Category: AWAY FROM THE DESK
-
Getting about Spring 2023
I’ve never really had much of a fixed pattern, I go through phases where I rarely leave the house and others where I’m rarely there. Spring 2023 has been a period of getting around for various reasons. Here’s pics from a few of my stops including King’s Lynn, Oxford, Bedford and Bewdley (also Glasgow and…
-
Sibelius, Prokofiev, Stravinsky and a world premier of a contemporary composer
One of the best things about classical music concerts is that the star attraction is often upstaged by someone that you’re less familiar with. I attended to see Sibelius symphony 5 performed live. It was astonishing, and yet it was given a run for it’s money by two other performances on the schedule: the world…
-
Cadbury’s World (16th December 2022)
Another festive treat, it’s only half a mile away from work but I’ve never been until now. There’s no such things as a British-born boy not loving Cadburys. Don’t get me wrong I have broad tastes but no other confectionary maker has the same nostalgia power as Cadbury, which has its origins in Birmingham. It’s…
-
Four Seasons
Guess what? I’ve been busy, too busy to post on here lately so I’m doing some catching up. On the last weekend of November I went to see Vivaldi’s Four Seasons by candlelight at Symphony Hall, Birmingham. It was so much better than I expected, I’ll definitely go again next year.
-
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games
There’s not much I can add in terms of superlatives, it was an incredible event and I’m super proud of how the city I’ve made home hosted this festival of sport. Only world class planning and organisation could have made such a huge occasion go off without a hitch. If nothing else, it shows there…
-
Summer Trip Day #3 – Bridlington & Flamborough
First and only nice weather of a 5-day round trip, although I got sun burn so it probably wasn’t a good thing! 😦 Bridlington was nonetheless flattered by the warm blue skies, and as much as I don’t like children it harked back to my own childhood to see them enjoying the traditional seaside pleasure…
-
Summer Trip Day #1 – Whitby
Torrential rain aside it was a great experience! Having never visited and heard so much, it was nice to explore come rain or shine. Great shops, fish and chips, cobbled streets and picture postcard Yorkshire vistas. Oh, there’s a medieval abbey too, an inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula so I’m told.
-
Liverpool
I was too busy at the time to post about my trip to the north-west, specifically Liverpool and Chester. I hadn’t visited the former for 20 years and have never visited the latter. The centre of Liverpool is changed almost beyond recognition, and I genuinely loved the juxtaposition of old and new (although UNESCO does…
-
Red Hot Chili Peppers
It took me 20 years but I finally got round to seeing the Red Hot Chili Peppers, having got into their music during my sky dive days when they were blasted out at Langar airbase throughout hot summers. What else would you pick? It’s the quintessential sound of clear blue skies and Bermuda shorts. Loved…
-
Medieval Ludlow (Weds 22nd December 2021)
Whilst only an hour down the road it was my first visit. Definitely worth it.
Dr Martin James 