Euphrosene Labon

Pre-holiday preamble: First flight in nearly seven years; uncertainty over BA cabin staff’s threatened 12-day strike; snow and ice; cold weather sore dry eyes; trying to figure out an angle to pitch to publications on my return; ... not exactly ideal conditions for getting into holiday mode.
There’s plenty to see in Istanbul, especially as a solo visitor. And, being a Moslem country, it should make Christmas less demanding.
Unfortunately for me, I didn’t check the guide books before booking travel and hotel and hadn’t realised the considerable distances involved in my original goal – to follow in the footsteps of St Paul. So it was plan C, with the focus on Istanbul and Ephesus. The latter meant catching a 6am flight, but more anon.

Snapshots for Ma: Krakow Sept 25^th -30^th 2003

The Pope – a Cracovian - is supposed to be dying, and the German President is now talking of German victims, so it was particularly apposite to be visiting Krakow at this time.

Despite the prime reason being to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau, it was also surprisingly relaxing – possibly because I didn’t have to think of my family or work for five days! Actually, I did think of Archie quite a lot and felt much love for him… but I’m jumping ahead.

Victoria Beckham and Pythagoras do not normally trip off the tongue, but it appears they may have number mysticism in common.

If someone had told Van Gogh that, one day, his paintings would be sold for millions, he might have died happy in himself - albeit still poor.

Do you ever ask yourself why you chose to become a writer?

When someone once told me I should express my 'original voice', they obviously had not heard of house styles. Idiosyncracy has to be mulched to suit media musts if you want to eat and have a roof over your head. Or does it?

Any romantic dreams we might nurture about writing soon get demolished when the mortgage needs to be paid. But do they have to?