Stories from travels in

Travel

A new take on traditional

Life in the ‘hood is certainly taking a turn for the better. Despite repeated warnings by all and sundry when I first moved to Budapest,

Made for Sunday mornings

I’m quite partial to a good market. The more flea-ridden the better. I’ve travelled in search of some, sought out others, and just happened across

2013 Grateful 30

Back in 2002, I was in Carlow in the Dinn Rí nightclub. This fellah with a very fla’ (read: flat!) midlands accent asked me out

Bouncing off the walls in Tapolca, Hungary

I first heard of Tapolca when I worked on Marton Laszló’s autobiography shortly after I first came to Hungary. It’s the town where he was

Aging…like a good wine

‘Do you mind me asking how old you are? he said. ‘How old do you think?’ I replied. ‘I can’t see how you could be

Light relief?

The sculptor produces the beautiful statue by chipping away such parts of the marble block as are not needed – it is a process of

Shopping, anyone?

Tell me that  it’s not a place for tourists and I’ll move it to the top of my list. Tell me it might be dangerous,

The Cats of Riga

Me: Why is there a  cat on everything? Random local: I don’t know. Me: Why is the cat the symbol of Riga? Tourist Information Office

North of Riga to Majori

A good friend of mine once told me that he envied me my faith. Another, a confirmed ‘dirt man’, thought that it must make life

Point Percy at the porcelain

Notable by its presence I was in Riga, Latvia, last week and it was quite the experience. I know now a lot more about the