On summer evenings like these, it's difficult to best a walk along the Tay estuary down at Balmossie.

Across a few pleasant visits to Melrose, until my most recent visit last week, I had somehow failed to notice this handsome building a mere stone's throw from the Abbey: the commendator's house.

Apparently, according to my wife, "keep hydrated" doesn't mean "drink frozen margaritas", and I feel this is a misjudgment.

2025 is the centenary of the appointment of Ebenezer James Macrae as Edinburgh City Architect. Dubbed "the man who shaped modern Edinburgh", his work characterised by a blend of modern form and function with traditional style. A uniquely splendid example is the Edinburgh Police Box 👮📦🧵▶️

Thinking of my holiday to #Naples last week, I'm reminded of the city's love for Sophia Loren (a secular saintly cult second only to Maradona). 😍 #Napoli

A great Opening Sentence at this morning's kirk service - Nehemiah 9:17: God is a forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, long-suffering and ever constant, and he did not abandon us.

I enjoyed a jaunt some 35km north of #Napoli to the summer palace at Caserta. It was built by the Borbone - the Neapolitan Bourbons - in the mid-18th century. The kingdom's most celebrated architect, Luigi Vanvitelli, took Versailles as his inspiration.

Herculaneum is well worth a visit. The excavations are more compact than those at Pompeii but no less interesting and, going on today (admittedly very much off-season!), Herculaneum is much quieter than Pompeii.

Herculaneum is well worth a visit. The excavations are more compact than those at Pompeii but no less interesting and, going on today (admittedly very much off-season!), Herculaneum is much quieter than Pompeii.

Duolingo's graphics continue to perturb...

It was great to be back in the over-the-top sumptuousness of the Teatro di San Carlo, an opera house that has been operating since 1737. #Napoli

Arrived back in Naples yesterday to a characteristically warm welcome, though someone was a little suspicious of us... #Napoli

I'm happy to report that the iconic 170 year old Argyle Street Ash Tree in Glasgow seems to have made it through Storm Éowyn pretty much unscathed. This was it at sunset this evening. #glasgow #StormÉowyn #argylestreet #argylestreetashtree #glasgowtoday

I think Pankaj Mishra showed us all we need to know about Niall Ferguson

Best image of 2025 so far. 😻

I went to see the film "A Real Pain" recently and really liked it. Good, well-paced storytelling, some really moving scenes, and a great performance from Kieran Culkin in particular. I recommend it!

I finally got round to reading a book I've had for some time but never got round to picking up: "The Pike" by Lucy Hughes-Hallett. It's a biography of Gabriele d'Annunzio (1863-1938), the Italian poet, warmonger, womaniser, and eccentric aesthete.

There are times that Duolingo manages to be unnecessarily unsettling, like with this image. There's something of a Mesoamerican apocalypse about this reminder to practise.

Today was a rather cold day for a trip out onto Loch Katrine, but it was definitely worth it for the views. I wasn't expecting to see so much colour in January, and the mist clinging to the trees was very pretty.

Encountered - at some distance - a curious seal out at Newhaven. 🦭 #Edinburgh

The @vadundee.bsky.social's exhibition on the kimono is interesting and beautiful. It only runs until Sunday 5th January - if you have time and opportunity then do go and see it! (www.vam.ac.uk/dundee/whats...) #Dundee

Wishing all my friends in Scotland and those celebrating around the world a very happy St Andrew’s Day 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

One of the best things about this time of year must be the sunsets. This was some evenings ago, but I'm hoping for a few more of these sights to splash some colour across Edinburgh in the wintry darkness.