Unfortunately the 2020 Venice Carnival corresponded with the Corona virus outbreak and the last two days of official events were cancelled. Fortunately many of the participants were still able to promenade, and because of the outbreak there were far fewer other tourists than I expected. The level of detail and craft in the carnival costumes… Continue Reading
Elite Falconry are a falconry center based in Fife, they do flying and falconry displays and various raptor related activities. One of the things they do is photo workshops and this is a brilliant way to see the birds in flight, as well as to fly the birds yourself. They have more news and updates… Continue Reading
Scotland is blessed with dramatic seasonal changes over the year, Autumn in particular can be stunning. Close to hand there are some beautiful old forests that are worth checking out. Pressmennan Wood Near Edinburgh (just out of Dunbar) this is an old forest, now run by the Woodland Trust. It is believed to contain some… Continue Reading
You can tell a lot about people by how they handle a car on a ferry. Taking the ferry from Nice to Bastia in Corsica was eye opening. I was used to UK ferries which operate a strict first in, first out policy, and you are ushered off by the crew in sensibly ordered queues. … Continue Reading
Although Barra is a beautiful island, there is some ugly history beneath the surface. We visited the ruined village near Balnabodach on the east side. Here you can see the ruins of several blackhouses, one recently excavated and the rest remaining as untouched grassy mounds, with flooded machair in the foreground. Here is a handy… Continue Reading
A city break in Nice Nice is perfect for a weekend break in winter. Getting a burst of sun helps to reduce SAD. It’s easily accessibly from the UK and has some very photogenic spots. Hotel We stayed in a colourful, and inexpensive hotel – H33 Hôtel on 33 rue Pastorelli. The rooms were bright… Continue Reading
These graves face the sea. Out of all the graves in the cemetery, just these five, the rest face inland. There is a story here, but I haven’t been able to find what it is. It’s almost better left to the imagination. But still, it must be a tale and a half. The detailed stone… Continue Reading