Author Archives: admin

BIRMINGHAM & the MIDLANDS With typical English countryside – green fields with hedgerows, black and white timbered houses, woodlands like Sherwood Forest, and stately homes – the Midlands has a long history of industrialization. Birmingham is Britain’s second-largest city and … Continue reading →

OXFORD & the COTSWOLDS Studded with gorgeous little villages with stone houses and churches, thatched roofs and ivy and rose-covered homes set amidst rolling green hills, this is a marvellous country to drive. Add the legendary university city of Oxford … Continue reading →

Overseas Visitors Pass. This pass gives free access to approximately 100 sites on the English Heritage List. It comes as either 9 days (54£ for two) or 16 days (64£ for two). Buy it online and activate it at any … Continue reading →

EUROTUNNEL (CHUNNEL). Travelling between Calais, France, and Folkstone, England, here is some advice on booking at eurotunnel.com. If it is not a busy time, don’t make a reservation and you can save a lot of money. I drove up at … Continue reading →

It was a 110 km drive from Chatham to my home for a week – Chertsey Camping and Caravanning Club Site in Sussex very near Heathrow Airport (SW of London). In the early evening, things went well and I smirked … Continue reading →

Normandy has played an outsized role in European history. It first came to fame with the Norman invasion of England in 1066. Normans were the ultimate war machine and controlled most of southern Spain, Italy, and Sicily in the 1300s. … Continue reading →

With its dramatic coastline and proud local culture (the Briton language related more to Welsh than any other Gaelic language gives most towns two spellings), Brittany has more natural sites than most other departments in France. GOLF DU MORBIHAN. Near … Continue reading →

French Drivers & Roads They are much calmer than the Italians: They drive slower and follow road rules. The fast lane (as in the autobahn and autostrada) still exists but speeds are lower. Vehicles in this lane always seem to … Continue reading →

The Atlantic   Sept 2018 by Kurt Andersen The nation’s current post-truth moment is the ultimate expression of mind-sets that have made America exceptional throughout its history. “You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own … Continue reading →

TOULOUSE & AREA This sunny corner of SW France is known for its food and wine, but it also has great art. I had an imposing day today (Mar 18): 2 Unesco sites, 2 wonderful cities to visit, and 9 … Continue reading →