Christmas Day


It started to rain in the night and the morning was cold and misty. Presents were unwrapped and scrambled eggs were eaten with smoked salmon for breakfast. It was not a morning for a brisk walk in the park. We messed around with the giant jigsaw, watched the Box and got ready for lunch. The…

The Day Before Christmas


It was a wet, gloomy day and we decided to go to the cinema. Eggs were poached and eaten with crispy bacon and hot buttered toast. We drank pots of black tea and called a cab. The excellent Cabbee App on the smart phone presents you with bids from taxi firms for your chosen journey…

Sunday Before Christmas


Mi to London was painfully slow. An accident closed lanes and emergency vehicles and an ambulance raced on the hard shoulder. Outside, the wind howled. I stopped to munch sandwiches and drink black coffee from a little flask. In mid-afternoon, London was quiet and the streets had only scanty decorations. In Renu’s flat, we sipped…

An Autumn Walk In Fewston


The six mile walk at Fewston Reservoir near Harrogate in North Yorkshire is one my favourite weekend outings over the past thirty-five years. In spring, bluebells carpet the forest floor and in autumn, the colours can be breathtaking. There are ducks and gees and Great Crested Grebes in the water and woodpeckers in the trees.…

Tasting Wine With Friends in London


The tasting list included Champagne Perrier-Jouet NV, Barbadillo Manzanilla Solear, Niepoort Douro White 2011, Crawford River Young Vines Riesling 2010, Hugel Gewürztraminer 2008, Rene Mur Muscat Alsace Grand Cru Vobourg 2000, Warwick Cabernet Franc 2008, Warwick Pinotage 2009, Torbreck Cuvee Juvenille 2009 and Moss Wood Amy’s Blend 2010.

Adams Bridge


Adams Bridge or Rama‘s Bridge is a series of small islands, sand banks and corals, 18 miles long, connecting the southern tip of India at Danushkodi to Talaimannar in north-western Sri Lanka. Based on satellite studies, some believe that it is the bridge that Hanuman built for Rama to cross to Sri Lanka with his…

George Keyt at Gothami Vihare


Gothami – a little Buddhist temple in a quiet corner of Colombo, came in to existence in 1900. It would have remained a simple place of worship if not for the fact that George Keyt, a talented Sri Lankan Cubist was commissioned to paint the inner walls of the temple’s little image house in 1941.…