tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.comments2024-03-09T22:39:06.554+00:00~ W a y m a r k s ~Timhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comBlogger147125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-80627215839973095982024-03-09T22:39:06.554+00:002024-03-09T22:39:06.554+00:00Many thanks. I'm guessing you are Kenneth Cox?...Many thanks. I'm guessing you are Kenneth Cox? If so, I'm a huge fan of your grandfather's book 'Plant Hunting in China.'Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-76335641085856402272024-03-09T21:04:45.429+00:002024-03-09T21:04:45.429+00:00Enjoyed reading your articles. I just gave a lectu...Enjoyed reading your articles. I just gave a lecture on Ludlow and Sherriff. My family were friends of George and Betty and I edited the new edition of Frank KW Riddle of the Tsangpo Gorges and lead 9 expeditions to S. E Tibet and Arunachal Pradesh. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-82147211864067319172024-02-02T18:43:28.488+00:002024-02-02T18:43:28.488+00:00Great story tellingGreat story tellingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-14702485464354512212023-12-03T04:04:58.556+00:002023-12-03T04:04:58.556+00:00I think his theories about ancient Egypt are prett...I think his theories about ancient Egypt are pretty much right on and his desire to excavate should have been granted.<br />Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16733839525443605698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-46900682496912386812023-11-12T06:14:16.855+00:002023-11-12T06:14:16.855+00:00Id like to see him get that permit n dig out those...Id like to see him get that permit n dig out those 3 kings n their goldBrian Heise MDhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05971932685369084343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-9524329453251399802022-11-22T11:57:00.534+00:002022-11-22T11:57:00.534+00:00Thanks, Alex. Yes, I think there is always a dange...Thanks, Alex. Yes, I think there is always a danger of over-intellectualising Hollywood. How to balance artistic intention with entertainment value and box office returns? - At the end of the day the cinema is essentially about escapism. A certain amount of stereotyping may simply come down to the constraints of budgets, but this kind of thing really does interest me - especially the kind of 'traditions' (for want of a better term) which it creates that continue, e.g. Indiana Jones and the like.<br /><br />I've discovered some real gems on Talking Pictures TV, as have my parents - who've said they've seen some fantastic old things they'd never even heard of first time around. Although I know exactly what you mean about some of the more dated 'old-fashioned' views, I think it is important to still watch these films and think about them, as this is one way to be informed and remain aware of such things. However, I don't like the trend for re-writing history to accommodate our own cultural mores and sensibilities; hence why I stopped watching the current 'SAS Rogue Heroes' TV series. Having watched a proper documentary about the people it portrays it seems like the worst sort of pastiche for me; but then again, I guess - in time - this too will be read as a snapshot into our collective culture as it is now ... The world is changing. I notice they even give 'content warnings' ahead of screening films like Crocodile Dundee on TV now, which to me feels like it only came out last week ... Tempus (sure does) fugit!Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-67970910807164841702022-11-22T10:37:33.644+00:002022-11-22T10:37:33.644+00:00Fascinating article. As you say, the depiction of ...Fascinating article. As you say, the depiction of the Himalayas says more about ourselves, than the people who live there. We overlook the sacred aspects of mountains nearer to home in our rush to find a mystical other. I’m always puzzled by those who travel far to seek, but completely overlook what is closer to home on their doorstep. I guess we are always looking for the more exotic, the more unusual. But also follow the money – for most people, this would have been the closest anyone got to Himalayan culture. I guess they pay their money to be transported somewhere far away for two hours.<br /><br />Talking Pictures is on quite a lot in our household but oh my do you sometimes have to overlook the 'old-fasioned' views. It's great that it's run from someone garden shed.<br />Alex Cochranehttps://adcochrane.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-70649532342588032322022-09-05T20:54:32.116+01:002022-09-05T20:54:32.116+01:00Great read, thanks. The more you learn about them,...Great read, thanks. The more you learn about them, the more you want to know. claynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-41280812618972541512022-04-28T19:47:23.213+01:002022-04-28T19:47:23.213+01:00Thanks, I'm glad it was of interest. Strangely...Thanks, I'm glad it was of interest. Strangely curious coincidence with the timing of your comment because I was thinking about Wilson only just the other day; reminding myself that, having been to so many places associated with him, I still need to find the house where he lived while he was working at Kew. Something to add to 2022's "to do" list!Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-38055872306109289932022-04-28T08:53:01.640+01:002022-04-28T08:53:01.640+01:00Great read! I've hiked Yakushima a number of t...Great read! I've hiked Yakushima a number of times photographing its plants, and followed one of Wilson's journeys in Western China myself.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-47380091490866625692021-04-18T15:21:29.500+01:002021-04-18T15:21:29.500+01:00Oh yes! I remember that now from earlier conversat...Oh yes! I remember that now from earlier conversations. I think one of your blog articles alerted me to the British invasion of Tibet which I had never heard of before. Alex Cochranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00761059118250964296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-376616597432341272021-04-12T16:38:57.026+01:002021-04-12T16:38:57.026+01:00Thanks, Alex. I have a friend who has been to Laos...Thanks, Alex. I have a friend who has been to Laos and he says it's great. Would love to go there myself one day. Hoping also to go back and travel to the north of Vietnam to see Hanoi, Ha Long Bay, etc.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-29655807624524777042021-04-11T20:43:04.844+01:002021-04-11T20:43:04.844+01:00Ha ha, that's probably very true about the bir...Ha ha, that's probably very true about the birds!<br /><br />Your Cellardyke escape sounds nice. I hope I get a chance to come back and explore your neck of the woods a bit more one day. I could do with a pint of Deuchars! Every trip I've ever done to Scotland has always been too brief or limited in scope.<br /><br />PhD is on Western Travellers in Tibet in the early 20th Century.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-44312611947731414972021-04-11T20:23:52.722+01:002021-04-11T20:23:52.722+01:00Glasgow has been in continuous lockdown since Sept...Glasgow has been in continuous lockdown since Sept. My friend joked while we had a beer tasting session on Zoom, that once he’s allowed to go out, he’s never coming in again. I know how he feels. It’s been a strange and challenging time, not without its good points. The only respite from being stuck in the city was a week’s holiday in Cellardyke – one of the fishing villages along the East Newk coastline in Fife which are full of charm and a certain old world mystery. Being by the sea was similar experience to your time in Cornwall – wide expanses to gaze at, shags standing on rocks hanging out their wings to dry, the occasional seal and loads of wandering old timeless lanes before retreating to a wood burner.<br /><br />Lockdown in a city is difficult when you cut off from all the joys of city life. Other than that my days have been filled with work, or plotting environmental activism when we are allowed out again (COP26 in Glasgow of course) and realizing that everytime I bought a bottle of wine it was more expensive because I could justify it by saying I no longer spent money in the pub. I don’t know how I’m going to return to the cheap stuff again!<br /><br />Someone said that the birds are singing louder because, without the traffic and city noise, they could hear each other. So they’re putting more effort in out-singing and telling each to f___ off!<br />I never knew Pinner from my days in London but it sounds a lovely place. People do confuse loneliness with solitude - it's not the same but I do feel for those who have suffered on their own. It has affected some friends of mine quite badly. On the other hand, another friend of mine has delighted in it. <br /><br />I hope the jump to Tokyo will work out for you. Do you mind me asking what your PhD is on?<br />Alex Cochranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00761059118250964296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-67009868090005672472021-04-11T19:52:13.304+01:002021-04-11T19:52:13.304+01:00Oh and one last thing...that is chilling the way p...Oh and one last thing...that is chilling the way pythons kill you to the rhythms of your breath. Chilling but clever. Alex Cochranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00761059118250964296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-14988374264995153802021-04-11T19:50:28.909+01:002021-04-11T19:50:28.909+01:00Fascinating Tim - I think the Mekong is just one o...Fascinating Tim - I think the Mekong is just one of those rivers that evoke a sense of timeless wonder and travel. I would love to travel up the river one day, especially the Laos section, but I hear from others that its does have an uncertain future with development and hydro schemes. <br /><br />Your photos are wonderful. I think with these rivers, there's a sense of life lived on the rivers in a way that perhaps doesn't happen in Britain. Our rivers are full of wonder and lore, but they don't have floating markets where you can grab some amazing fruit!Alex Cochranehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00761059118250964296noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-87580420760952603392021-02-25T14:12:51.311+00:002021-02-25T14:12:51.311+00:00Many thanks!Many thanks!Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-85436278030186496272021-02-25T12:19:43.978+00:002021-02-25T12:19:43.978+00:00An excellent overview of John Romer’s television w...An excellent overview of John Romer’s television work. Like you, I believe these set the standard by which all historical documentaries should be measured (and all too often fail to live up to)rauricahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06008829064865019083noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-6912767681034841872021-02-14T19:23:38.122+00:002021-02-14T19:23:38.122+00:00I'm afraid I don't know if anyone has trie...I'm afraid I don't know if anyone has tried to map Drury's journey. I suspect it could only ever be conjectural, if they did. But I recommend Mike Parker Pearson's work (cited above), for more info and the most recent theories re: the known facts of Drury's story.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-85623962812714012372021-02-14T15:39:21.483+00:002021-02-14T15:39:21.483+00:00I am now reading Robert Drury’s journal “The Pleas...I am now reading Robert Drury’s journal “The Pleasant and Surprising Adventures of Robert Drury” and find it fascinating. One question. Does a map exist of where he was and the route he took to escape to St. Augustine Bay? Would love to see that! <br />All the best,<br />Peter Wolter, Ph.D.<br />Ptwolter@iastate.eduPeterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13411798805110644262noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-27534601528096718412021-01-15T23:17:11.779+00:002021-01-15T23:17:11.779+00:00Thank you very much. It's lovely to hear when ...Thank you very much. It's lovely to hear when a post on the blog has connected or been of interest or use to someone - so, likewise, you've made my day too. Thanks again.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-5106735033987073352021-01-14T22:49:36.775+00:002021-01-14T22:49:36.775+00:00Gentle Author,
Thank you for this very interesting...Gentle Author,<br />Thank you for this very interesting piece and the link to the Michael Palin documentary which we have just enjoyed very much. I live next to the place where Hammershøi painted the views of the Museum, and knew only of the one painting by him of the Museum, so have learned so much today. This morning I looked out of the window and the atmosphere was just like in his painting, and the empty street really reinforced that. The empty street being due to the lockdown, of course. It let me to go downstairs and take a photo of as close I could to the vantage point where Hammershøi painted his view. But like you, I avoided just ringing the bell of the resident to gain access. Only now it'd even be illegal to do so, due to current Covid laws.<br />Anyway, many thanks for the very enlightening blog. It made our day.Silencehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07610459542948506789noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-36026729737826538322020-10-06T09:39:27.327+01:002020-10-06T09:39:27.327+01:00I love this documentary, too, and I agree with you...I love this documentary, too, and I agree with your characterization of how Romer handles the material. There are interesting divergences between the television documentary and the book. Nick Nielsen https://www.blogger.com/profile/03900187813927577698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-78513030585981160252020-08-16T14:05:29.132+01:002020-08-16T14:05:29.132+01:00Thanks, Todd. Much appreciated. I hope you have a ...Thanks, Todd. Much appreciated. I hope you have a good trip. It's a nice place.Timhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11641833714036731203noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88759862385027089.post-29867898093363556112020-08-16T04:23:39.466+01:002020-08-16T04:23:39.466+01:00Thanks for sharing about your visit to Suwa. I’ll ...Thanks for sharing about your visit to Suwa. I’ll be there for a couple nights this summer and wanted some info on local history. This was really helpful and enjoyable to read. Todd Foutshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09089099525449247064noreply@blogger.com