Not just a pic

The beautiful young boy, and do not forget his sister and mother who also drowned actually has a name:

This fine soldier whose heart must break

He too is  a father!

the eagles have landed

having left snow capped UK and passed through -8 in Incheon, the weary travellers did make it back...to be back here for a 41 degree today and 43 tomorrow!

Both churches are stinking!

Not laughing now

They have done well so far, but Sarah and Denes, are not laughing today. Having hoped to cross the ditch today by Eurostar they are stranded on the foreign side.

Stuck in Amsterdam airport waiting for a plane to London.

They have have, as I say, had success so far with their arrangements and I hope it won't be too long for them

Decisions, decisions.... I want it all

Necessary preparation for our forthcoming trip is the reading of books and magazines, and the endless delightful conversations with people about things to do.
It is now over twenty years ....well thirty actually...since I was in Europe, and I don't really remember a thing...or the things I do remember are very partial. The Pompidou Pyramid, for example, the London Eye didn't even exist.
And perhaps I am a little more expansive as a person and aware of all sorts of things that I didn't realise I could be aware of when I was in my 20s. Although, par exemple, I saw lots of visiual art my definitive art experience had not yet happened...which happened at a Monet exhbition in Melbourne probably 15 -20 years ago.So I know that one of the things I wan to do is try and see a few more water lilies, whether we get to Giverny remains to be seen.
But S and I also talked about whether or we should walk Scafell Pike...it would be unusual for us to do such a thing, can I still do it? (I have done it a number of times in my teens ...but these days I ache).
Every time we think about England we think of another thing to do. Althorp, Blenheim, The Old Vic. I even told my cousin the other day that we probably weren't going to stay with him..I feel guilty and I have thought of a way that we possibly can.
But we can go no further north than Edinburgh, but I would desperately love to go to Iona and the Hebrides
Then there is "The Unofficial Guide to Paris", and excellent book which we stumbled across which will keep us amused; nibbling cheese and croissants, walking the Left bank, doing little side trips, hunting out those Monets.
The truth is that I want it all, and there is too little: time, money, energy.
Thank goodness I have temporaily lost the Rome book!

Mea Culpa!

I found myself yesterday with a moment to spare(see here for an outline of yesterday), an hour to kill or what ever and did not resist temptation. I bought myself the Christmas present I was going to tell other people to buy me ---Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion.
This book, whilst glaringly flawed, is I think probably quite important. Like von Daniken's "Chariots of the gods"(but rather better) it is important because it is popular and will therefore reach an audience that will not necessarily be able to properly critique it. Because it deals with complexity both in religion and in science, few are equipped with the intellectual tools that enable them to weigh the arguments. People do have a lot of common sense though and if they read around it they will be able to have bash at weighing the arguments.
Dawkins' original premise is that religion should not be without scrutiny, and the special place afforded to religion throughout the world often means that it is not scrutinised where almost all other aspects of life are. I take his point and think it is rather a good one.
Though I am a convinced Christian I also think of myself as a sceptic, I do not accept everything simply because it is part of the package. And we say in the post-modern religious world (if that is not an oxymoron) that everything is provisional, and I mean everything and I live with that exciting dynamic.
I don't think Dawkins does. He is something of an anti-religious fundamentalist. That is, there is one truth and that truth is that religion is bad. Even when he is being vaguely tolerant (seldom) there is a strong undercurrent of thgis fundamentalism.
This has been exposed by others more competent than I, I notice Frank Brennan on the First Tuesday Book Club said much the same thing (only better). Not terribly scientific of Dr Dawkins, but good polemic.
I am enjoying it, becuase it is actually too light (like von Daninken) and therefore popular (which is good) but also inadequate (which is bad).
I will no doubt say more in the coming days. (I suspect it's the sort of book that I'll finish today!! because while frustrating and curious in parts it is easy and compelling reading-this too is both good and bad)
I will have to find myself another Christmas present....though I did hear news of a really, really big one last night from someone who loves me a whole lot.
Bloody hell! How will I top a European progress?