My virtual museum, cont’d…

Shanghai Li, member of the Red Lanterns triad. By Hugo Pratt (c). In “Corto Maltese in Siberia”. “Tercera llamada” (“Third call”). Ernesto Cabral. 1926. A talemnted Mexican artist, Cabral sketched those daring young ladies who threw away their mothers’ long dresses and long hair by the window. Quite “osé” in 1926. De Gaulle. By the…

Time Patrol. Afghanistan 1953

Kabul, 1953. Long before the many wars. My father Cyril was Air France General Manager in Pakistan. Karachi was the road to the Far East. Paris sent him to Kabul to investigate the possibility of opening a line to Afghanistan. My parents had lived in Pakistan for 6 years already. They spoke Urdu fluently. He…

A walking blast

“TEN-SHUN! Heels click. Hands slap the fatigues. Backs straighten up. Just look ahead to a far and distant horizon of glory. Wait for the orders. “AT EASE!” Relax a bit. Spread your legs. Clasp your hands behind your back. Wait. “Today we shall do an explosive drill.” The Adjudant says. An ‘Adjudant’ is a non-commissioned…

A tale of three cities

A Paris sky. The Eiffel tower as seen from the Trocadéro, across the Seine. Summer 2022 A gentleman from Punjab maybe? A restaurant somewhere in Marylebone, London. Chicken Tikka Masala was excellent. Brussels, at the Mont des arts. A monument to rectitude? No. The statues are called “Musique et chant”, Music and song. By Oscar…