Hello from Italy / Vacation thread

  • Hope you enjoying your time in Edinburgh. Last year when there was no festival it was a strange time here but hopefully the buzz will now be back.


    Ah the Meadows - such a large area. I am at the end near the tennis courts.

    Thoroughly enjoying it thanks. God it's so good to be back here. Seeing lots of good productions, sinking a few cocktails and stuffing myself silly. I love Inverness, I really like the Black Isle where we currently live but there's still part of me that hankers to live here. London I lived in most of my life and will always be a Londoner. Berlin is the other place I'd love to live.


    Yes in fact I strolled right past the tennis courts the other day.


    It's less busy here than a normal Festival year, and although it's for obviously unfortunate reasons which makes me feel a little bad saying it, but I admit I like it like this. There's a buzz but it's not insanely crowded like previous years when I've been unable to walk on the pavements. Venues have spaced-out seating and at-seat bar service. But there are still shops, bars, cafés etc remaining closed, possibly never to re-open. Including, heartbreakingly for me, the Halfway House on Fleshmarket. Other favourites thankfully are open, but reduced periods. I'm glad to be here to bring business to some of them.


    Writing this in the stadium bar at Tynecastle where I'm about to watch a play about one of the earliest women's football teams.

    Abandon all reason

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    Great pics, Christian. I also recognized some photos of Dresden and Moritzburg.

    obviously ;)

    Can’t deny my hood 😅

  • Wow, Christian. What wonderful photos. I am following you on Instagram now. You even have one of the Sydney Opera House! Great shots of Melbourne too. How I wish I could travel.

  • Had a nice couple of weeks out of town in Maine and Western Massachusetts. Nice lakes, swimming for the kids etc. Did an obscene amount of barbecuing! Good local brews too.


    Anyway, OT I want to say I increasingly believe it very important to counter disinformation rather than conveniently deleting it. I used to think 'what's the point?' but having seen it balloon malignantly I don't think that at all anymore. That's all.

  • Had a nice couple of weeks out of town in Maine and Western Massachusetts. Nice lakes, swimming for the kids etc. Did an obscene amount of barbecuing! Good local brews too.


    Anyway, OT I want to say I increasingly believe it very important to counter disinformation rather than conveniently deleting it. I used to think 'what's the point?' but having seen it balloon malignantly I don't think that at all anymore. That's all.

    👍 Stand up and fight for you know we are right, we must strike at the lies that have spread like disease through our lives.

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    Had a nice couple of weeks out of town in Maine and Western Massachusetts. Nice lakes, swimming for the kids etc. Did an obscene amount of barbecuing! Good local brews too.


    Anyway, OT I want to say I increasingly believe it very important to counter disinformation rather than conveniently deleting it. I used to think 'what's the point?' but having seen it balloon malignantly I don't think that at all anymore. That's all.

    Fair point made. Just to respond, I want you to know that I take the privilege of moderating this forum seriously. I think deeply and thoughtfully before I make a determination to delete the thoughts and posts of any member on here. I too have my own opinions and feelings about such topics as were being discussed. That being said, it’s not my position as a moderator to take sides, even though I have a side. If a thread is off topic, we must get back on topic. In addition, the team does inform members privately of their toxic behaviors, usually without other forum members being aware. With that being said, carry on!

  • Fair point made. Just to respond, I want you to know that I take the privilege of moderating this forum seriously. I think deeply and thoughtfully before I make a determination to delete the thoughts and posts of any member on here. I too have my own opinions and feelings about such topics as were being discussed. That being said, it’s not my position as a moderator to take sides, even though I have a side. If a thread is off topic, we must get back on topic. In addition, the team does inform members privately of their toxic behaviors, usually without other forum members being aware. With that being said, carry on!

    I agree with both you, and thewatcher (apt UserID, it appears! ^^) but it's a fine line to walk. On balance, you seem to have got it right, IMO. :thumbup:

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

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    Back to vacation


    We have seen some fires here in Italy, but no major ones. In Calabria, weve been to Scilla. From there you can see Sicily and there were more fires. Quite depressing, on some beaches there were emergency planes in operation, which means they collected water from the sea to fight the fires elsewhere.


    In the meantime we have moved on to Tuscany, which is a loveley area here in Italy. Still quite warm (32-38°) and sunny, but that's ok.


    check my instagram account if you want to see some photos.

    https://instagram.com/iphret?r=nametag

  • great pictures. Been to Tuscany myself several times and love it. My holiday is over. Working again tomorrow…

    First we learned to walk on water.

    Then we tried something harder.

    - Red Seven -