Luxury Among the Bears
Our camp at the Arctic Circle beside Hudson Bay, Manitoba, Canada was extremely small and a little flimsy looking as we got our first glimpse of it when flying in from Churchill. However, others had survived and lived to tell the tale and after all the tiny little electric fence around the camp would scare the polar bears away, wouldn’t it….. Also, leaning up against … Continue reading Luxury Among the Bears
A Live Stream of the Rialto Bridge, Venice
Enjoy this wonderful view of the Rialto Bridge at different times of the day as locals and tourists get on with life. Venetian time is GMT+2 hours. Continue reading A Live Stream of the Rialto Bridge, Venice
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The Breathtaking Prehistoric Art of Lascaux
In 1940 a couple of boys were playing with their labrador, Robot, in the hills around Montignac, Dordogne, France when the lab disappeared down a hole. When the boys went after him they came across a huge cave covered in monumental rock paintings of bulls, auroch, bison, deer and horses covering every usable space across the walls and on to the ceiling. The animals are … Continue reading The Breathtaking Prehistoric Art of Lascaux
The Desert and Chihuly
Phoenix, Arizona really couldn’t be more different from my usual haunts! Unbelievably hot, cactus gardens, vast open spaces, the wild west and the Grand Canyon. I love to visit my dear friends in this weird and wonderful part of the world whenever I can, usually on my way home from the Arctic and polar bears – a great way to warm up! On a visit … Continue reading The Desert and Chihuly
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The Saddest Lion in the World
It really is devastating to stand in front of this hopelessly sad, magnificently carved Winged Lion in the Basilica of Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, Venice. This monument is dedicated to the great sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822) and houses just his heart. The Lion’s book is closed, a symbol of the wisdom of the artist that has been carried away, his tail wrapped around his body, his eyes … Continue reading The Saddest Lion in the World
Petra and the Nabataeans
The anticipation of walking the 1.2 kilometre gorge called the siq down into Petra, Jordan, waiting to get that first glimpse of the Treasury is excruciating. At times the siq is dark and narrow and you know that it is a pathway for flash floods…… When you do finally see the treasury peeking through the narrow gap in the rock it is truly mesmerizing – … Continue reading Petra and the Nabataeans
Some Icebergs & their Inhabitants
When in Rome…..
I think one of the greatest pastimes when travelling pretty well anywhere in the world is to be able to settle down at a café with a nice cup of coffee and watch the world go by. The thing is, when you are in Venice, or any other fabulous place in Italy, there don’t seem to be many places called a Café. They are often called a Bar which … Continue reading When in Rome…..
Venice Backstage
Venice isn’t just a stage set, It’s also a city with a resident population, which has productive activities, transportation and services. But how does the “Venice system” work? How do the tides in the lagoon behave? How are the canals formed? And the embankments? What’s under the buildings? This rather hilarious but very informative video explains Venice’s fascinating workings very clearly. Directed by Nicolò Scibilia … Continue reading Venice Backstage
Spritz and Cicchetti
Throughout Venice it’s easy to find traditional wine and food in the small wine bars called bacari that serve cicchetti (pronounced chikhetteh) which are sort of like tapas – Venetian style – small nibbles of seasonal bite-sized tastes. Some of the best local food.Bacari are usually pretty small establishments with only a couple of seats so the idea is to buy yourself an ombra (glass … Continue reading Spritz and Cicchetti
TRAVELS PAST & PRESENT 