They’re telling me a great empire will be destroyed if I attack Persia. Even the oracles who don’t like me very much, very nasty, they all said to me, “Sir, it’s one of the great empires, and it’ll be destroyed. And all because you attacked Persia.” That’s what they’re telling me.

Loved this photo essay on the SAIS - their blogs are a vital resource for anyone heading to the Scottish Highlands at this time of year www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

Step aside, Olympics #BM100

"The true genius is a mind of large general powers, accidentally determined to some particular direction." ~ Samuel Johnson

SKULL OF THOMAS AQUINAS: TAKE A LEFT NOW PRIEST: No, the GPS says we have to keep going— SKULL: I KNOW A SHORTCUT PRIEST: Do you remember the last ti— SKULL: FOR THOSE WITH FAITH, NO EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY; FOR THOSE WITHOUT IT, NO EVIDENCE WILL SUFFICE

following the progress of the Georgia-Bulgaria match via the wild shrieks echoing through the open windows of Zemo Vera

Fascinating story - great stuff from @edinburghminute.bsky.social and @londoncentric.media , baffling that HMRC aren't more interested.

Back in Tbilisi for the first time in six years, and my friend immediately sat me down in front of an enormous khachapuri her mother had prepared and made me eat the whole thing ❤️

this is what the Edinburgh pub scene badly needs, bring on the Kyrgyz invasion

I’m convinced this is how a bay leaf would talk

dynastic collapse is often given the final blow by nomadic northern horseman

And a very special #CookbookCorner shoutout for the wonderful Green Mountains: Walking the Caucasus with Recipes by @edentravels.bsky.social!

Very sadly it turns out farmers can make far more money by not smoking their tea until it effectively turns into Laphroaig

A stunningly beautiful day in the Dales - normally I love this train journey but oh to be out in the hills today...

My parents' barometer has run out of adjectives #StormEowyn

can confirm that Gen's treasure hunting is unsurpassed, it's a great and terrible responsibility

Torta della nonna must qualify as a close pie relative

she is here and she is magnificent

Cheese and homemade profiteroles for dinner, absolutely nailing Christmas Eve

Fascinating bit of art historical detective work and a great Christmas Eve cup-of-tea-in-bed read from @londonreview.bsky.social www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

The cake I have just made has turned out extremely unsatisfactory and I am very put out

Inspirational courage and determination from the people of Georgia 🇬🇪

My flat may be an ice box, but at least the cactus is having a lovely time

This was more or less the first thing that happened to me in Armenia, although I believe we were toasting King Arthur (an Armenian, of course)

Uzbekiskaya Kukhnya; Ulitsa Muravlenko, 16, Muravlenko, Yamalo-Nenetskiy, Russia, 629603 https://www.google.com/maps/search/?api=1&query=63.7941095%2C74.492424&query_place_id=ChIJ982JxE5BZUMRNzwZzbPlja0

I am in Lisbon and I am eating pasteis de nata (also other things, but one must prioritise). #1, Deguimbra Pastelaria: weighty, good crunch on the (thick) pastry. Very sweet, but the pastry was made with salted butter which cut through it well. A solid start.

Love this - as another lockdown runner I regret never running through the back streets of Tbilisi while I had the chance, but plan to take a crack at the hills of Lisbon this weekend

Out of office email on, passport located - this time tomorrow I intend to be minimum 50% pastel del nata by bodyweight

Busy Lizzies out, pansies in, woodlouse invasion repelled. Never that fussed about gardening but I'm enjoying my window boxes so much, is this a sign of middle age

A day with Georgian food is a good day

New levels of samovar unlocked

John Lewis really capturing the Zeitgeist here with a range of bedbug soft furnishings

Bus drivers flooring it to catch the blink-and-you'll-miss-it green light on the right turn on Picardy Place has become Edinburgh's most white-knuckle experience

Christening the blue place with a blissful autumn day in the hills, Scotland has its moments