Balinese Gamelan Ensemble Rehearsal
While walking in Seminyak, Bali, one evening I heard the strains of a gamelan ensemble. I quickly located them, practising in their temple and stood close to the stage to watch them for a half an hour or so. When they took a break, their leader came over to me and explained that they were preparing […]
Colourful Preparations for a Balinese Temple Celebration
Earlier this year, I took an early morning walk around the back streets of Seminyak in Bali, when I came across a temple I had passed and photographed several times before. Although well before nine a.m., there were several people busy decorating the building and laying tables inside. Unfortunately, I did not have a sarong […]
The Roman Ruins of Volubilis, Morocco
Before visiting Morocco in May 2016, I had not heard of Volubilis, a partially-excavated Berber and Roman city in Morocco situated near Meknès, between Fès and Rabat. It is believed to be the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauritania. In addition to being an interesting visit in its own right, the journey to Volubilis, whether from Fès or […]
Jimbaran Fishing Village, Bali
If you ever have the pleasure of visiting Bali and enjoy eating fresh fish, Jimbaran, just a few miles south of the airport, is the place to visit. Enjoying an exquisite, leisurely meal at one of several restaurants, ideally at a table laid out on the beach, is not the only pleasure. The colourful fishing […]
June 2016: Suffolk Show
The Suffolk Show is always enjoyable, whatever the weather, for its mixture of animals in competition, colourful machinery, food, flowers and fashion, as well as a whole range of other agricultural and domestic products and services on sale. The livestock competitions generally start well-organised, as is the case with the Percherons, above. The heavy horses have […]
Cremation Ceremony for a Balinese Prince
I arrived in Ubud, Bali, on Sunday 8th May having learnt that a public cremation procession and ceremony was taking place for a royal prince, Cokorda Putra Widura, who had recently died young from an asthma attack. Preparations had been under way for several days; the procession was scheduled to depart from the Royal Palace […]
May 2016: Fox Cubs, Little Baddow
I took a break from writing to walk in the late afternoon sunshine. I am fortunate to live in a small village surrounded by countryside, including a large expanse of National Trust woodland. After leaving the minor road to take the lane into the woods, I noticed the young fox, above, about twenty metres away, […]
Chaouwara Tanneries, Fès el-Bali Medina, Morocco
The Chaouwara (or Chaoura) tanneries in the ancient medina of Fès should be near the top of any traveller to Morocco's list of places to visit. The medina is a UNESCO World Heritage sight and is considered one of the most extensive and best conserved historic towns of the Arab-Muslim world. The tanneries date back to the […]