Bologna’s Porticos are one of the defining features of the city’s architecture. Most famously there is the single longest portico in the world, 666 covered archways leading from the Porta Saragozza gate all the way up to the Sanctuary of the Madonna di San Luca , but in actual fact most of the city centre […]
Ireland’s biggest and best cult band The Frames celebrate their 25th anniversary with a string of live shows, an album of collected songs, and – most importantly for long time fans – a new song ‘none but i The Frames have always had a hesitant and wary approach to ‘hit songs’, despite having penned quite […]
Trieste, once a major international crossroads, serving as a port for the mighty Hapsburg empire, is today somewhat on the periphery. Most tourists to Italy rarely venture up to that North Eastern Corner, distracted by the classic cities of Venice, Milan, Florence and Rome, or perhaps by the allure of the South; Travellers heading to […]
Elena Ferrante’s novel The Story of the Lost Child, the fourth and final novel in her Neopolitan series, has made the final five shortlist for Italy’s Premio Strega prize – and not without controversy. Ferrante was first nominated for Italy’s biggest prize 23 years ago, with her first novel L’amore molesto (Troubling Love). It didn’t […]
Bologna has a thriving cultural life, and one of its centerpieces is Mambo (Museo Art Moderna di Bologna), a wonderful art museum with temporary and permanent exhbitions, situated in Via Don Giovanni Minzoni 14, between the city centre and the train station. A lot of thought has gone in to the Museum, which was formerly […]
The city of Ascoli Piceno while easy to reach, is also far enough away from the main attractions of the Marche region to keep it off the general tourist track for many people, which is a shame because it’s a real jewel, with plenty to see and do, as TMO Travel found on a recent […]
“You write down in your newspaper articles that Russia and Ukraine will never be separated,” said Kolya, sticking his index-finger for emphasis like a boxer sticks the jab, “You tell them that!” Then he continued “I hope that you’re not here to debase the moral order of our society” – rumours about “provocateurs,” both foreign […]
They’re looking for meat deboners at the processing site in Paull, a coastal village ringed by chemical plants and vacancies, so I fill in my slip and waft it towards the receptionist at my agency. She puts it in her out-tray without looking and without raising her head, and she doesn’t smile. “You’ll not need […]
Yesterday, despite a popular outcry and serious objections raised, Ireland’s Minister of State for Research and Innovation Seán Sherlock signed into law the European Union (Copyright and Related Rights) Regulations 2012, a statutory instrument which has been described as Ireland’s version of SOPA. The background to the statute is outlined here and here. When news […]
There’s a quote, from an article that Germaine Greer wrote back in the 70s,which springs back in to my mind continuously when listening to certain albums: “When Joshua fit the Battle of Jericho the walls came tumbling down. That’s revelation. The holy Ghost talking. So it can be done. The way to crack a mirror or shiver […]
