found through South East Asia.
Free things to do in Melbourne
Some free things to do in Melbourne (with a few temptations along the way)
Adventures in Tofu
Tofu is remarkably easy to make - but how was the process of heating soy milk and and adding a coagulant ever discovered?
Snake Season, Hong Kong and Reading Newspapers
It wasn’t till I read an actual newspaper as I ate my breakfast that I realised it was snake season in Hong Kong - indeed, that this land of sky scrappers actually has venomous snakes (although no one has died from a bite since last century).
Some reading suggestions for Florence
After a day of culture and gelato, reading a book set in Florence, or about someone who lived there, can make a welcome change. Here are a few suggestions.
Flowing
The Fastest Knife in the West (End)
In 1800’s London, before the advent of anaesthesia, Dr Liston held the record for the fastest leg amputation - 28seconds.
Memories in My Morning Macchiato
The tidal flats of Mont St Michel, France, provide the backdrop for memories as I sip my morning macchiato.
Camels Along the Silk Road
Camels have walked the Silk Road for centuries. Although no longer used to transport trade. I found some in the foothills of the Himalayas.