Showing 1 - 10 of 10
The amazing paddy fields of England
Roger Crutchley, Published on 05/10/2025
» Important news from Blighty. Rice has been grown for the first time in Britain in the Fens of Cambridgeshire. Apparently this is a result of an unusually hot summer. For a project that had once been dismissed as a joke it's quite an achievement. Let's hope the notoriously fickle English weather doesn't spoil it all. It will probably start snowing tomorrow.
Last Frontier unlike any other place
Roger Crutchley, Published on 17/08/2025
» Alaska has been thrust into the news this weekend for reasons that require no explanation. It's a suitably symbolic venue for the Trump-Putin summit considering it was once part of the Russian Empire. It is certainly an extraordinary part of the world that is much appreciated by those who love the wilderness.
It's important to know your onions
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 12/02/2023
» There was a news photograph recently in which a Filipina bride in Iloilo on the island of Panay carried a bouquet of onions down the aisle rather than flowers. She explained that while flowers would soon be thrown away the onions would last and ensure the newlyweds have something to eat in the ensuing weeks. Now that is a practical housewife.
When great debate went into extra time
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 05/09/2021
» No-confidence debates like that taking place during the past week have become something of a tradition in Thailand, but it is rare for them to be successful. Perhaps the biggest excitement came some years ago when in the middle of such a debate one MP called a leading a politician a "toad", which didn't go down too well. But at least it livened up proceedings.
Cornish pasty has its moment in the sun
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 20/06/2021
» The most important outcome of last week's G7 summit in Cornwall was undoubtedly the appearance of tempting new versions of the traditional Cornish pasty. One bakery came up with a large pasty called "Biden's big-un", while also on offer were "Merkel's minted lamb'', "Macron's mixed veg", and the cheese-filled "Boris' Stilton".
Familiar places gone but not forgotten
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 18/04/2021
» Last week I was walking along upper Sukhumvit after an excursion to the somewhat inappropriately-named Trendy building on Soi 13. I decided to drop in on my long-time travel agent nearby who I hadn't seen for a while, just to say hello. The lady in charge has an appealing personality and always cheers me up.
Full of beans, but feeling a bit guilty
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 21/03/2021
» With all the tasty food available in Thailand it might seem to be sacrilege that on occasions I am partial to tucking into a bland plate of baked beans on toast. If I haven't tried it for a while it almost feels like a treat. It must be something to do with my heritage, because in Britain more than two million cans of baked beans are consumed every day. That's quite scary.
Always look on the bright side of life
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 05/01/2020
» We have just scraped through the Year of the Porkers and are hurtling into the Year of the Rat, which admittedly doesn't sound too promising.
Something of a mixed bag at the supermarket
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 09/12/2018
» I nipped into the local supermarket last Tuesday to see if it was abiding by the promise not to use plastic bags in celebration of Thai Green Day. I was pleasantly surprised that the usual sea of plastic bags were not decorating the checkout counters. There was also a notice encouraging customers to use their own bags.
Rodents are simply a master of taste
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 05/08/2018
» There was a news report last week about the arrest on the Cambodian border of a gentleman smuggling 800kgs of dead rats. Imagine that. There are plenty of ways to make money through smuggling, but bootlegging deceased rodents is not one that immediately springs to mind.