Category Archives: Culture

Posts predominantly culture related.

Living in a Slow Glass World

Posted on December 16, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

It’s been a rather surreal few weeks where I live, in an increasingly surreal year. It has been extremely dense fog for the most part as I write this for almost 2 weeks. It reminds me a little of the … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Life, writing | Tagged Bob Shaw, Fog, Light of Other Days, sadness, Short Story, Slow Glass, Twilight Zone | Leave a comment

Penny for the Guy and other forgotten Guy Fawkes Night traditions.

Posted on November 4, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

Before we go anywhere, have you read my old post Remember, Remember The 5th Of November which explains all the glorious goings on behind Bonfire Night / Guy Fawkes Night or simple Fireworks night. If not, please do 🙂 and come … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Heritage, history, Life | Tagged Autumn, bonfire night, fireworks, Guy Fawkes, tradition | 1 Comment

My first Virtual 360 Degree Video Tour of London

Posted on November 2, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

For the last few months I have been busy working out a vague plan to push my Ye Olde England Tours business forward. How can you be a tour guide and make any money whatsoever without there being any tourists? … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Life, London, Travel, Ye Olde England Tours | Tagged 360 video tour, Bloomsbury, Literature, Private Tours, Video Tour, Virtual Tour, walking tours | 1 Comment

There’s something about Persian door-knockers!

Posted on July 20, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

One of the things I like about travel is encountering different ideas and customs. I really like noticing the differences. Even in the U.K. there are huge variations in buildings, landscapes, foods, accents and even customs. Whilst others delight in … Continue reading →

Posted in Architecture, Culture, Heritage, Life, Travel | Tagged Door knockers, doors, Iran, Islam, Middle-East, Persia | 4 Comments

The Gilt of Cain

Posted on June 12, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

I wrote on Monday on one of my favourite Secret Gardens in the City of London, Fen Court. It would be a beautiful little space in any case but is extra special due to its connections with the Abolition of … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, history, Ye Olde England Tours | Tagged Black Lives Matter, City of London, Fen Court, Poetry, Secret London Gardens, Slavery, The Gilt of Cain | 1 Comment

Coronavirus Diary 29 – Learning Latin

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

I’ve always enjoyed languages and being a bit fed up of either staring at my computer, making plans for my work or finding somewhere semi-comfortable to sit in my partly completed house I decided I would put my spare time … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Life | Tagged Coronavirus, Coronavirus Diary, Covid19, Diary, Duo Lingo, Latin, Learning Latin, Social Distancing | 9 Comments

The oldest living English language

Posted on April 29, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

Today’s post isn’t one that I wrote. I’ve been on the internet way before there was a world-wide web. When it was all Gophers and FTPs in the early 1990’s and even in the late 1980’s on local Bulletin Boards … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, history, Life | Tagged English, English language, Geordie, Newcastle, Northumberland | 19 Comments

Coronavirus Diary 17 – Social Distancing with Opera, Fräuleins and the low-skilled!

Posted on April 14, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

I was reading this morning that the social restrictions the government have put in place a month ago have been so successful that they are worried on how to convince people to come out again once it is safe to … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Life, Opinion | Tagged Coronavirus, Coronavirus Diary, Corvid19, Diary, Films, Homeless, Music | 3 Comments

Spitting Image is back!

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

It was announced last week that one of my favourite television programmes when growing up is to make a return. To people of a certain age, Spitting Image was an unmissable programme with up to 15 million people tuning in … Continue reading →

Posted in Cool Britannia, Culture, Funny & Humour, Politics, television | Tagged Boris Johnson, Donald Trump, ITV, Politics, Puppets, Satire, Spitting Image, television | 4 Comments

The Queen homes in on being the longest serving monarch in history

Posted on March 23, 2020 by Stephen Liddell

Last week Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became the fourth longest-serving monarch today, surpassing legendary Mayan ruler Pakal the Great. The Queen has surpassed K’inich Janaab Pakal who ruled the Mayan city state of Palenque for 68 years and 33 days before … Continue reading →