In my summer series reminiscing about previous holidays and travel both before and during the pandemic, my latest post is on post-lockdown life in one of France’s most sparsely populated regions.
Physical distancing is a way of life in this part of France Read More »
Trying to forget my stomach (for at least one afternoon), we headed further east to genteel Pasadena, where the stunning Huntington Botanical Gardens are located. With the handsome peak of San Antonio rising high into the distance, we needed at least a couple of hours to explore the sixteen themed gardens – and to walk off the Reuben and Skipper sandwiches.
California dreaming Read More »
Lviv’s locals joke about their city being the London of Ukraine. They are not referring to the cost of eating out. The city surprises you at every turn with its attractive restaurants, generously portioned dishes and reasonable prices. But to the rest of Ukraine, the city is known for its rain. A guidebook advised me to bring both my sunglasses and my umbrella, and in the event, I needed both.
The more I’ve read around the subject and listened to lectures, the more I understand there’s a Myth of the Resistance. Sure, millions did resist the Nazis, and there are many reasons French people can stand tall and celebrate this history of Resistance. But there’s something about the June 18th anniversary which doesn’t quite work when you read Charles de Gaulle was seen as rather an oddball himself.
Vignettes in what used to be Vichy France Read More »
The words, the single units, are overpowering scents of cheese. To my ear, the sentences are most troubling. They’re occupied provincial markets. Other times, they consist of warring articles and prepositions, hooting at one another as if they’re busily competing to reach the coast.
Looking back, looking forward Read More »
To some degree we’re conflicted. These conflicts are awful for some, and for others, the conflict will appear indirectly but touch them nevertheless. Much as we look at strangers and observe their lives in comparison to ours’, and imagine how seemingly straightforward are their lives, the reality is that no one has it easy in life.
Coaching, conflicts and maybe even some change Read More »
This last week, I regulated use of social media just a little bit. I felt I had time to catch my breath. I also sat with my emotions even when they were that bit harder to confront. No topless men to waste minutes ogling on Instagram; no tweets to foam and fulminate at.
The danger of the single story Read More »
Every now and again, my beasts will return – depressive intrusions, self-doubt, guilt and all that crap. Until then, I’m going to lose myself in Matisse’s landscapes.
The cage of beasts Read More »
Anger for anger’s sake is ridiculous but anger that seeks to tear down age-old institutions which oppress, or which gives legitimate expression to oppressed people’s wants and needs, is no bad thing.
The taboo of anger Read More »
It would be more romantic to keep staring at it, late at night, when most of the world is asleep; not to ever reacquaint myself to its dull campsites or experience adult day-time disappointment
I’ll stick to night Read More »