Tag Archives: books

Mama Rooney in Cape Town

If you like this piece you can buy a kindle version of the book Ten Traveller’s Tales, which contains this story. ” Greenmarket Square is at the heart of Cape Town. This small space at the centre of the city holds a busy open-air market where traders from as far north as  the Congo comeContinue reading “Mama Rooney in Cape Town”

Taormina in Sicily

If you like this piece you can buy a kindle version of the book Julian’s Journeys, which contains this story. ” The bus headed northwards past several resort towns on Sicily’s eastern coast. The weather was warm and the sun was just beginning to come out, thought the top of Mount Etna away to ourContinue reading “Taormina in Sicily”

Bridge across the Drina

Not including Mostar, I saw two outstanding Ottoman bridges in Bosnia. The first was called the Mehmed Pasa Sokolovic Bridge in the town of Visegrad, built in 1571 by the brilliant Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan, who is mainly known for creating mosques such as the Suleymaniye Mosque in Istanbul. The bridge was immortalised in IvoContinue reading “Bridge across the Drina”

The Homilies of Mush

There’s one original manuscript at the Matenadaran whose story, if it had taken place in another country, would have been made into a blockbuster film. The Homilies of Mush is the largest, surviving Armenian manuscript and was created between 1200 – 1202. This manuscript is associated with the Holy Apostles Monastery of Mush (now inContinue reading “The Homilies of Mush”

Littondale Wall Building – British Tradition

Excerpt from a book of British Traditions In 1842, Jeremiah Spalding built the longest wall in the history of the competition. It stretched 167 yards up the hill and was in a perfectly straight line. However, this wall didn’t win as it was just two feet high and one foot wide – the judges didn’tContinue reading “Littondale Wall Building – British Tradition”

Marble Rolling in Carlisle

This is an excerpt from the book 40 Humourous British Traditions In Cumberland the ability to roll a marble an exact distance is highly prized. The climax of the marble rolling season is the Carlisle Round on the last weekend of August. The roads around the centre of the city are closed for a weekContinue reading “Marble Rolling in Carlisle”

The “She Loves Me, She Loves Me not” Contest – Exmoor

This is an excerpt from the book 40 Humourous British Traditions Fans of Lorna Doone believe that Exmoor is a romantic place and so many of them come with a dandelion and play the “she loves me, she loves me not” game – men blow the dandelion and say “she loves me” and then blowContinue reading “The “She Loves Me, She Loves Me not” Contest – Exmoor”

Kite Racing from Suffolk – one of the 40 Humourous British Traditions

Kites have been popular in Suffolk since their introduction into England in the 19th Century. In 1873, Oliver Holmes was flying his kite near Aldeburgh when the wind started to blow really hard – Oliver had difficulty holding on to his kite and thought that running with his kite would make it easier to control.Continue reading “Kite Racing from Suffolk – one of the 40 Humourous British Traditions”