Eskişehir, Türkiye Sunday 21 April 2024 “In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.” (John Muir) Above: John Muir John Muir (21 April 1838 – 1914), also known as “John of the Mountains” and “Father of the National Parks“, was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, botanist, zoologist, glaciologist, and early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States. His… Continue reading Just a little Muir
Tag: literature
An unknown country
Eskişehir, Türkiye 20 April 2024 “What sort of diary should I like mine to be? Something loose knot and yet not slovenly, so elastic that it will embrace anything, solemn, slight or beautiful that comes into my mind. I should like it to resemble some deep old desk or capacious hold-all, in which one flings… Continue reading An unknown country
The Ministry of Story
Barlinnie Prison, Glasgow, Scotland 17 April 1976 “I thought of the beautiful cool evening, how I long to be walking in it outside this cell. All of this took place while I sat in the semi-dark reading a book. The thoughts on freedom were only momentary but so powerful that they seem to tear my… Continue reading The Ministry of Story
The magic of serendipity
Eskişehir, Türkiye Sunday 24 March 2024 “We are now at the 24th of March 1856 and from this point of time, my journal, let us renew our daily intercourse without looking back. Looking back was not intended by nature, evidently, from the fact that our eyes are in our faces and not in our hind… Continue reading The magic of serendipity
Canada Slim and the Invention of the Clear Day
Landschlacht, Switzerland, Monday 6 July 2020 Let there be no doubt: My souvenir book loves Porto. Above from the top left corner clockwise: Clérigos Church and Tower; Avenida dos Aliados; Casa da Música concert hall; Ribeira district; Avenida da Boavista business hub; Luiz I bridge and Porto from Vila Nova de Gaia “The… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Invention of the Clear Day
Canada Slim and the Harry Potter Fado
Landschlacht, Switzerland, Friday 11 October 2019 As you read what follows…. Download a fado piece. Portugal’s most famous musical form, fado (Portuguese for “fate“) is urban music, of night and bars, of a yearning that is beautiful and melancholic, accompanied by guitarra and viola. Above: Fado, José Malhoa (1910) To the south, fado… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Harry Potter Fado
Canada Slim and the Museum of Innocence
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 19 August 2018 It has been ages since I have written about Turkey, but those who know me are aware that there are both many things I adore about this bridge between Asia and Europe and many things I abhor. Of the little exploration I have done in this great republic (the Turquoise… Continue reading Canada Slim and the Museum of Innocence
Canadian home sickness and the Excited States of America
As a Canadian resident in Switzerland there are many things I miss about life in Canada: I miss old friends and family. I miss the magnificent splendour of my home and native land. And I miss small things too: Food like Habitant pea soup, poutine, tourtiere, Canadian breakfast, perogies, microwave dinners, beavertails… Comedians like Lorne… Continue reading Canadian home sickness and the Excited States of America
The past and other foreign countries
Much to my wife´s endless despair and frustration my personal library of books, DVDs and music keeps growing and expanding in our apartment, but this is one issue between us that I have difficulty apologizing for! I know that books, films and music can be easily downloaded onto our electronic gadgets, (what Ute would prefer… Continue reading The past and other foreign countries
Chasing waterfalls
Day Three of the Four Points Walk, Saturday 4 July 2015 Bernard Levin, widely regarded as one of the greatest journalists of his generation , in his book/Channel 4 series To the end of the Rhine, calls the Rhine “Europe’s noblest river”. The Rhine is not Europe’s longest river. That title belongs to the Volga.… Continue reading Chasing waterfalls