The Aussie Way – Part 3
The longer I spend downunder the more I notice. I feel I have graduated a level in understanding Australian ways recently, as I have noticed more of the subtler differences in everyday life. Have you always wanted to be a fireman? Australia likes to think of itself as a land of opportunity and in the volunteering field it most certainly is. There is a vast array of activities carried out by volunteer teams, such as fire and rescue services, marine rescue, community event management and environmental activities are just a few. Compared to the UK where fewer organisations are operated by volunteers it gives people the opportunity to commit to…
Evil Eyes
You won’t be in Turkey long before you notice you are being watched. Large, mostly blue eyes hang from buildings, cars, above doorways, and feature in jewellery. These eyes are called ‘nazar boncuk’ in Turkish and are often referred to, rather misleadingly, as evil eyes. he evil eye is in fact a benevolent eye that wards off evil. Across the world it is widely believed that a look of the wrong kind from someone can bring bad luck, hence the phrase ‘to give someone the evil eye’. In Muslim society it is also strongly believed that evil looks bring injury or bad luck because, although it is believed that only…
Make the most of your holidays
Most people have limited ability to travel long-term due to their free time being severely restricted by having only four weeks of holiday each year. If you are one of them read on for hints on making the most of what holiday you have. Plan your trip around public holidays Don’t forget public holidays when planning your trips. Most countries have about six to ten public holidays each year, so if you add those to the 20 or so days that you are entitled to take from work that gives you more to play with. If you can time your trips around public holidays, it can mean taking six weeks…
Spend time in Fremantle Prison
Australia’s convict history is well known but did you also know that capital punishment was still in effect in Western Australia as recently as 1984? On a recent trip to Perth I thought I would investigate with a trip to Fremantle Prison. As first impressions go, Fremantle Prison does not disappoint. The striking gatehouse and perimeter walls, despite being built of what turned out to be rapidly deteriorating limestone (oops), give an impressively solid appearance. Those convicts who thought the journey from Britain was harsh had another thing coming. When they arrived in the blistering heat of the Swan River Colony (now Perth) in 1850 the first thing the prisoners…
Brittany’s rose granite coast
Who can resist France? If you’re not sure where to go, head to the north coast of Brittany. The magnificent coastline north of Lannion is scattered with pink granite rocks giving it the name ‘the rose granite coast’. Pink Granite Coast Between Perros-Guirec and Ploumanac’h runs an easy coastal track, from which the best views of the rose coastline are seen. There is also an impressive old house near the shore called the Chateau de Cosheares (pictured above) which was built in the nineteenth century and sits perfectly amidst the pink granite rock. Can’t be too convenient for the post man. A little further along the coast is the Pors…
Mother’s Day – the ultimate expat trap
Living overseas can be difficult for many reasons, but it can also be fraught with danger as I discovered this week when I almost fell into the ultimate expat trap: forgetting Mother’s Day. Despite the 9,000 miles distance currently between us, my mother and I normally communicate two or three times a week. She is often in my thoughts and there is no way that I would ignore Mother’s Day. For a start, I have a clear childhood memory of asking “Mum, why isn’t there a Children’s Day?” and her response “Every day is children’s day.” Point taken! Why all the dates? Most countries celebrate Mother’s Day and Father’s Day…
Tasty Tapas
Tapas is a staple offering in most bars in Spain. Traditionally tapas were simply nibbles and bar snacks, but nowadays they have become very popular internationally and virtually formed an entire cuisine. The Spanish eat dinner late, usually after 9pm. That is a long time to wait between meals, and so tapas were born! What is tapas? Tapas started out as a piece of cured meat or bread that was balanced on top of sherry glasses in order to keep fruit flies out of the sherry. Cured meat was salty, provoking the desire to drink, and once bar-owners cottoned-on to this there was no stopping them. Small servings of just…
Bosphorus Cruising
Istanbul life is lived around the Bosphorus which divides Europe from Asia. Control of this waterway has historically been fought over, but now offers a peaceful way to explore what can, at times, be a very hectic city. Cruising the Bosphorus and observing Istanbul from the water is one of my favourite things to do in this amazing city. It offers a unique nose into life along the Bosphorus and is something to definitely not miss. Ferries and cruises It is possible to get ferries north and south along the Bosphorus. It takes about 90 minutes to travel the length of the Bosphorus and for those ferries you simply buy…
Moustiers-Sainte-Marie
To the western end of the Gorge du Verdon in Provence and to the north of the Lac du Sainte-Croix lies the village of Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, which clings to a cliff and the town spills down from a church at the top. As you approach the village you would be forgiven for thinking you are stepping into a bible story as the village seems to depict a nativity scene. Moustiers-Sainte-Marie Church The Chapel de Notre Dame de Beauvoir was built in the twelfth century and is a short walk up from the back of town (or a very long and slippery scrabble if there is snow and ice about), but worth…
When do expats become locals?
A stranger stopped me in the supermarket yesterday and asked me “Are you a local?” I am English and currently living in Australia in a town where it is generally believed that you must stay at least ten years before you are considered a local. Having been here just under a year I wasn’t confident that ‘yes’ was the correct response. Remembering that I was in the supermarket that I visit weekly to restock the fridge though, I hazarded a ‘yes’. “Oh great,” he said “Can you tell me where they hide the bacon?” Of course I could, so to that extent at least, I am a local here. But…
