Images of Conisbrough Castle, Sheffield and York. August 2023. “Conisbrough Castle is a medieval fortification in Conisbrough, South Yorkshire. The castle was initially built in the 11th century by William de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey, after the Norman conquest of England in 1066. “Sheffield is a city in South Yorkshire, whose name derives from […]
Images of Vienna, Linz and Salzburg. April-June 2023. “Until the beginning of the 20th century, Vienna was the largest German-speaking city in the world, and before the splitting of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in World War I, the city had two million inhabitants. Today, it is the second-largest German-speaking city after Berlin. “Linz is the capital […]
Images of Budapest. June 2023. “The history of Budapest began when an early Celtic settlement transformed into the Roman town of Aquincum, the capital of Lower Pannonia. The Hungarians arrived in the territory in the late 9th century, but the area was pillaged by the Mongols in 1241–42. Re-established Buda became one of the centres […]
Images of Bratislava and Devin Castle. May 2023. “Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is set along the Danube River by the border with Austria and Hungary. It’s surrounded by vineyards and the Little Carpathian mountains, criss-crossed with forested hiking and cycling trails. The pedestrian-only, 18th-century old town is known for its lively bars and cafés. […]
It’s an anniversary to celebrate with this sixth album review. A brief summary of Power, Corruption & Lies by New Order. Review Number: 6Review Date: 29 May 2023 Album: Power, Corruption & LiesArtist: New OrderCountry: EnglandRelease Date: 1983Genres: Synth-Pop, New Wave “When a new life turns towards you, and the night becomes a day.” There […]
Images of Arashiyama, Nagoya, Otsu, Sendai, Sapporo, Wakkanai and Nemuro. March and April 2023. “Arashiyama is a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto.” It is famous for its bamboo grove. “Nagoya is the largest city in the Chūbu region, the fourth-most populous city and third most populous urban area in Japan. “Ōtsu is located […]
Images of Fukuoka, Kyoto and Tottori. February 2023. “Fukuoka is the sixth-largest city in Japan, the second-largest port city after Yokohama, and the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture. The city is built along the shores of Hakata Bay, and has been a centre of international commerce since ancient times. “Kyoto is the capital city of […]
Images of Osaka, Kobe and Takamatsu. January 2023. “Osaka had a population of 2.7 million in the 2020 census, it is also the largest component of the Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, which is the second-largest metropolitan area in Japan. Osaka means ‘large hill’ or ‘large slope’. It is unclear when this name gained prominence over Naniwa, […]
Images of Tokyo. November and December 2022. “Tokyo is the capital and most populous city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area (13,452 square kilometres or 5,194 square miles) is the most populous in the world. Tokyo serves as Japan’s economic centre and is the seat of both the Japanese government and the […]
History and science fiction took centre stage this time. This is my list of 45 books read and rated in 2022. (* Indicates it has been read before.) Five stars The Travels, Marco Polo, c. 1300 The History of the Kings of Britain, Geoffrey of Monmouth, c. 1136 The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and […]