Siem Reap, June 23, 1866. “Garnier is seriously ill. Caught the fevers again. Not doing too good myself. It has taken us longer than expected from Phnomh-Penh. The river, the jungle, the unbearable heat… are taking their toll on the expedition. Carné and Delaporte seem to be all right. They take this expedition as an…
Previously on “An unexpected trip”: my mother Renée has joined the French Air Force at the end of WWII. A captain orders her on a mysterious mission. They are to board a military plane, taking off from Paris, destination unknown. “And you took off?” I asked. “Just like that?” “Just like that.” My mother said.…
The photograph came in the post. In a manila envelope, with a note from my brother: “Here’s a picture of the family star. You’ve probably seen it before. I had it enlarged. Ask her the story behind it. I hope it lifts her spirits. Hugs. Richard.” My brother’s handwriting was as bad as usual. But…
This coming Sunday, a hundred or so heads of states will celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the end of WWI. The meeting will be in France. The war started in August 1914, and ended on November 11, 1918. An approximate 16-20 million died in the conflict. 1.4 Million French, 1.1 million “British Empire”… und so…
Some of you may remember a previous post of mine on a road in Singapore, named after my great-uncle, René Onraët. The family lore told of that road, of my uncle’s career as a police officer in the Straits settlements at the beginning of the 20th century. The above was sent to me by my…
