Doing the Iconic Crossing at Abbey Road, London. May 2019. It’s strange to think that I was forty one years old by the time I finally got round to visiting Abbey Road. As a lifelong Beatles fan, it really shouldn’t have taken me so long. Especially when one considers that for decades the place was […]
Read MoreYoung Vegans Pie Shop. May 2019. I’ve always been a committed meat eater, for the most part. I do like me a bit of chicken, some crispy pork, a delicious steak, cooked medium rare if you will. When I was in Beijing I went crazy for duck, while take me to a Lebanese restaurant and […]
Read MoreRock ‘n’ Roll Rescue, Camden Town, London. May 2019. One of my favourite things about Camden Town is browsing the various record shops. Back in my pre-digital nomad days I was quite the record collector. I had over a thousand albums, shelves of music books and a precious collection of programs, tickets and memorabilia from […]
Read MoreBlack Gull Books, Camden Town, London. May 2019. There’s something about Camden Town that feels good for the soul. In fact, whenever I’m back in London, to Camden I come. Partly because of all the second hand record stores and live music spots. But also to browse its independent bookshops. Places that take me back […]
Read MoreCool Spots Around Tooting Bec, London. Following my individual articles on Tooting Bec Common, Dee Light Bakery and Richard’s Kitchen, here’s a roundup of my favourite spots from across Tooting Bec, South London. In terms of tourist attractions there’s little, if anything, to draw overseas visitors to the London neighbourhood of Tooting Bec. Moreover, it’s a pocket […]
Read MoreRichard’s Kitchen, Tooting Bec, London. May 2019. It was a sleepy afternoon in Tooting Bec and Henry and I were in the mood for a Sunday Roast. In fact, I hadn’t had an English roast in over two years! As good as the food is in China, they’re not so shit hot when it comes […]
Read MoreDee Light Bakery, Tooting Bec, London. May 2019. Boy have I had some fun over the years exploring the rich cafe scene of London’s Tooting Bec neighbourhood. Over the course of my many stays in South London, I’ve seen the range of coffee shops mushroom; the crown of favourite passing from head to head on several […]
Read MoreTooting Bec Common, London. May 2019. There’s always something comforting about turning the corner onto Elmbourne Road and catching those first green flushes of Tooting Bec Common. After all, this beautiful city park has become a symbol of my London home. Not that I stay on the common itself under a tree, I should hasten […]
Read MoreCool Spots Around Hanoi. April 2018. Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to read my eight feature length articles from the Vietnamese capital. Now, wrapping the series up, here’s the best of the rest with some Cool Spots Around Hanoi. If you’ve only got time for one of Hanoi’s three lakes, it simply has […]
Read MoreHanoi Train Street. April 2018. I was starting to think that I would never find Hanoi Train Street. With no official listing on any online map app, I’d been relying on written directions from a blog article. Directions that turned out be… if I’m charitable… patchy. And so unfolded a frustrating hour of walking around […]
Read MoreTemple of Literature. Hanoi, Vietnam. April 2018. No matter where I go, I aways seem to bump into my old buddy Confucius. Indeed I’ve been to perhaps a dozen temples across the world dedicated to the famous philosopher. I’ve also photographed statues of the celebrated old sage in Thailand. And visited Hyanggyo School, constructed in his […]
Read MoreThang Long Water Puppet Theatre. Hanoi, Vietnam. Cover photo courtesy of Jean-Pierre Dalbéra. April 2018. I’d never seen a water puppet performance before. In fact, I hadn’t been aware it was even a thing until I started planning my trip to Vietnam. The more I read, the more I realised seeing a water puppet show […]
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