It’s been a while since I created the postal pick and I was all but decided to call it off as up until the other day my best bit of post had been my pay cheque but to my surprise and delight upon opening the mailbox I found a very informative little piece of Britain staring back at me, courtesy of Xavier. This beautiful postcard shows Ogmore Castle in Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr (Bridgend), as a stunning sunset is reflected on…
I had never heard of a Bonspiel until this week and as a linguist I couldn’t help but wonder if it might have a particular meaning; perhaps from the French ‘bon’ meaning good and German ‘Spiel’ meaning game. In any case the curling tournament held this week between the local schools was a good game. As I have mentioned before, Winter sports are big in Canada so curling is pretty popular around these parts, for people of all ages. Ashern’s…
Although the snow has melted and as the clocks have ‘sprung ahead’ it feels as though Spring has finally arrived, I couldn’t help sharing some advice in case there’s a freak snow storm to send us back into those Winter boots. In order to avoid a wheel-spinning, snow-spraying situation that might require the neighbours coming over with a tractor to tow one’s car out; it is always best not to neglect the snow clearing duties! I’m just saying…
One of the better things about living in rural Canada in a majority First Nations province is the way that people still rely heavily on the land as a major source of income. For many people in Ashern, farming, particularly of cattle is their livelihood. Most of the men enjoy hunting and fishing as weekend pastimes. I have heard that it is permitted to hunt certain animals at different times of the year and that sometimes, depending on the season, instead of…
I will be starting a new feature to get some more photographs and art from around the world displayed on my blog. I look forward to getting to know more about the far corners of this world I have yet to discover. If you would like your images to be shared please write to: Touring And Tribulations 317 Harbour Road Coal Harbour British Columbia V0N 1K0 Canada 20 – 26th February 2012 Having been lucky enough to receive a few…
On my Erasmus year in Cergy on the outskirts of Paris, from about mid October until at least the end of March, the words “Que frio hace” usually preceded by “Joder” were uttered constantly by my Spanish friends (meaning more or less “Shit it‘s cold!”). I know from experience that Spain can reach temperatures below zero and it’s not just rain in Spain that falls mainly on the plains. Snow is certainly not unheard of, but nevertheless the Spanish are…
Back in November I set foot in the USA for the first time. For months my two friends and I planned for our week in New York where, just weeks after I had left France, I would be reunited with them for eight days of nights out and new discoveries. I must admit to having had high expectations for New York from films I have watched, TV series, friend’s opinions and my love of shopping. Whilst I did enjoy my…
With more baggage than body-weight, travelling across the globe is stressful enough but with excess baggage charges moving great distances has the added stress of even greater prices; that’s why I decided to upgrade. If you’re travelling with lots of luggage don’t forget to weigh up the benefits of an upgrade. It can cost up to £10 a kilo just for excess baggage, where as for £110 more than the price of an economy ticket I received 10 kilos extra baggage allowance…
Windswept and interesting or rather dragged through a hedge backwards! Visiting Point Pelee just after your hair’s been styled, even on a summer’s day, is probably not the best of ideas with the strong winds that come in across Lake Erie. Going on a November afternoon straight from the salon when it’s pouring down with rain would be a totally stupid one! A trip to Windsor however would not be complete without setting foot on the southern tip of Canada….
I promised that I would visit a château before leaving France, although not quite the one I had in mind, I can at least say that I kept my word. Today I visited a Fairytale Castle in the magical world of Disneyland Paris. Le Château de la belle du bois dormant, more simply known as Sleeping Beauty’s enchanted castle was the highlight of my day out (that, and the excellent company). Sadly, Mickey and I were not free at the…