In Romania, as in every country, there are stereotypes about which places are worth visiting. If I tell people I am from Scotland many say they would love to visit Edinburgh but it is rare you hear people saying they want to see Glasgow, which is a more interesting city in many ways. When I travelled round India (20 years ago) everyone said I should avoid Calcutta (now Kalkota) as it is just a vast sprawling slum full of insolent Bengalis. But I found it to be the most compelling place in India. Continue reading
Category Archives: All articles
Travelling through Kitsch
Posted on: April 15, 2009
A game of monopoly
Posted on: April 2, 2009
It came in a shiny tin box for Christmas. The Romanian version, with credit cards instead of cash.
There were four of us: me and Alina; Lara, who is 9, and Luca who is 6.
We laid the board out on the floor of the kids bedroom, which is a bit cramped. But we were enthusiastic, especially Luca whose only aim in life is to play, and we had the whole weekend ahead.
The game dragged on and on. Hours passed before anyone won a street, without which you can’t sting people for rent. Avoiding bankruptcy was a constant struggle. I became irritable and annoying. Continue reading
What I found in Scotland
Posted on: March 13, 2009
Click here to see Rupert’s photos of Edinburgh
When I went to Edinburgh recently I expected to see high street shops selling off their stocks at huge discounts and “everything must go” signs. But I was surprised to find that it looked like “business as usual” and I didn’t see any boarded up windows, stray dogs, rubbish blowing down the streets or any other signs that capitalism had failed. My plan of getting a cheap jacket from a collapsing retail giant were foiled.
Our economy is based on shopping
Posted on: February 9, 2009
One benefit of the current economic crisis is that financial news is now interesting; we’re all trying to find out why our banking system crashed and why the whole system is so vulnerable (at least I am). Until recently I would rarely read an article about business but now it’s like reading adventure stories.
Eventually I worked out my own theory of what is wrong with our economic system. The key word in understanding the crisis is leverage. Continue reading
Magical memories
Posted on: February 5, 2009
On the one hand my credentials for writing about magic would appear to be good: I come from Scotland, a country which promotes itself as a land of mystery, magic and legend. On the other hand Scotland’s claim to be some sort of home to ancient magic is based on big marketing budgets rather than reality, as Scotland’s witches were burned and drowned and our legends were suppressed for generations. Many Scots would blame this (as well as their other problems) on the English, but who are we to complain considering that it was us who destroyed the Celts and totally eradicated the Picts. Continue reading
How to get a grant
Posted on: January 26, 2009
When I was in Montenegro recently I checked into a small guest house and asked if they had internet. “Of course we do” boomed the big cheery lady who runs the place, but when I tried to get online it didn’t work. I asked for help and she went to fetch the Siberian who was living with his wife on the floor below. “He knows English” she cried as she hurried down the frozen stone steps.
A small, alert and friendly young man came in and tried to help me connect. But it still didn’t work, and we ended up on the outside terrace which was the only place (apart from his room) where the wireless signal actually did work. We sat there for hours, despite the rain and cold, and I learned about Siberia. Continue reading
The Balkans by Train
Posted on: January 13, 2009
In my view the best way to travel in Eastern Europe is by train. It is cheap, interesting and relaxing. But why, you might be wondering, would anyone want to travel across the Balkans in the winter, especially such a cold one as this? My mission was to sign a piece of paper in Podgorica, the capital of Montenegro. The job itself took about 20 minutes, most of which was spent hanging around, but getting there took me two nights on a sleeper train and getting back another two nights. I got the train from Bucharest to Bar, via Belgrade. Continue reading
SE Europe gas crisis is a timely warning: move to renewables or freeze
Posted on: January 9, 2009
We should be grateful to the Russians and Ukranians for the warning that central Asian gas supplies are insecure. We must heed the warning and start moving more urgently to renewable sources of energy, as this is the only way for the EU to have energy independence. The Kiev – Moscow row about gas bills has been going on for years and is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon.
As passive consumers of Central Asian gas all we can do is understand the situation, learn from this crisis and start investing in alternative sources of energy. We must not take for granted a regular supply of gas. Interruptions will become increasingly common, if only because the investments are not being made in new production and transport infrastructure. The recent Continue reading
Romania’s antique army
Posted on: December 15, 2008
When I saw Romania’s army marching through Bucharest last week it struck me how out of date Romania’s military is. The brass band music and gendarme uniforms are from nineteenth century France, the authoritarian voice-over and elderly commanders are from Soviet Russia, and the 50 ton tanks are WW2. None of it is useful against modern day threats.
An out of date army is designed to resist territorial invasion whereas a modern army is a flexible unit which can respond immediately to unknown threats. Unfortunately Continue reading
Seminars suck
Continue reading →