Birmingham

Birmingham England (which Birmingham Alabama named itself after in 1871, in frank and acknowledged flattery) is the 18th century’s version … Continue reading Birmingham

Birmingham, Christmas Markets, Dlavery, religion, Travel

Celebration

I was in Birmingham two weeks ago, and that’s where I stumbled across the spirit of Christmas, not at the … Continue reading Celebration

Bristol, Travel

St. Peter’s

If you look carefully at this photograph of St. Peter’s Church, Bristol’s first church, who’s foundations date to 1106, with … Continue reading St. Peter’s

Bristol, Cars, Travel

Traffic

You can only see 8 of them here but there are sixteen traffic lights at this intersection and they all … Continue reading Traffic

Bristol, Export, Travel, Weather

Solstice

It is December 21st, the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year and the beginning of winter and as … Continue reading Solstice

Bristol, Dlavery

Slavers

300 ships sailed from Bristol as part of the slave trade in the 17th and 18th centuries, hundreds more from … Continue reading Slavers

Birmingham, Christmas Markets, Frankfurt, Travel

Invasion

The Germans have invaded Birmingham, England’s second largest city. Don’t panic! They were invited, as they have been every year … Continue reading Invasion

Iceland, Travel

Skuli loves purple

Skuli Morgensen loves purple. His airplanes are purple, and his flight attendants wear purple dresses, purple scarves, purple hats. His … Continue reading Skuli loves purple

Bristol, Export, Travel

Illegal eggs

Has anyone told Nigel Farage that it’s illegal to sell British eggs in the US? And that negotiating trade deals … Continue reading Illegal eggs

Bristol, Travel

Jesus Circus

Ah, the sublimely inescapably inspiring architecture of churches. Even to a non-religious person like myself, there is majesty, serenity, grandeur … Continue reading Jesus Circus

Bristol, Travel

Past glories

The four massive electric dockside cranes on display in Bristol are the last operable dockside cranes of their type in … Continue reading Past glories

Bristol, Travel

Unintended consequences: The (updated) Tale of Squirrel Nutkin.

The latest environmental concern here, and one some scientists are escalating to “high alert”, has nothing to do with the … Continue reading Unintended consequences: The (updated) Tale of Squirrel Nutkin.