Charity Find

I frequently look at book sections in charity shops - not so much to save money but because every so often I uncover a gem I probably would not otherwise find.

Such is the case with Lands Of Lost Borders: A Journey On The Silk Road.

It tells the story of a pushbike ride taken by would-be explorer Kate Harris, not long out of university, and her old school friend Mel.

They cycled from Istanbul to Nepal in what is a riveting adventure, only marred by Kate's insistence on coming up with numerous philosophical 'insights' into the state of the human race, etc.

Lost Borders - I 'lost' just £2 buying it in London's Bethnal Green Road

Despite her worst efforts, Kate cannot seriously detract from a very enjoyable read, and one which inevitably includes fascinating bits of history.

Cretan Treasure

AM visiting Crete.

While walking in the hills near the village of Fodele, I came across an interesting Byzantine church.

View while walking up to the church

Front view

View with mountains behind

It turns out the church is 11th century, built on sixth century foundations, and called Panagia (also transliterated as Panayia), ie dedictaed to the Virgin Mary.

Unfortunately the church is only open at weekends, but I may be able to return on Saturday, although it rather depends on matters not wholly in my control (I am playing in a chess tournament).

Ancient Warfare Vol XIV Issue 5

THE May/Jun 2021 edition of Ancient Warfare magazine is themed around "breakaway empires of the third century AD."

Ancient Warfare ... breakaway edition

In particular it looks at Britain and Palmyra (now part of Syria).

Much of the magazine is devoted to other topics, but is none the worse for that.

All in all a very satisfying edition.

Happy Wanderer

PAUL Theroux is arguably the best-known living travel writer.

His books contain a fair amount of history, and that is especially the case with The Happy Isles Of Oceania: Paddling The Pacific.

It tells of trips he made from Australia to Easter Island, taking in the Solomons, Fiji, Samoa, Hawaii and other island groups.

I put off reading Happy Isles because it was travel in a part of the world I was not particularly interested in.

Happy island-hopping

But Theroux made me interested, even though the book contains much of his usual mix of carping - his complaints include a tirade directed at a taxi driver who wants payment for waiting time - and intellectual snobbery.

The bottom line is Theroux is a good writer, and his stories of paddling across the Pacific, while stopping off to camp at numerous islands, rarely tire.