Category Archives: Local Culture

Happiness is Eating Together

Posted on June 21, 2018 by

Mere moments after we landed in the Philippines, I was invited to join the Antipodean team for the International Food Fair held annually at the boys school. For several years we churned out pies and pasties, Vegemite sandwiches and lamingtons … Continue reading →

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Echternach Spring Parade

Posted on May 22, 2018 by

After an exceptionally long winter that dragged on into April, May burst forth with enough vigour to drench the countryside with a top coat of pollen that looked like a layer of golden muslin. Now, the countryside is lush and … Continue reading →

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Bibliomania

Posted on October 30, 2017 by

“It borrows, it steals, it assimilates what words it pleases from all points of the compass…” ~ Charles MacKay on the English language. Bibliomaniac. Isn’t it a wonderful word? I found it in a book called ‘Forgotten English’ by Jeffrey … Continue reading →

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Compare & Contrast

Posted on September 30, 2017 by

Nine months ago, we packed our bags and too many boxes, and headed out to Ninoy Aquino International Airport for the last time. It was six years and a matter of days since I had first arrived in the Philippines. … Continue reading →

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A Fairy Tale Chateau

Posted on May 19, 2017 by

After two days of summer heat and glorious sunshine, Luxembourg has returned to winter drizzle and scuppered any thoughts of an expedition into the countryside. I had forgotten the unpredictability of European weather after years in the Philippines. Were the … Continue reading →

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Consider the Teapot

Posted on March 26, 2017 by

  “Yes, that’s it! Said the Hatter with a sigh, “it’s always tea time.” ` Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland Consider the teapot: a vessel with spout and handle for making and serving tea. It may be tall and silver-stately … Continue reading →

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Landing in Luxembourg

Posted on January 26, 2017 by

As we flew over Luxembourg last week, we were thrilled to observe that the countryside had been lightly dusted with snow.  I was reminded, inconsequentially, of that classic Aussie film ‘The Castle’ and Sal’s dab hand with the icing sugar. As we pulled … Continue reading →

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A Stitch in Time

Posted on November 3, 2016 by

Daniel Radcliffe reputedly stated that he is not clumsy, just accident prone, but it sounds to me like he is simply quibbling with semantics. Call it what you will, I too am klutzy, clumsy, uncoordinated and monumentally accident prone, often butterfingered or … Continue reading →

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Imelda:The People’s Princess

Posted on August 20, 2016 by

“Filipinos want beauty. I have to look beautiful so that the poor Filipinos will have a star to look at from their slums.”  ~Imelda Marcos Imelda Marcos, the iconic First Lady of the Philippines for twenty years, with her infamous … Continue reading →

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Food for Thought

Posted on August 5, 2016 by

One of my favourite British TV shows is ‘Lost in Austen,’ a miniseries based on the premise that a 21st century anti-heroine suddenly finds herself in the middle of the plot of ‘Pride & Prejudice,’ filling in for a missing … Continue reading →

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