Durga Puja occurs in every autumn, immediately before Diwali, and is the largest festival in Calcutta. This year’s festival dates were October 7 through 11. Happily I was in the city a week before the event, and so was able to see the final stages of preparation. Durga Puja is celebrated throughout India, but
Articles Categorized Lifestyle
GODDESS DURGA SLAYS THE DEMON
One of the great things about the way I write historical fiction is the necessity of research travel. My current project took me first to London and Edinburgh to investigate written records [See blogs from July]. But a visit to the site of events in the story took me back to India, this time
FRANKENSTEIN & THE CREATION OF A HALLOWEEN MONSTER
Today is Halloween – a day of Spooktacular parties, costumes, ghost stories, and watching scary movies. And let us not forget the annual showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show. Halloween is a day when, potentially, nothing is as it seems to be. For instance, who would have thought a young woman in pre-Victorian England
Blue Zones Come to Hilo
Once upon a time, people thought that somewhere in the New World there existed a Fountain of Youth. They thought anyone who drank from it would be restored to youthful vitality which was the next best thing to immortality. It’s unclear whether the lucky finder would have to camp nearby and drink from it
Library of Congress – Our National Repository
When you think of Washington D.C., what comes to mind? Most people think of visiting the White House, the Capital Building, and Mount Vernon. Maybe various exhibits at the Smithsonian Museum. But, unless you’re an academic researcher, you might overlook the Library of Congress, and it’s well worth an excursion. Congress established the
MAD HATTER’S TEA PARTY – A Tale of Confusion
A couple weeks ago, we met the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland as an example of what could happen to hatters who used mercury nitrate in the production of fur hats. Such a colorful character is worthy of his own entry, especially near October 6, a date which corresponds nicely to the price
The Real “Johnny Appleseed”
Fall is upon us – time for colorful autumn leaves and other fruits of the season. Apples and pumpkins with their golden colors come to mind. The days are still long and the nights a bit crisp. Halloween candy is in the stores. But let’s go back to apples. Apples have been part of
Elephants, Ivory & Conservation
One of the most amazing privileges of my life was to visit two safari lodges near Kruger National Park in South Africa. We climbed in jeeps at dawn and dusk to view animals who were so accustomed to the vehicles’ noise and shape they paid no attention – provided we stayed seated. I had no
Curious Notes on Felt Hats
Winston Churchill is known for many things. He smoked a cigar. He spoke in what I think of as a Shakespearean voice. He led Britain in World War II. And he never was seen outside without a hat. He seems to me to be a fitting image for Felt Hat Day which you may
YORK SIGHTS
I’m a frequent visitor to York. I have friends and family there. But I never fail to wander around the walled city, stopping at familiar places and discovering new sights. Here in historical order are a few of the places I enjoyed on this visit. St Mary’s Abbey St Mary’s Abbey was a 10-acre
Mystery Plays at York Minster
After the adventures in Edinburgh, it was time to head south again. Next stop, the City of York, one of my favorite places in England. And my favorite spot in York is York Minster. The city is never the same as it was the last time, but this time I was in for a big
Visiting Royal Yacht Britannia
Visiting the Royal Yacht Britannia was the major highlight of my visit to Scotland. Part royal country house, part diplomatic symbol, Britannia served the Royal Family for over 40 years, sailing a million miles on her journeys around the world. Britannia replaced the Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert II, decommissioned in 1939, and is the only
COMMUTING PAST GRASSMARKET, EDINBURGH
Much as I could have happily spent all my time in Edinburgh eating, drinking, and sightseeing – I was there for a purpose. Not that the first three options aren’t a worthy full-time occupation. Nevertheless, I came to Edinburgh to do research at the Scottish National Library which is the repository for the Church of
London Highlights
I often visit London and stay in Kensington, usually combining research and family adventures. In the past we’ve eaten lunch at various neighborhood pubs, particularly the Gloucester Arms. So, naturally the day after our arrival we made our way to our favorite pub on Gloucester Road, only to find the menu had undergone a drastic
TEDDY BEAR PICNICS
“If you go down in the woods today, you’re sure of a big surprise If you go down in the woods today, you’d better go in disguise For every bear that ever there was will gather there for certain Because today’s the day the teddy bears have their picnic.” Well, technically, the teddy
SLIP, SLOP, SLAP
Ah, summer time. Especially when there’s soft sun and cool breezes like this sunset picture of Tauranga Harbour on the North Island of New Zealand. But the sun isn’t entirely our friend. Its UV rays damage our skin and eyes. Despite warnings about skin cancer, a day in the sun remains one of our