Category Archives: Canada

Bah Humbug!: Christmas and beyond

Posted on December 4, 2012 by BarryH

I regret that I don’t and never have, enjoyed Christmas.  Required jollity is not my thing.  Nor is the hyperventilating commercialisation which tries to drag behind it a vague connexion with the birth of Christ which the church does its … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Grumpy Old Men, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

November Daily Blog 24: Footpaths – Grey Britain, Greece, Canadian Rockies.

Posted on November 24, 2012 by BarryH

The weather in the UK has been pretty grim over the last few days with dark grey skies and rain varying between heavy and torrential.  For 4 days now there have been 200 or more flood warnings with the South … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Greece, Grey Britain, Mountains, Winter | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Year: sales, contrasts and looking ahead.

Posted on January 2, 2012 by BarryH

Christmas with the family and New Year with friends were good and Father Christmas brought me everything that I wanted.  But now it’s past: left-over food eaten; wrapping paper in the bin; house tidied up; shops returning to normal before they put Easter on … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Grey Britain, Pontypool, Winter | Tagged | Leave a comment

The lead up to Christmas: stresses, strains and challenge

Posted on December 19, 2011 by BarryH

That Christmas is widely regarded by most people as a time of stress is by now a matter of cliché, as seen by cynics like me at least.  Mental stress from rushing around trying to cram in shopping for presents … Continue reading →

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Looking beyond Christmas: dealing with boredom

Posted on December 5, 2011 by BarryH

It’s generally a pretty drab time of year.  Autumn has given way to Winter.  Grey skies.  Short days and long evenings.  Cold and damp.  Difficult to get on the soil to do much in the garden.  Mountains often lost in … Continue reading →

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Back to Grey Britain and a New Direction for air travel research

Posted on January 16, 2011 by BarryH

Wednesday 12 January and, sadly, very sadly, time to leave the Rockies and return home.  I have enjoyed it here very much.  The mountains, the rivers, the snow, the cold, the skiing, the walking, the town, the people.  And being … Continue reading →

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Rocky Mountain winter trails

Posted on January 15, 2011 by BarryH

Tuesday and my last full day in the Rockies.  Once again it was cloudless blue sky and very cold.  My knee was playing up after the Hoodoos Trail yesterday but I couldn’t just poodle around town.  I had to do … Continue reading →

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Banff and the Bow Valley: Wildlife on the doorstep, walking on the wild side ….. and getting it wrong!

Posted on January 13, 2011 by BarryH

I’m back home now (Thursday evening) but I’ll update the blog with the Canada trip.  The blog below failed to upload in Calgary airport where the WiFi connection cut me off. First of all, apologies in advance if this is … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Reflections, Uncategorized, Winter | 1 Comment

Banff: Wildlife on the doorstep

Posted on January 11, 2011 by BarryH

Sunday was a day-off skiing for Ruth and Tim, and for me too for that matter.  That means a day for chores including a visit to the launderette with big bags of laundry.  On the way back we heard a … Continue reading →

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Art, nature, pushing the limits, and knowing when to stop

Posted on January 10, 2011 by BarryH

Saturday didn’t begin well.  I had a appointment with the physio at 08.00, the only slot available.  The insurance company were still ‘reviewing’ my case (translation: still trying to find a way of wriggling out of paying for my treatment) so … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada, Winter | 1 Comment