Berna Cox finds her sea legs on a recent trip to Scotland and finds that a ‘little white lie’ can sometimes work for the greater good. My grandmother, bless her, was a great woman for sayings. She had one to fit every situation. But, what fascinated me was how these wise adages often contradicted each [...]
Dante’s 14th Century Divine Comedy, given the title ‘Divine’ by Giovanni Boccaccio, describes many of the tortures that will be inflicted on us doctors (I’m excluding surgeons here) once we die and descend to Hell. I have been there. Anybody who, in July, has been, to the Venice Biennale, the oldest Art Show in Europe, [...]
For all of those generous people who sponsored me to do the Camino de Santiago walk for Multiple Sclerosis Ireland, I must say a heartfelt “Thank you“. It was an amazing experience and one I would recommend, if you can make the time. h4. Fit 80-year-old One of our group of 57 walkers, was aged [...]
The beautiful Gothic city of Siena, Italy, as well as its inhabitants, are probably best understood through the Palio. Twice each summer in July and August, this popular festival takes place in the city’s central campo. Most of the thousands of visitors who fill the shell-shaped campo assume that this is merely a bareback horse-race. [...]
No matter how insensitive you are to the climate nobody could escape a feeling of depression after the relentless rain and grey skies of June in Ireland. I don’t know if the Romans were the first to recognise the pleasure of retiring to the countryside for a break but as Quintus Horatius Flaccus, known to [...]
In ancient Syria they buried their dead with tears from their loved one sealed in a jar. It seemed the ultimate romantic gesture, in contrast to the more prosaic Egyptians who preferred their gold. The warmth of the Syrians is one of the best things about travelling in the country. All in stark contrast to [...]
How do you feel about Glasgow?” she asked. “I don’t know,” I replied. “I’ve never been there.” There was a pause. Both of us couldn’t believe it. She is the nice lady in the Visit Britain office in Dublin and I am the person who believes that Scotland is in my soul. And I’ve never [...]
I almost missed it- the little white cottage concealed by the trees, with the sign on the red gate, asking visitors, in German, to respect the privacy of the artists. I drove about a 100 yards past the house before the German registered, then I slammed on the brakes and reversed back up the hill. [...]
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