Panama to the Punjab

My next door neighbour and I took a full three quarters of an hour to walk what would normally take 20 minutes, then knocked on the wrong door but it's OK were here now.

Tracy, the birthday girl, and Joy.

Adrian, chef and onion muncher.

Well, I'm just about over it now, but what an evening. French was the theme, all prepared by Ady, and I can hardly remember walking back if indeed we did? Thank you all it was an excellent gig!

Another day indoors for me as this evening it's my turn to cook and entertain my friends from Parley Green, Christchurch, so once again an 'All Our Yesterdays' post, hope you enjoy it.

In contrast to the picture of Angkor Wat Temple yesterday, which I described as the most magnificent man made structure, today the

Panama Canal becomes my favorite feat of engineering. At the Miraflores Locks the authorities have built a 3 story museum and viewing platform which I found difficult to pull myself away from.

To watch these huge vessels enter the lock from the Atlantic side, and then drop like a stone to reach the Pacific level is indeed an engineering miracle! The up side to all of this is, the Canal only operates because of the copious volume of fresh water available, and the fresh water is only 'on tap' (excuse the pun) because of the Rain Forest. Simple equation really, no Rain Forest, no Panama Canal and no one can do without it now.

Charlie Anderson in his recording studio.

The following day we hired a guide to take us into the rain forest and when we finished birding the guide told us there was no bus. Nil desperandum, we stuck a thumb up and within a very short time were picked up in a brand new 4 x 4.

The driver, and Rasta Man was none other than Charlie Anderson bass guitarist for the 80's chart topping (2 Tone Ska) band 'The Selecter'.

Accompanied by his wife Julie and their 2 sons, they asked where we were going and told them after a hard day in the jungle we needed to get back to Panama City to 'chill'. Julie said the best place to chill in Panama is our house, and that's where they took us and made us most welcome with plenty to drink (including Charlie's favourite white Jamaican rum) and a cooked meal. That's hospitality for you.

After dinner and a couple of hour swinging in a hammock in the garden, Charlie showed us around his studio where we had a few songs, then the children took us next door to see a Harpy Eagle that the man was nursing back to health after an injury. We well enough the bird was destined to be presented to the President of Costa Rica for release.

Harmandir Sahib, more commonly known as the

Golden Temple in Amritsa.

The Main Gate

The senior Sikh's bless the food which on a daily basis is given free to an average of 60,ooo people every day.

I also met a lovely family there who spent most of the day showing me round. The husband is the gentleman second right with the turban, and his wife, son and daughter are to my left.

As you can imagine there is quite a lot of plates, bowls, cups etc to dhobie but even this is considered a great privilege strictly for a select few. They even managed to get me elbows deep in dish water - wish I'd taken the 'Marigolds'. All the utensils are stainless steel, so you can imagine the clatter!

Ho Chi - Ho Chi Minh

The weather has been 'changeable' today starting with moderate snowfall, as I got up at 06-00, which increased as daylight showed, then changed to light rain. The next change came as the light rain turned heavy and instead of washing away the snow, it formed a sheen on top making it about as slippery as it gets. The final changes came late afternoon as temperatures started to fall making it icy and again it changed to light rain.

However, being a gentleman of leisure and with only one pressing appointment early morning, I took the opportunity to get all the things I might need over the Christmas period in a oner, a packet of sausages and a bag of cheese & onion crisps! On the plus side, the weather seemed to have deterred many as the shops were all but empty, so a quick return home also gave me time to do some preparations for tomorrow's dinner party.

With no birding to report, except for a male Blackcap that visited neighbouring trees, I once again return to the archive and post a few photos from a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia some years ago now. Having travelled from Bangkok, Thailand to Hanoi we took the Re-unification (Express) Railway down almost the full length of the country to Ho Chi Minh City (now Saigon) where we took in the

Viet Minh Museum, once the head quarters of Uncle Ho's army, and had tea where the man himself had once sat.

Later we crawled the famous tunnels, and despite having been both a Submariner and a Diver this was the first and only time I have every experienced claustrophobia. Yes, that is a worried look on my face.

A chance to fire a number of firearms was open to us, and during the day we experienced firing a Kalashnikov, an AK47 and an M1 Carbine.

Just outside of the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, are what became known to the world as 'The Killing Fields' a legacy left by the tyrannical Saloth Sar, better known as Pol Pot. The building in the photo holds the bones (mainly sculls) of many of the victims of the Khmer Rouge Regime.

Taking a 'long-fin' boat up the Mekong we arrived at Angkor Wat a temple complex covering some 75 square mile, much of it still to be uncovered. This has for all these years been the most magnificent 'man made' structure I have ever seen.

These giant root stock are synonymous with the region and in some cases hold many of the buildings together. PS it's not all roots, me and Billy Crumble are there as well if you look closely!

and to end,

this is me and the lovely Tracy Baker (no relation) at a party some time ago. There is another party this evening to celebrate her birthday, so must away and put on my finest - manana!

A Very Happy Birthday Tracy, We'll be There To Make Sure It Is!

PPS - just noticed, coincidentally I have my Angkor Wat tee-shirt on.

Bring Her to Periscope Depth Coxswain!

A most unusual day for me as I only left the house to take a coffee with my neighbour. The dark and dreary overcast look to the weather gave me a good reason to stay at home, but fact of the matter was there comes a time when a few domestics have to attended to. That done, there was then chance to wander through some more photographs, which coincided with the arrival of Christmas Wishes from shipmate and fellow Submariner Billy Gibson, who nowadays spends the winter months in Spain with wife April. The last time I clapped eyes on both of them was at the

which was no ordinary reunion, but the Centenary Celebration of the Service. One hundred years prior to this date, Vickers in Barrow had laid the keel for the first of the 'Holland' class submarines

of which this is a model.

Similarly this 'wooden boat' that I came across in Barcelona was a forerunner of today's nuclear powered craft. Note the John Wayne style arms drooped over periscope pose!

Taking my seat for dinner that Friday evening I was sat between 2 senior shipmate, with the gentleman on my right having travelled from New Zealand for the occasion. As the evening progressed he told me that he had never missed a 'muster' since he left the service, despite the distance. Turning to the gent on my left I enquired as to how far he had travelled, "oh, all the way from Weymouth " he replied. In very short time we discovered that we lived just 2 streets away from each other, and I can report that since Sam Dodds and I have become firm friends. If you read this Sam - 'have a wet'!

Talking of having a 'wet' (a sip of your tot) it was no surprise that at the pipe 'Up Spirits' I was close to the front of the queue.

The next morning I met up with shipmates Billy Gibson left (wife April, Bill's dad, Carol Peace) and Charlie Peace, the 3 of us having served in

HM Submarine Alcide together for just over a year. There were some shenanigans during that period, but not printable through these pages! That evening, there were representatives from every branch and rank in the Service including

Billy and Charlie, just hanging back far enough from the bar so I could get through,

and Flag Officer Submarines (FOSM). Similar to the Isle of Wight Festival c1970, this gathering was a case of "if you can remember what happened, then you weren't there", but in true Naval tradition everyone was mustered the next morning for

Church Parade and photo call. Obviously at such occasions you are going to meet people who have faded with the passing of time, but I was nowhere ready for who I was about to meet that morning. As the gathering dispersed to attend the parade through the town of Gosport (every Submariners home at one time or another) who should emerge from the crowd, none other than

Sid Dolton. Ex Chief Petty Officer Radio Supervisor and long time Submariner, I had the honour of serving with Sid in various sea-going craft outside of the Royal Navy, but mostly on the Ocean Salvage Tug 'Sea Giant'. Sid has since past on to waters much deeper than we had ever dived in but the memories linger on.

The 'freedom' of the town of Gosport was extended to the Submarine Service long before I was pupped let alone joined up, and over the years it has become tradition for the parade of 'bubble heads' to be lead by the band of the Royal Marines, Eastney,

followed by the HMS Dolphin (submarine base) Guard.

The 'Centenary' wasn't the only occasion that year, as I also celebrated my own 'milestone' of 40 years at sea, just a few days later. A friend had the kindness to knock up this novel cake for me, complete with a little man in a boat! You'll doubtless have noticed the 'dolphins' have now become 'a-cockbill', a nautical term applied to an anchor that is 'fouled' or not in the correctly stowed position!

and finally, during my search I came across this image of my youngest daughter Lisa and me on the cusp of the Grand Canyon, during our east to west transit of the USA. How privileged I am to have 2 such girls!

Deep & Crisp & Even the Bad Times Are Good

Not every one's cup of meat, but undeniably Radiohead are 5 of the most talented musicians on the planet as we speak! Reason then for me to pay them a re-visit at the Astoria Theatre, London last night (via DVD that is).

Radiohead are an English alternative rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985 by fellow school friends, and since University Graduates

Thom Yorke (vocals, guitars, piano), Jonny Greenwood (guitars, keyboards, harmonica, various other instruments), Colin Greenwood (bass guitar, synthesisers), Ed O'Brien
(guitars, backing vocals), Phil Selway (drums, percussion)

A personal view would describe their music as singularly original, no one else in the world conjures up a sound such as this, which can waiver from frenzy to pure subtlety in the course of a few chords let alone tracks. Yorke's voice belies his instrumental talents, which are showcased on 'Prove Yourself', allowing him to captivate the audience solo if needs be. The Greenwood brothers are surely a game of two halves, with younger sibling Jonny's frenetic guitar style contrasting with Colin's calculated and unique bass licks and almost Wymanesque physical stance. In any other band, O'Brien would be referred to as 'rhythm guitarist' but this is a 'duel lead' outfit and he is surely that. Finally, as I watch Phil Selwey at work it is reminiscent of watching the world Rubik's Cube champion retaining his title, not a second of 'stick time' wasted!

With the exception of Radiohead's 2007 offering 'In Rainbows', I own their full catalogue and have to agree with the majority of pundits that there finest hour was the 'OK Computer' album, with highlights being 'Karma Police', 'No Surprises' and 'Lucky'. However, for my personal pinnacle I'd have to return to their first album 'Pablo Honey' and that most haunting of songs,

Creep (abridged version)

When you were here before, couldn't look you in the eye
You're just like an angel, your skin makes me cry
You float like a feather, In a beautiful world
I wish I was special, you're so very special

But I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo
What the hell am I doin' here?
I don't belong here

I don't care if it hurts, I wanna have control
I want a perfect body, I want a perfect soul
I want you to notice, when I'm not around
You're so very special, I wish I was special

Chorus

Whatever makes you happy, whatever you want
You're so very special, I wish I was special

Chorus

There are 'free' downloads out there, take a listen.

There was even more snowfall before darkness fell yesterday afternoon, so with the predicted overnight freeze and a seriously heavy hail storm at 04-00, it didn't bode well for walking conditions this morning. As it happened, the hailstones froze and made for a non-slippery surface which also added to the grip underfoot allowing me for one to get out and about as usual.

The extent of the additional snow/hail fall could be gauged by the cover on the Bincombe Bumps

as compared to yesterday's photograph.

However, the overnight temperature must have been much reduced, as the whole of Radipole Lake, with exception of the northern quarter, was frozen just about solidly. A view from Westham Bridge towards the Gurkha Restaurant.

Avian movements were restricted to a few dozen Redwing along with the occasional Fieldfare, while a number of Common Snipe flew into the non-frozen margins in search of food. There were two minor highlights, the first before leaving home as a group of c7 Tufted Ducks flew overhead (an addition to the 'from home list') and this

male Pintail on the island outside of the Visitor's Centre at Radipole.

I am told that this individual, which looks as though it has had a tussle with the likes of a Peregrine or Fox, has been a frequent visitor to the lake of late. It isn't however the one seen associating with the Red-crested Pochard a few days ago, as that had a full 'pin-tail' intact.

and finally a few more

Snapshots of the World (from the archive)

Me & the Skinny Kid (Jim the Medic) at Koto Bridge, Banjul, Gambia.

Fraternising with a lovely lady (the Little Mermaid) in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Getting 'the Bullet' from Sapporo, Japan.

Temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

If this lad had hung on in school he wouldn't be a window cleaner!

This shot proves how puffed out you can get looking for Wallcreeper - close to Golyam Perecik (the seventh highest peak in the country), Rhodope Mountains, Bulgaria.