Tag Archives: scribe doll
The Red Room: A Farewell
The news of the Red Room closing down reached me at a time when I especially feel the need for continuity and something solid under my feet. I am preparing for my fourth house move in eighteen months. A few … Continue reading
On the Train from Norwich to London
The journey from Norwich to London was supposed to take two hours. It took a little over four. When we left Norwich, all seemed on schedule. Then they got us to leave the train and wait on the platform in … Continue reading
Pictures of Saint-Gilles
In the heart of bas Saint-Gilles, the cobbles of Le Parvis are lined on both sides with cafés, brasseries and a couple of Moroccan cake shops. Tables are put outside at the first glimmer of elusive Brussels sunshine. People sit … Continue reading
Place de Bethléem
The early evening light bathing Place de Bethléem carries flecks of sunlight. Since moving to Brussels, I’ve had to arrange my timetable according to the sun. In other words, as soon as I glimpse a rare hint of a sunbeam, … Continue reading
Jazz and Three Women Carrying Water
In the Place du Jeu de Balle/Vossenplain, the flea market is being packed up. Small china ornaments, wood carvings, worn-in leather jackets, incomplete sets of cut-crystal glasses and frayed canvasses with oil paintings of forest clearings are wrapped in creased … Continue reading
Three Brussels Quirks and Three Delights (at least for a Londoner)
Quirk No 1: The Milk Issue “I don’t think we’ll be getting any semi-skimmed milk this week.” I stare at the sales assistant of our local Carrefour supermarket. I am suddenly propelled into a parallel universe of Surrealism where I … Continue reading
Easter in Brussels
M., the neighbour upstairs, asks if I am going to plant flowers in the large pots overgrown with weeds and dusty, pollution-corroded rosemary. She looks disappointed when I say that I’m not going to bother planting anything, since we’re staying … Continue reading
London Book Fair 2014
After a warm spell, there’s an icy wind blowing through my jacket as hundreds of us are queuing to get into Earl’s Court exhibition centre. Plastic badge cases are handed out at the entrance. We’ve been instructed to download our … Continue reading
Trying Out a New City (Again!)*
Eclectic, dirty, quirky and – for a European capital – surprisingly scruffy. This city reminds me of a bric-à-brac shop, where a precious artefact, a piece of useless junk, an item of modern tat and a neglected masterpiece lie side … Continue reading
A Translator’s Point of View…*
* Please see Part One of this story, last week, A Bookshop for Free Thinkers …. Last Thursday, 27th February 2014. “Eat. You need sustenance,” says Barbara, my publisher, as the tray with canapés comes towards us. But I can’t … Continue reading