The magic house, Conakry, Guinea, West Africa, c.1962. I’m sitting on the table, pondering the day’s next play. Little Sis walks down the stairs with her cast on her arm. Keep a safe distance lest she clubs you. The house may be long gone, the African village at the back has been replaced by rows…
Vincent Van Gogh arrived at Auvers-sur-Oise in May 1890. Nearly 130 years ago. Auvers is a small town, or a large village North of Paris. Long time friends of ours live 10 kms away. Our old house in Normandy was 20-25 kms away perhaps. Monet’s Giverny lies 30-40 kms to the West. One week-end we…
Gold. Copa de oro. Gold cup. This post is for our friends in the North, caught up in the drab and grey of winter rain, sleet or snow. Low light and endless nights. Hang in there. Colours will come back. Blue. Green. Orange. Cempazúchitl, flower for the Day of the Dead. Terracotta. Better safe than…
“Missed my bus.” Traveller 42. Boulevard Raspail, Paris, 2019. “I don’t care.” Traveller 43. Skull and tats. Jardin des Tuileries. Travellers 36 & 36A. Les Dimanches à Bamako. Traveller 44. See Amadou & Mariam below. Setting the micro wave oven remotely on defrost. ETA 20 minutes. Traveller 45. The mad hatter. Arc de triomphe du…
Tiger hunt with the Prince of Wales. c.1905. First row, 2nd from the left, holding a stick, Rao Scindia, Maharajah of Gwalior; dressed in a dark suit, the Prince of Wales, future King George V; last from right, with a colonial helmet under his arm, my great-uncle, Frank Onraet, Chief-of-staff of the Maharajah, and organizer…
