Category Archives: Society

Bread and Cats

On our last evening in Algeria, and my only day in Algiers, we went for a walk in the area around our airbnb. This nest of cats on a pile of bread summed up a lot of the country for … Continue reading

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Buenos Aires

We started and finished our trip in Buenos Aires, which was a fine repository of amusing signs. Starting with the most puerile: This last was in a pleasant surprise: a nature reserve right next to the city centre, but which … Continue reading

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Old and New

The very name of the town tells you that Binh Duong New City is a rather forward-looking place.  The roads are North Korean style boulevards which may still be fun to cycle along for several months: And the lake beside … Continue reading

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Mostly harmless

Seen from Thailand, Vietnam was always a little scary.  It was a little further than the immediately neighbouring countries, had a more or less unrelated language (with shotgun accents), and had an alarming effect on people.  Travellers would drift into … Continue reading

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The Omani Woman

Living in an Islamic society, the Omani woman is in an interesting position.  Some things are clearly not ideal: gender equality in the home has a long way to go here, though there are plenty of women in management positions … Continue reading

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Signs of eccentricity

One of the great pleasures of living or travelling in another country is mocking their use of signs.  Without any more ado:   And finally…

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Clothing

Though not much of a fashionista, I’ve found the clothing here fascinating.   Like most westerners, my impression of Arab dress until now didn’t go far beyond “women are covered up, and men wear flowing white robes”.   More or less true … Continue reading

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