Hitching is apparently out of date, out of style and dangerous. I used to hitchhike a lot and recently I have been doing it again, and it’s liberating. Here are 10 reasons why I recommend it: (more…)
Tag: Scotland
Crisis? What crisis?
Something strange happened to me last week. I was at the recycling bins with my 7 year old son Luca (who likes to practice karate chops on chunks of polystyrene) when a garbage truck pulled over. Two fat guys got out, wandered over and helped us to load our Ikea waste into the containers. I couldn’t understand it, what on earth had got into them? I’m used to garbage men being morose and sarcastic, reluctantly moving the waste they’re hired to shift but never lifting a finger to do more. Why were they suddenly being helpful? Could it be because of the crisis? Are they afraid for their jobs? (more…)
What I found in Scotland
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.
Magical memories
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. (more…)