Stories from travels in

Mary Murphy

2013 Grateful 11

When I arrived in Budapest all those years ago, with two suitcases, two framed pictures, and an assortment of mental and emotional baggage, Keleti Station

Alienating tourists

There’s a small part of me that has the makings of a conspiracy theorist. I have what I like to think of as a healthy

The calmness explained

In 1963 this drug was released and became astonishingly popular: between 1969 and 1982 it was the most prescribed drug in America, with over 2.3

When the wheel stops turning

What if I were to build a house in the middle of nowhere … would people come and be my neighbours? How long would it

The Bliss of Solitude

My short-term memory is worsening by the day. My long-term memory isn’t much better. I find myself having vague recollections of events and conversations rather

Something about Szeged

In Szeged last weekend for Porgy and Bess, I was followed by a feeling of disquiet the whole time I was there. It was as

It ain’t necessarily so

How I had lived this long and not seen Porgy and Bess is beyond me. Summertime is one of my favourite songs but I had

A convent-like experience in Oslo

Finding accommodation in Oslo isn’t difficult. There are plenty of hotels and guesthouses to choose from. Finding reasonably priced accommodation though, with breakfast and free

I don’t have the bladder to be a spy

I’m directionally challenged. I have a hard time with East/West, barely managing left/right. By the time I figure out which way I should have the

The grass on the other side

One of the first things that struck me about Oslo was the amount of green in the city. There are parks everywhere. And those parks