London

Google Trips tells me that I am spending the day in London today.

Yes, the train from Paris arrived here yesterday evening, but then it was all about the dash to get down to our hosts’ place after a day of travel.

Today, we get to explore.

Last time we were in The Big Smoke was just 10 months ago on a day trip down from Sheffield. [pics]

The light was awful that day. But perfect if you wanted to get a menacing shot of a Tower of London raven.

It’s also Tynwald Day in the Isle of Man. According to Google Trips, we’ll be popping over there on Saturday morning.

Born on the…

…4th July?

Not me. But America was, and they celebrated their 2017th birthday just yesterday.

Incidentally, the 5th July is Tynwald Day, so the Isle of Man is celebrating its birthday today. Who would have thought that two such great – yet completely different – nations would be born just one day apart?

Amazing.

The Manx are typically understated in their celebrations, but of course the Yanx are known for their excessive weight exuberance, and they have fireworks. Here’s a great timelapse of just how that looked last year over Los Angeles – which is basically their version of Port Erin:

Some trippy moments from 11 seconds onwards, but stick with it – you can afford the forty-nine seconds that it takes to get through. The aircraft heading in and out of the local airport only add to the effect, although the camera’s focus on them is rather LAX.

I’m so sorry.

Happy American Independence Day and/or Laa Tinvaal Mie – whichever one is more relevant to you.

 

Yes, I know about American Independence and the history of Tynwald. 

Fudge

I always wanted to have my own cookery blog. I once asked a foodie about being a foodie and he told me that it’s tremendously cool to be a foodie. And there’s no ambivalence in foodie circles. They either love each other or they hate each other. No middle ground.
I think I’d be good at such dramatic extremes. I just need to pick the right side to be on.

Anyway, while I’m doing that, and with it being Tynwald Day (roughly the Manx equivalent of yesterday’s American Independence Day in layman’s terms, I guess), here’s a recipe I devised copied from a conveniently hung Manx calendar.

image

I haven’t actually tried it, but at the end of the day, it’s fudge, so even if it ends up as a sloppy mess, it’s going to taste pretty amazing, right?
Now, foodie friends, I can tell you’re impressed, so gather round and worship at your new-found altar.

Bring fudge.