New York Memories

From Chris & Neil In the US

For me most holidays come and go, warmly anticipated then swiftly forgotten. These days I put the pictures in Picasa, the tan fades and the footprint of work swiftly eradicates all the easy going feeling acquired from swanning about in the sunshine.

But one or two trips will always stick in my memory. One was the three weeks Ms T and I spent in California and Nevada around the time of 9/11; infact as I recall we arrived in San Francisco the night before the terrorists struck. Watching America make an overnight transformation from inward looking complacency to huge public grief and sudden outward aggression was something to behold. (CNN: Who ARE the Taliban?... Fox: America Under Attack!). Many people in Europe underestimated the amount of change in the US psychology after the outrage.

The other holiday that I'll never forget was another trip, first to New York and then in the deep south of the US at around the time Princess Diana was killed. Looking through a cupboard I found a big box of photographs and scanned the best ones on to the internet. The shot of New York makes me sad and wistful; I can't see that city's skyline without thinking of the twin towers and the photo now reminds me of a more innocent, more trusting time.

Cafe Society

There can't be many civilised ways to turn 44, but sitting in a cafe in a sunlit Wimereaux is definitely one of them. Cafes are completely different in France, you buy your coffee and nobody hassles you again.
The sun blasts down and the entire character of the resort is transformed; hundreds of people actually swimming in the Channel! Scary.
I've slipped away for an hour while Ms T and Rachel hit the market. Beside me two prosperous looking Brits discuss the situation.
"Brown's had it all stacked against him".
"I think what we need is a change of Government."
"We need confidence restored."
"Something should be done about inheritance tax."