The terrible war in Gaza is taking place as I write with yet another cease fire ending with ceaseless fire. My question to myself is what is it not to take a position against Israel despite the clear case for one. Although the case is clear and there is a strong popular voice to support …
Author archives: pasdelasbas
the beginning of the end
I found a mechanic to repair the brakes on a couple of the bikes we have with us on this extended visit to France. The man running the shop in Marignane was born in Brittany, near Rennes. He’d been living in Paris until 1969 when he moved down south following his father’s work. “You’re a …
Junior Ethnography
Kaius has accompanied me a few times for an early morning visit to a bar/café where I’ve had coffee and he hot chocolate. This morning we were sitting at a table inside a bar in Ensues La Redonne and Kai pointed this out to me: Dad, every time we’ve gone into a bar there have …
the free mediterranean
So we are staying in a villa in the commune of Ensues La Redonne which lies 10 miles to the south-west of Marseille on a stretch of coast known as the Blue Coast. The Coast forms part of an area known as Les Calenques, the more famous area carrying that name lies south and south-east …
local object biographies and the Queen’s Scout
Patrick Duggan died several weeks ago now. For a variety of reasons I have taken on the task of boxing up items in the house which are not wanted by either of his cousins know by the Scout Association. I have found this tiring and taxing emotionally. Patrick is not my family and I know …
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they are their country
18 July 2014 Queens Road neighbourhood centre Halifax Carl and I drove up to Halifax. I set my phone to satnav and followed the instructions and as we drove up Hopwood Lane we began to see Roma Halifax people walking down the road’s and side streets. Halifax is an impressive town when approached from the …
A38 and A1
A note to posterity. I’ve been planning a journey up and down the A1 with Carl – taking photos and talking to people about service stations. I also want to follow the route of the A38 a road I see criss crossing the Sheffield to the SW route.
st martins chapel – wells
Yesterday eveving I attended Evensong at Wells Cathedral. I had gone assuming that it would be a sung Evensong but found myself in St Martins Chapel amongst a small group of worshippers with the Book of Common Prayer in my hands. I experience formalised worship like this as something akin to those little wisdom expressions …
Le Tour & weaving biographies
The Tour de France has just passed through Sheffield. There must be an enormous amount of writing concerning different ways that this race affects people and places. Over the two days the tour was in Yorkshire they estimate 2 ½ million people were out watching it. The tour is always followed by helicopters which give …
letter to a dying friend
No need for reply dearest Richard – it is me that needs to write. I think about death quite a lot. Since being with my much adored mother through her death – life changed for me. Before reading your post I saw a woman I know a little this morning. Our eyes met and in …