For some time now, I’ve been working diligently behind the scenes to secretly bring about a brave new global order. (I haven’t talked about it before now for hopefully obvious reasons). There will be many sweeping changes, and I look forward to discussing them with you – or, to be more specific, telling you about them in advance. For example, … Read More
Workin’ on the Chain: 16 Reasons We Need Bikes
It’s the British National Bike Week – and on Thursday, I’ll be attending the University of York Cycle Fair (PDF). Please excuse me while I enthuse wildly on this subject. A Matter Of Fact Remember those long summer holidays where you bronzed your limbs by cycling helter-skelter down country paths, enjoying the movement of the pit of your stomach when … Read More
Edinburgh, Back and Forth
Arthur’s Seat and Salisbury Crags, from Edinburgh Castle. Edinburgh Castle, from Salisbury Crags. Salisbury Crags and Edinburgh Castle, from Arthur’s Seat Edinburgh Tourist Board website All photos copyright M. Sowden 2009.
York: Remembering I’m Always In The Middle
March 23rd 2006 The river Ouse was, for a long time, the bloodstream of mercantile York. In Roman times it provided the means to transport bulk goods for the military (grain, for example, as seen in the remnants of beetle-infested Roman grain cellars along Coney Street). It allowed cost-effective transportation of raw and worked materials in and out of the … Read More
The Appeal Of Fallen Buildings
There’s a place that haunts my mind – and it’s in Belgium. Now, the less charitable among you may suggest that Belgium generally haunts everyone’s mind. Some Belgians feel this way. But this is probably unfair, even if it’s quite funny. Belgium has had a long and glorious history of being everyone’s favourite Shortcut To Somewhere Important, and it’s not … Read More
Travel Tip: Smapping
Whenever I go anywhere new, I keep an eye out for information boards, so I can smap them. Smapping is the process of taking a digital photograph of a map that you won’t have access to later, except if you take a snap of it. My first smap was of the Durham train station ‘You Are Here’ glass-encased map. Smapping … Read More