Monthly Archives: October 2014
“Terra incognita”, by Sara Wheeler, Vintage
Did you ever come across a travel book that you have to read only in tiny bites, small series of pages in order to prevent you from saying “Ah, sod it” and leave the bus-train-metro-sofa where you were reading it, airport-bound? … Continue reading
Posted in Books review, Overlooked locations, Reflections
Tagged Books, Books review, Sara Wheeler, South Pole, Terra Incognita, Travel literature
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Food for the road: rabbit legs and Vitelotte potatoes
A few days ago I left the Alpine Lys Valley, where I visited my friend Federico’s new business Paysage à Manger, with some kilos’ worth of potatoes of four different types, species that have been unavailable from our tables for … Continue reading
Posted in All things food, Europe, Food recipes, Italy
Tagged All things food, Food, Food for the road, potatoes, Rabbit, Recipe, Valle d'Aosta, Vallee d'Aoste, Vitelotte
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(Shameless advertisement) A new enhancement! A new page! Oooh!
…yes, much like those airlines that put up such a circus for having change their logo in the most imperceptible way (yes Cathay Pacific, I’m talking about you) I’m devolving a whole post to a rather minor change on this … Continue reading
Faithful London – Buddhapadipa Temple, Wimbledon
This is part 2 of my journey to discover if, and how, Londoners still practice religion. After visiting Chiswick’s Russian Orthodox Cathedral I made my way to Wimbledon where, hidden among the multi-million pound villas dotting the hill around the … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Faith, London, Random memories, UK
Tagged Buddha, Buddhapadipa Temple, Buddhism, Faith, Is faith alive in London?, London, Thai, UK, Wimbledon
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Postcards from Tokyo
“…we’ll wait a little for a signal to turn green before entering Earl’s Court station, apologies for the inconvenience” the voice on the tannoy said to a chorus of groans, moans and a choreography of rolling eyes. Framed in a … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Japan, Random memories, Tokyo
Tagged Asia, Japan, Megalopolis, Nostalgia, Postcards, Tokyo
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Food for the road: Maluns, Graubünden style
A few days ago I left the Alpine Lys Valley, where I visited my friend Federico’s new business Paysage à Manger, with some kilos’ worth of potatoes of four different types, species that have been unavailable from our tables for quite … Continue reading
Posted in All things food, Europe, Food recipes, Italy
Tagged Food, Food for the road, Graubünden, Lys, Maluns, Paysage a Manger, potatoes, Recipe, Valle d'Aosta, Walser, Weltwunder
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Faithful London – Russian Orthodox Cathedral, Chiswick
A few weeks ago I happened to be watching Simon Sebag Montefiore’s series of documentaries about Istanbul. What fascinated me, besides the undeniable beauty of that city, was how power – and religion – seemed to form the very fabric … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Faith, London, Russia, UK
Tagged Christianity, Church, Dormition, Faith, Holy Mother of God, Is faith alive in London?, London, Orthodox Church, Russia, Russian Orthodox Church Abroad London
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Back to the roots: the return of agriculture in the Alps
“We decided to grow potatoes because potatoes were the staple that fuelled the Alps’ demographic boom”, explains Federico, a hand gesture encircling the tiny field, no longer than half a football field, stretching on front of us. With hindsight, finding … Continue reading
Posted in All things food, Europe, Italy, Overlooked locations, Val d'Aosta
Tagged Agriculture, Alps, Coumarial, Fontainemore, Heritage, History, Italy, Lys, Mountains, Paysage a Manger, potatoes, Rediscovery, Valle d'Aosta, Vallee d'Aoste
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Granville Island Market, Vancouver
Immediately south of downtown Vancouver lies Granville Island. The fact that this is actually a peninsula gives me room to think that locals have a thing for giving the wrong names to places, a suspicion that is confirmed by the … Continue reading
Posted in All things food, Canada, Sea
Tagged Berries, British Columbia, Canada, False Creek, Food, Fruit, Granville Island, Market, Seagulls, Urban renovation, Vancouver, Vegetables
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“Shadow of the Silk Road”, by Colin Thubron
The first time I took this book in my hands I almost regretted buying it. Mind you, it was a cheap bargain at Turnham Green’s Oxfam branch, so at least I was sure that those £2.90 had not been wasted, … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Books review, Middle East, Overlooked locations, Turkey
Tagged Books review, China, Colin Thubron, Iran, Mashhad, Shadow of the Silk Road, Uzbekistan, Xi'an
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