Monthly Archives: October 2013

It was hot. And dark. And – unless you enjoy clanging discordant pentatonic music – noisy. It was almost time for the evening performance at the Mandalay Marionettes Theatre. As we filed into the tiny space, a small band played Burmese classics to welcome us. Yoke Thay, traditional Myanmar puppet theatre, dates back several centuries. It was entertainment, held […]

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There is something special about whales. Granted, except for trips to the Vancouver Aquarium many, many, years ago,  I’ve only ever seen bits of whales – a dorsal or a tail or a flipper – as most of their huge bodies stay submerged. I’m still waiting to see a whale breach; I’ve seen some magnificent photos, but when […]

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Our private tour bus pulled over on a nondescript patch of road, somewhere between Mandalay and Pyin Oo Lwin. It seemed a quiet spot, with broken-down-looking vehicles parked at the side, and bamboo shop-fronts sitting back from the earthen verge. Ten photographic-tour participants, photographer Karl Grobl and Burmese guide Mr MM piled out of the vehicle, and […]

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(Double click for: The Two William Davies: The Rolling Waves, with Ciara O’Sullivan on harp) You can’t visit Ireland without partaking of at least one Medieval Castle Banquet – or so the travel books and agents would have you believe! I’m not a huge fan of theme parks, but every so often it is nice […]

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It is spring in Australia; has been, officially, since the first of September – even though the mercury might disagree. I’ve been asked, from time to time, what the weather is like “Down Under” – I guess by people who haven’t looked at a map or globe recently. After all, the great southern land reaches well into […]

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