New Year, new colours
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It's 2024 and while many people were enjoying the fireworks by the river last night, I choose a morning start to enjoy London's New Year parade. After 2 years hiatus it's becoming a regular fixtureRead more
It's 2024 and while many people were enjoying the fireworks by the river last night, I choose a morning start to enjoy London's New Year parade. After 2 years hiatus it's becoming a regular fixtureRead more
Airborne for the first time in 2024, I'm spending a fortnight in Santo Domingo. Not to be confused with Dominica, it's the Spanish-speaking part of Hispaniola island. Punta Cana is the only place withRead more
Punta Cana used to be cut off from the rest of the island but since the construction of new roads, getting around is now quite easy. A taxi ride to the bus station and a bus so air-conditioned that IRead more
Thanks to another good road, the 3-hour bus journey from the capital to the town on Samana is straightforward. Moving on isn't quite as easy: it's hard to work out where to get transport, until aRead more
A reversal of last week's trip (guagua, bus, taxi) takes me back to a few days in the capital. This time I'm right in the heart of things, in a classy hotel on Parque Colon and a prime view from theRead more
To my immense frustration, there have been no Sunday carnivals as the tourist guides had led me to believe. What does happen, on 27th February, is the annual Independence Day celebration. IndependenceRead more
This 1960s chart hit is often played to celebrate the London Marathon. It's got a carnival spirit that has returned to the streets in the spring, following closures for Covid. It's a lovelyRead more
(to paraphrase the famous no. 1 from the Animals, who came from here). Yes, I am in Newcastle and yes, the sun is in hiding. Not that it matters too much because there are plenty of indoor options. MyRead more
The land around Newcastle was disputed for centuries between England and Scotland, and there's a border feeling about this region. It's a great base for day excursions. Tynemouth and Whitley Bay areRead more