8 September 2025, in Lisbon, Portugal. Facing the sea… The iconic statue of Cristo Rei in Lisbon is unusual, different in one important respect from all the other statues. Standing tall over the Tagus River, his arms outstretched as if in blessing and protection, it dates – I discover – only from 1959. Seeing it only from … Read more
5, 6 & 7 September 2025, briefly back in London. It feels like I have been leaving on this sabbatical for weeks, for months even, and although it is all exciting, the work of leaving has felt pretty wearying. You could say that in the end it is just about packing a case and getting … Read more
3 September 2025, Edinburgh, Scotland. “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship.” — Thomas Aquinas On Wednesday, from Glasgow through to Edinburgh to catch up with some old friends. It’s only forty five minutes from Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley, and though the stations themselves in each city … Read more