Tag: Travel

#ScenicSaturday 30th September 2023

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Nature, Photography14 Comments

My photos in this continuing series show our beautiful world. Maybe I can encourage viewers to help save it from human carelessness. Today I give you a shot taken on Lake Maggiore in Italy in September 2018, when we celebrated our 30th Wedding Anniversary. We’d booked our tickets for the voyage at the office in …

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Gliding Into the 70s

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Photography11 Comments

A Towing Plane Lifts a Glider Into the Sky Last year, we celebrated Valerie’s birthday with a hot air balloon flight launched from Bath. This year, she wanted to try gliding. I’d flown with the RAF (only 55 years ago, so the memory’s still quite strong), so made the event entirely for her. I searched …

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She Seduced Me, by Mark Tedesco: #BookReview.

On By stuartakenIn Author, Book, Creative Writer, opinion, Reading, Review12 Comments

Subtitled ‘A Love Affair with Rome’, this short guide to the eternal city is a very personal view of a place very popular with tourists. Having visited as part of a short tour of Italy in September 2018, I was willing to read the book, which was sent to me by the author.I’m sure this …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 28/Feb/22

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Nature, opinion, Photography11 Comments

Another month closes, ending the meteorological winter of the UK and summoning the sunshine of the coming spring. A welcome change following a time of necessary restriction, incompetent governance, divisive political moves, and threats of war.So I give you a picture of hope for better weather, better places, better times to come. The sunset here …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 16/Feb/22

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Nature, Photography10 Comments

The day held a surprise, a destination neither of us expected to see during our stay. It began with our enquiry at the ticket office for the various boats that tour Lake Maggiore in northern Italy. Our Italian was basic. The lady issuing tickets spoke barely a word of English. But we were confident enough …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 15/Feb/22

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Nature, Photography4 Comments

‘I should warn you, you’re standing in what’s probably the most dangerous spot on Earth’, so said the tour guide we’d followed, with a small group of other tourists, to the emerging caldera of the reforming volcano at Santorini. She went on to tell us the fumarole a few yards distant was issuing at least …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 14/Feb/22

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Photography9 Comments

Heady days under the sun, balmy evening walks to local tavernas, and pleasant meanderings back to the adults only hotel. Those were the days! Looks like overseas holidays are no longer a simple road to ‘get away from it all’ considering the combined barriers caused by Covid and climate change. But, with the most moronic …

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#Words and #PictureOfTheDay: 07/Feb/22

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Nature, Photography17 Comments

Malham Cove, a 300-foot-high limestone cliff, remnant of an Ice Age waterfall, is a magnet for walkers, climbers, and artists. The beck, all that remains of the once powerful river, has sunk underground and now emerges as a small stream from the base of the cliff. We walked the well-marked route from the village and …

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Poem and #PictureOfTheDay: 06/Feb/22

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Photography, Poetry7 Comments

So many tourist feet stepon the coast at St Tropezso few eyes rest on thefaded walls of its Citadellecaptured instead bypossible sights ofthose strange beingscalled celebrities *****………………………….*****Some of my pictures appear in the Gallery.But, if you want images to decorate your home or office, use in calendars, greetings cards, jigsaws, advertising, or anything else you …

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#PictureOfTheDay and #writingprompt: 28/Nov/21

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Nature, Photography7 Comments

Pictures to inspire words and images. Perhaps a poem, painting, story, play, novel, drawing, memoire, essay, sculpture, or a new photograph? Up to you. Or just enjoy the pictures. My images are untitled to avoid direction. But, if you want it, the title, not always helpful, is here. Using the prompt? Post a link to …

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#PictureOfTheDay and #writingprompt: 17/Nov/21

On By stuartakenIn Author, Creative Writer, Nature, Photography6 Comments

Pictures to inspire words and images. Perhaps a poem, painting, story, play, novel, drawing, memoire, essay, sculpture, or a new photograph? Up to you. Or just enjoy the pictures. My images are untitled to avoid direction. But, if you want it, the title, not always helpful, is here. Using the prompt? Post a link to …

Continue reading #PictureOfTheDay and #writingprompt: 17/Nov/21