I don’t know where to start. I was born in the UK, and having lived there briefly, I have a particular affinity for the country that I cannot just explain in mere words.
London, to start off with, is one of those places that never fails to thrill or disappoint. The capital is huge and sometimes unwieldy. But every time I visited, I found myself wandering the streets smiling at the simple pleasure of being there. Theatre, clubs, dining, sights – take your pick.
I’ve had the opportunity to explore the calmer environs of Kent and Suffolk too. Both are more countryside than city. Both are also different because is a relaxed charm about Kent which exists in Suffolk as rural relaxation.
The rest of England is shrouded in my mind in a fog that is a mixture of valiant knights, Dickensian life and The Wind in the Willows. I will return and explore the country because I want this fog to be burnt up by the light of discovery as I weave my way across the British Isles.
United Kingdom Articles, by region
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- The Lion in the Harbour: When Garibaldi Came to Malta April 15, 2026 - In 1864, the most famous man in the world spent 36 hours in Malta. In 1864, Giuseppe Garibaldi stopped off in Malta on his way to England. He was limping… Continue Reading
- Did World War II Start With a Failed Secret Raid? March 26, 2026 - World War II began on 1 September 1939. What if I told you a secret German commando unit jumped the gun, invading Poland six days early? This is the Jabłonków… Continue Reading
- When Napoleon Conquered Malta in 72 Hours December 11, 2025 - Think the fall of powerful nations takes months? Napoleon Bonaparte dismantled 268 years of Knights' rule over Malta in three days. If you want to understand how empires truly fall, keep… Continue Reading
- Macedonia and the Bulgarian Horrors September 3, 2025 - During my travels in North Macedonia, I was puzzled to see lots of references and mentioned to ex-UK Prime Minister William Gladstone. What would a 19th-century British statesman have in… Continue Reading
- ORP Kujawiak: From Britain to Malta August 15, 2025 - During World War II, the Polish Navy operated under the auspices of the British Navy. One destroyer escort, the ORP Kujawiak, helped supply the island of Malta where it hit… Continue Reading
- Creating the Emirates June 5, 2025 - The United Arab Emirates exist because of a reaction to Britain's loss of power, post-Word War II. That power, in turn, came about because of geography, rather than outright politics.… Continue Reading
- Banning Bohemian gargoyles May 14, 2025 - Gargoyles are an important architectural feature in Gothic buildings around Europe. These ornate water spouts depict grotesque creatures or human figures. As practical as they were, they seem to have… Continue Reading
- The Icelandic anomaly April 21, 2025 - In geopolitical terms, Iceland is a bit of an anomaly. It gained independence from Denmark, but found itself unable to defend itself. It joined NATO even though it doesn't have… Continue Reading
- Allied Military Government of Occupied Territories February 5, 2025 - During World War II, the USA and UK plotted to place France under Allied administration after the war, instead of restoring the French government. Why would they consider this, and… Continue Reading
- The bombing of RAF Kalafrana December 18, 2024 - On 9 May 1942, at the tail end of the Siege of Malta, an unexpected switch in Axis tactics led to loss of life at one of Malta's airfields. This… Continue Reading
- The flamboyant chapel in Chartres’ cathedral June 24, 2024 - Chartres Cathedral features a Flamboyant Gothic chapel by Louis de Bourbon, Count of Vendôme, built to honor a vow made during his imprisonment. Continue Reading
- RAF hijacking in Prague May 22, 2024 - In 1950, three ex-RAF pilots, persecuted by the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia, coordinated the hijacking of three flights, leading to a daring escape to the West. Continue Reading
- HMS Orwell March 27, 2024 - In 1903, a British navy drill off Corfu ended disastrously when HMS Orwell collided with HMS Pioneer during a night exercise. Continue Reading
- Air Battle over the Ore Mountains March 24, 2023 - On 11 September 1944, a massive, intense air battle took place over the mountains between Germany and what was then Czechoslovakia. The memory of this battle is still alive today. Continue Reading
- The lost cathedral of St Nicholas December 2, 2022 - In Famagusta, Cyprus, there is a building that used to be a cathedral dedicated to St Nicholas. It saw major events of the country's history and is now a mosque. Continue Reading
- Russian exiles in Malta October 15, 2022 - Mentioning exiled Russians these days suggests pro-Ukrainian protesters or anti-Putin demonstrators. Malta's reputation as a haven for Russians goes back more than 100 years before Putin's antics. Continue Reading
- The ultimate story of Czech heros February 1, 2021 - Many countries have memorials to fallen heros, and stories of bravery from wartime. Czechia is unusual in that it has heros from both sides of World War II. Continue Reading
- Prague’s Invalidovna August 24, 2020 - If you ask many people in Prague about 'Invalidovna' they'd be more likely to direct you to the metro stop of that name. Few know of the magnificent Baroque building… Continue Reading
- Why did the Pope want to move to Malta? June 1, 2020 - In the 19th century, various states on the Italian peninsula united to become a single, new country. While some papal states merged with the others, the Vatican refused to be… Continue Reading
- The Allied bombing of Prague May 18, 2020 - During World War II, Prague wasn't as affected by bombing as many other European cities were. This was because planes didn’t have the range to reach Prague, and also because… Continue Reading
- The powerful Anglo-Egyptian Bank in Malta May 4, 2020 - In the 19th century an offshore British bank in Malta issued its own banknotes. It's unusual to think of a private company issuing banknotes, more so in a small country… Continue Reading
- The Battle of Ferozeshah April 20, 2020 - British forces fought wars all over India in the 18th and 19th century. Between tribal feuds, and the British, there were many sources of conflict. This article describes the Battle… Continue Reading
- Preserving Malta’s money supply March 23, 2020 - European geopolitics in the 1930s caused plenty of uncertainty. The British worried about riots in the Middle East, and the possibility of another major war with Germany. They hatched a… Continue Reading
- The mysterious secret of Dr James Barry December 2, 2019 - There weren’t many female physicians in the 19th century. Irishwoman Margaret Bulkley pretended to be a man for over 40 years to practise medicine. This article explains how this happened,… Continue Reading
- In exile in Malta November 11, 2019 - The town of Sliema, Malta, is marked with high-rise apartment blocks and frustrating traffic. It was not always so and people have fond memories of days gone by. Few talk… Continue Reading
- The truth behind the Sudetenland November 4, 2019 - Before living in Prague I thought I knew about the Sudetenland and how Hitler annexed it before World War II. There’s a lot I’ve learnt about the nuances of history… Continue Reading
- Milada Horáková: Czech resistance fighter September 2, 2019 - People who speak out against a regime ? are targeted. We think this happens in dictatorships but a democratic society can face the wrath of an angry administration. Under communist… Continue Reading
- Do you know about the explosion in Birgu? November 5, 2018 - One of Malta's worst peacetime disasters took place in 1806. A military gunpowder store exploded in Birgu, across the harbour from Valletta. Continue Reading
- For people interested in World War II stories October 22, 2018 - There's a plaque on the wall in the castle in Ghent, Belgium, thanking the city for the symbolic establishment of the SAS. In Belgium. The SAS? Symbolic establishment? I started… Continue Reading
- How did the British take control of Malta? October 8, 2018 - I often discuss Maltese history with others and have written about unusual parts of it here. Often people claims that ‘the British illegally took control’ of the Maltese islands. This is… Continue Reading
- St Valentine was not Irish – but he is now September 24, 2018 - I’ve written about relics of saints before. They exist because people believe proximity to part of a saint ?means ‘something’ can rub off. Dublin has the remains of St Valentine… Continue Reading
- The shock of the 1908 tsunami in Malta August 20, 2018 - One side effect of an earthquake in a coastal region is a tsunami that rips through the sea around it. Malta is close to a major earthquake fault line. In… Continue Reading
- Do you know when to drive on the right in London? January 8, 2018 - Many people become anxious when they have to switch from left-hand driving to right-hand driving. I've had people tell me they won't drive in England because they're so used to… Continue Reading
- Do you know when the Union Jack first flew over Malta? December 4, 2017 - Maltese history is a rich tapestry of events, influences and wars. The Maltese are proud of British heritage, but few seem to know where the British flag was first flown… Continue Reading
- The Scratching Fanny of Cock Lane October 23, 2017 - Nothing cheers up a good ghost story than a juicy double entendre. One of London’s most famous 18th century hauntings took place in the marvellously named Cock Lane. Continue Reading
- The US Liberty Bell (and the Maltese Connection) February 20, 2017 - I had hoped I would have slept a little on the red-eye from San Francisco but I had not. This is why I was groggy on the corner of Market… Continue Reading
- The Admiralty Arch and Queen Victoria March 7, 2016 - Stand in Trafalgar Square in the middle of London and gaze south-west at the landmark Admiralty Arch that leads to the Mall. Its association with Britain's Queen Victoria is not… Continue Reading
- The Best Places to View a City from November 9, 2015 - If there is one thing that fascinates me about cities, it is the view from the top of a skyscraper. Nothing quite beats the moment of "Good Grief!" that hits… Continue Reading
- Skullduggery and Cocktails in Bucharest October 12, 2015 - It's not every day that you get to sit at a bar drinking with the ghosts of spies long-dead and conspiracies long-confounded. And yet, that is what you can do… Continue Reading
- Evidence of The Prussian Invasion of Prague August 17, 2015 - The Seven Years' War took place between 1756 & 1763 when Prussian troops invaded Bohemia under King Frederick II. The story behind most wars is usually found in history books… Continue Reading
- Revealing my 5 Ambitious Travel Resolutions June 8, 2015 - Over the New Year, while I was peacefully driving through the hills and valleys of Andalusia, it occurred to me that I had not really made any fixed plans for… Continue Reading
- Simple and Stylish European Travel – Eurostar April 6, 2015 - When based in Brussels, one of the joys of life was hopping onto the Eurostar and cruising to London. I often did it for work but I took advantage of… Continue Reading
- How to Spend a Weekend in Brussels January 5, 2015 - Picture the scene - you're in Brussels over a weekend because of a business meeting that ran late on Friday. You've only heard bad things about Brussels and you've always… Continue Reading
- How to (really) travel July 28, 2014 - As an expat, and as someone who enjoys travelling, I am often drawn into conversations about living abroad and how I can do it or how I choose to do… Continue Reading
- OlivoCarne – Sardinian Dining March 4, 2014 - The problem with having a simplistic underground map of the metro system is that you feel all the London landmarks are as close together, or as far apart, as they… Continue Reading
- Lunch In The Sky September 23, 2013 - I recently had the opportunity to have Lunch In The Sky here in Prague. This is a unique concept where you eat and drink while hanging 50m off the ground… Continue Reading
- Tour the Duvel Brewery July 29, 2013 - The Duvel Brewery offers tours and beer tastings, a short bus ride north of Brussels. Continue Reading
- The Unexpected Guide To St Pancras Eurostar Terminal August 23, 2010 - If you, like me, prefer the pleasant atmosphere of a train to a sometimes claustrophobic aircraft, then you will surely appreciate the benefits of the Eurostar when travelling to and… Continue Reading
- The Unexpected Leeds Castle April 22, 2010 - For those of you stranded at Gatwick, there's something you might be able to do while waiting ... Continue Reading