Floridian Memories

Back in March 2025 we packed our bags and escaped to Florida for a couple of weeks and as part of the trip we visited the Florida Keys, an archipelago of islands jutting out into the Caribbean Sea off the bottom of Florida. At the very end of those islands and closest to Cuba is the island of Key West, it's a real party town and has been for many years. One of it's most famous inhabitants was the author Ernest Hemingway who lived there in the 1930s and is know for his hard drinking and sport fishing, I can see why, the vibe of the island is kinda that way inclined. His house in Key West is pictured above, it's now a museum, an interesting place to wander around for an hour or two, must have been a hell of a time to be alive (and rich)..

White Out

In the continuing effort to drink some of my stash of White Wine that needs drinking (because it's getting old) here's another classic producer (Huet) from the Loire Valley in France. This Vouvray wine is made from Chenin Blanc grapes in a dry style and ages superbly, a deep golden colour and smelling of peaches and cream with a touch of honey and dry straw it was very enticing on the nose. The flavours on the palette mirrored the nose, very viscous and rich with a long finish, a delightful wine, shame it's my last bottle!

Memories of Indochina

 

Back in 2024 we were lucky enough to visit Vietnam and Cambodia, it was an eye-opening trip as we'd never been to that part of the world before and it's a real culture shock from sleepy old Europe. I recall vividly the decaying splendor that is the palace complex at Angkor Wat in Cambodia where the jungle is gradually reclaiming the once resplendent capital of the Khmer empire. The picture above shows one such temple, the stairs up to it are deliberately steep to give people the impression that they're ascending to "heaven", with the heat and humidity I would guess that once someone reaches the top they probably think they're pretty close to heaven.. Note my shadow at the bottom of the picture, very Indiana Jones I thought..

Memories of NYC

We were lucky enough to visit NYC last autumn, it was October time and the weather was just turning cold although the skies were still blue. It was a great trip and good to catch up with people and places I hadn't seen for quite a few years, New York is one of those towns that I could always find a reason to visit, maybe next year..

Friday Smirk

The boys discussing religious differences and how liberal apologists for religion tend to gift all faiths with unearned respect in order not to "offend" anyone, even though they are all totally mutually contradictory. I wish we could dilute religions down so that they become benign and toothless, perhaps then we could all get on with curing disease and achieving world peace, although I fear that being just superstitious chimps with shoes we would struggle to even start.

Full Set

 

We were having coffee in a craft beer bar (unlikely I know, but it was a school night!) the other day and I noticed an interesting collection of Vibrant Forest cans hanging on the wall above where we were sitting (see above). VF is one of my favourite South Coast (New Forest) brewers and their PUPA pale ale is an absolute belter, this collection though, looks like the "full set" to me!

Scaled Up

Another beer in the WCIPA quartet I introduced last month this one is definitely the most "modern" of the bunch so far, much paler and crisper than the others with nice bitterness and a solid grapefruit/citrus twang to it! I can't decide whether I prefer this one or the "Reverb" from Elusive, if this weather keeps going I might have to snag a couple more cans to help sort it out..

Heat trap

Out on my walk yesterday I came across this unfortunate scene. A beautiful (and huge) willow tree that had snapped in the dry conditions, apparently wood becomes brittle without normal internal water pressure and is prone to sudden failure under minimal weight or wind etc. Such a shame, this was a wonderful looking tree and now it's firewood (or maybe cricket bats?) and the poor people that live in this little cul-de-sac can't get their cars in or out!