Trapped in Firenze

We are trapped in Firenze (Florence), but as the chap from the European Breakdown Recovery service said, “I can think of worse places to be stuck”.

The staff at Hotel Residence GRIFONE at 20-22 Via Gaetano Pilati, in Firenze have been wonderful. They have treated us more like family than guests. Nothing has been too much trouble, and the original four days at the Hotel were blissful. Equal too but in many ways different than the Hotel Cappana CAO, Brunate-San Maurizio-Via Alle colme-Piazzale C.A.O. Both are first class and both come with lovely people.

For me the real judge of a good hotel is when things go wrong. I suspect that in day to day running, hotel-staff operate, somewhat like ducks. They gracefully glide on the water while they are frantically paddling underneath to provide great service. But when things go wrong, which hotels step up to the mark and support their guests. As we were leaving this morning, I told the staff that we would recommend the hotel and would stay again. I even explained that if we could afford to stay somewhere more expensive in the future, we would decline that opportunity, and stay with them. Now don’t get me wrong, because Hotel Grifone is not a downmarket hotel. Indeed it is quite up market, and given the cost, it came as a nice surprise when the lovely man from Milan booked us in for the next five days while ‘the Beast’ is repaired.

Our Volvo S60 D5 is not termed ‘the Beast’ because of today’s misfortune. No, it is a loving term used by our family because of the engine power and torque. It simply takes off, and is a joy to drive. The Beast brought us to Italy in 2007. Indeed, on that trip we made it further than today’s mishap. In fact some 40 Km further to Siena.

We would have passed by Siena as we headed for Hotel Capital today, and the Italy to Sicily ferry tomorrow. We had a lovely breakfast in Hotel Residence Grifone and bid our farewells. We loaded ‘the Beast’ and twiddled with the Tom-tom. I had planned the scenic route but found that added a further 5 hours to the journey. So we instead opted for the tolls. I suspect that there would have been many tolls south based on our experience so far of Italian toll roads. I reset the Tom-tom for the direct route, and pressed the clutch pedal to drive away. There wasn’t anything there for my left foot to press, but my brain didn’t immediately register the absence of the pedal. Indeed, I moved my foot further to the right and pressed the brake. That is when I looked down to find out who had stolen the pedal.

Sure enough, the pedal was gone. When I eventually found it, it was to say the least, a sorry limp thing of no practical use. I was so glad that we had been good guests. Can you imagine re-entering a hotel if you had upset anyone? Especially when you know that the superb English language skills of the staff would come in handy when trying to communicate with someone from a garage that only spoke Italian.
Thankfully I had arranged European Breakdown Cover through Martins moneysupermarket.com while we were in Wales. And all for an astonishing price of only £59 for a whole year. That’s a come and sort you out, or if we fail, take you and your vehicle back to the lovely Wales service.

That’s also pretty cheap if you ask me. The helpline phone call was seamless. The truck arrived in about an hour and the driver checked the pedal to find it as limp as I had a while earlier. He then spoke to me a lot in Italian. The strange thing is; Pauline knew what he was asking for. Some bolt thingy, that fixes to the front of ‘The Beast’ so that the car could be hauled by a cable onto the low loader. We waved goodbye, not to the Italian chappy, but to our car. And then it was off for some lunch.

A delightful trio of pasta, alcohol cake (I ain’t driving now) and coffee.

European touring important points:
Check out Martins Moneysupermarket.com for great European cover
Bring a kettle and some long life milk as many hotels do not have facilities
Oh and enough cups for your group

Today’s important points were:
Go with your car when they come to collect it
It’s disheartening not knowing where it is (hope it’s ok)
You can’t be upset by what you can’t control

Medusa

The stunning Medusa by Caravaggio. The image is painted on a wooden full size shield. It is a stunning example of high quality art. The Exhibition at the Galleria degli Uffizi also housed a stunning Bronze depicting Mars, and two other fine pieces to my liking

Grand Tour of Italy 2010 Part 7 Thu 5 Aug

For those of you who know my Facebook page; you will be pleased to know that 80+ photographs have been uploaded to a new Album – Italy 2010.

It was hard to trump the great day that we had yesterday. The restaurant Trattoria Celestino at P.zza S. Felicita 4/R Firenze was stunning. It came recommended by the one of the Hotel employees who found us sat down resting in that quarter of the City during the early evening. What a lovely man to cross the road and engage us in conversation, check that we were ok and give us good advice. I have former employees who cross the road to avoid me. Worse still, they crossed the road when I worked with them. But many of my friends say that their behaviour says more about them than me. Good friendship is important, and I would rather have my 20 good friends than several hundred false friends.

Good friendship is like a good wine – you simply don’t mind what price you pay.

Pauline spent last night writing out postcards. It’s a tradition with us, even with the Internet and mobile messaging. It may arrive late, but you can’t beat a good postcard with old news. It’s about the time and effort that you took in hunting out the card, expressing yourself in words, and then finding a post office. This of course is not a small task for someone when they are in a foreign country. Especially when you don’t know the language and you don’t know the post office sign.

My main postcard is for the gang in the kitchen where I used to work. The next one is for a FIDE International Chess Player, friend and drinking partner. Several postcards are for the girls and there are the postcards that Pauline has written. If you are not on the list, then don’t panic as this is a three week tour. I found the tobacconist selling stamps easy enough and we made the Number 14 bus into the city. We hopped off and straight onto the Number 7 bus and went up into the mountains to Fiesole for coffee, cake and the view.

When we got back to Firenze I popped in to see the Caravaggio exhibition while Pauline watched the world go by in Piazza Bella Signoria.

European touring important points:
Hot climate = frequent change of clothes
Bring some clothes washing liquid with you like we do
£500 would buy 480 Euro in the UK but only 425 Euro in Florence

Today’s important points were:
The Hotel kept Pauline away from the Croissants
Can you blame them?
The Tourist Bus all the way to the community of FIESOLE takes the same route as the bus that we sat on
There is more than one bar in Fiesole so you don’t have to go to the expensive one
Fiesole is a historic site

Some snaps

Firenze (Florence) August 2010

Grand Tour of Italy 2010 Part 6b Wed 4 Aug

It has been a great day in super hot Firenze (Florence). It kicked off with the breakfast saga, and then rolled out into the street. Just outside the hotel there are some lovely buildings. We caught the bus into the City, and a bargain at 4 Euro 70 for four tickets. When we got on the bus, you punched the ticket twice for two people and that allowed you to be on any bus for up to 90 minutes from the time that the ticket was stamped.

We stayed on the number 14 and went through Firenze Bus Terminal and out the other side on a circular route past the hospital. Almost exactly 1.5 hours after we began we arrived back at the Bus Terminal and got off. The sightseeing bus is 22 Euro each. And we just saw Florence for 1 Euro 20 each. And we managed to have a lovely chat with a Libyan chap and his lovely Indian wife. They spoke; Italian, Hindu, and Arabic as well as local dialects specific to the area of India and the area in Libya. No wonder he had a good job in the medical profession and owned homes in three countries. Now we wouldn’t have had that experience on the staged tours.

We ambled through the city and broke open our picnic from the local bakery. Their English is not so good, but we manage to communicate well enough to stock up each morning. If you stay at Hotel Grifone in Firenze then check out the small bakery about 60 metres away. Today’s feast was essential water, open strong cheese pizza slice for Pauline. My choice was a closed pizza slice; with a middle layer of cheese and ham. An olive bread roll for me and cardoman seed bread to share. Oh, and an apple.

We did quite well financially. Pauline pressed on past one stall where I was going to buy and saved a few euro at the next one. The trader thought that we were in a negotiation and dropped his price further. In fact in the end he knocked some more off and said, “there, a coffee for you, and a coffee for you”. If you are in Firenze and you see his stall (photo) check it out and buy his stuff.

We saved another 10 Euro further on, and dinner came in at 12 Euro less than we expected. We did the ‘thin Centurion’ thing again. Spaghetti with tomato and basil was my choice. Whereas Pauline enjoyed a first course of what can only be described as the perfect Lasagne. Second course for Pauline was a delicious piece of chicken in a lovely white wine sauce. And I went for the Sole and Potatoes. The lady finished the meal with Italian ice cream, and I enjoyed the fruit salad. The beer and water was also good. But for the first time in a long time, I witnessed Pauline having a drink. She summed it up nicely with “why have coke, if you can have a large glass of wine for the same price?”

It’s great to be back in the air conditioned room to Blog away and enjoy another beer. The Lady from India mentioned that it was 40 degrees recently and no one could do anything. I’m glad that it’s not that hot, but it certainly is warm. And we have another two weeks to go.

European touring important points:
Check the hotel location if travelling by train as we seen many tourists lugging a suitcase behind them in the midday sun

Today’s important points were:
City breaks are expensive
A hundred metres outside the tourist area and prices drop
A supermarket is far cheaper
Don't buy the first thing that you see

Grand Tour of Italy 2010 Part 6 Wed 4 Aug

I mentioned the private security guard with the gun, who was responsible for amongst other matters; stopping tourists eating nearby or taking photographs of certain statues. But sometimes, you don’t need a person with a gun, for you to know that you shouldn’t take a photo. Walking around the city, any city, is hard thirsty work.

In fact it’s so tough, that the next time we are going on holiday I’m flying off to a beach and plonking myself down for three weeks. Now that’s not Pauline’s cup of tea, but ‘horses for courses’ and all of that. Pauline struggles with the city walking, and to be quite honest, so did I in this heat. Our dilemma is that the hotel is some 40 minutes walk from the old city. And being a Cardi, there was little chance of a taxi. Maybe that wasn’t the real dilemma. That could be assigned to returning to the hotel to find that the bar had closed at 2100 and it was now 10pm.

So we walked another hundred metres or so and landed in a bar. The couple at the end of the bar referred to us as being English. The thing was, that I was too tired from the walking and the heat to hit them with a retort “Gaul, non-inglese”.

Now picture this; four tall gaming machines with lights flashing and bells and whistles going. At the top centre if each gaming machine there is a full size dartboard. The dartboard is set out like ours, but they are playing a game that I did not recognise. The place was packed and the players were moving briskly through their turn. The best part was that they had to put coins into each machine in order to play darts! It was really strange, and these were serious players. They were so serious that I likened them to chess players. You guessed, there was no way that I was going to get the camera out. Instead I sat there like a good little boy and downed two pints of some kind of lager.

Wednesday morning brook with a stunning sky and a crushing heat. Time for a shower and for a few moments I felt like Bob Hoskins in Mona-Lisa. You know the scene where he gets wrapped up in the shower curtain in the B&B. It’s not that there is anything wrong with the bath or the shower in this smart hotel. It’s just that thin Italian Centurion thing. Ultra narrow baths, coupled with a basic design flaw. Who places the shower in the middle of a narrow bath and then have a plastic shower curtain? I couldn’t even have the shower head aiming at me. It had to be positioned sideways on. Mind you, that is the position that we found it in, so maybe others had worked out the hydraulics as well.

Reasoning and common sense are traits that we all possess in varying degrees. Sometimes, however hard we try, working things out can be quite difficult. Just ask Pauline how to toast a croissant. She was determined to have one warm with cheese and ham this morning. This is fine if you speak Italian, and you have the common sense to ask the waiter for help. But pretty bad news if, like Pauline, you don’t speak Italian and decide to go for it alone. Toasters are for toast, you know the large hotel type toaster where you place the bread on the revolving platform and it drops off at the end with varying degree of success. Not so cool if you put a sugar coated croissant on the conveyor belt with the heat turned up to 3 and the belt turned down to 1.

For thirty seconds I thought that I was going to have to be re-employed as a firefighter. The breakfast room started to fill with smoke, and forty guests turned to look at Pauline, as two burnt croissants popped off the conveyor belt. Well one popped off, and the other had to be dislodged by Pauline with the bread tongues. She then walked sheepishly back to the table. I heard one little boy say “Mummy, that lady has burnt her cake”. Mum replied “Ssssh, look away”. Still, at least the guests would have something to talk about as they boarded their luxury coach smelling of burnt croissant. I can hear them now “blinking American tourists” or maybe “Ah gee, I wonder which State they’re from”.

It was almost as funny as the bottle of sparkling water that exploded over her two days back. I managed to keep a straight face that time. This time I simply moved tables. No not really, I sat there with a ‘stiff upper lip’ and drank my excellent hot milk and hot coffee. It’s great in Italy. You ask for milky coffee and they bring you a pot of each. The coffee was nicely washed down with the untoasted croissants, bread, cheese, ham, and plums. Plural and not singular as the first one was so good, that I had to pop back and get a second plum.


European touring important points:
Don’t forget to search and print some ideas for each place that you visit
And places to stop off and look at in-between the long hauls


Today’s important points were:
Just less than a pint of lager in Italy cost 4 Euro 50
Check out the croissants there may be two types
Don’t put the sugar coated ones in the toaster
In fact don’t put anything in the toaster other than bread

Firenze eto

The square on a glorious August evening. Where we are sat taking this photograph there was an armed security guard stopping people eating nearby, and taking photographs of the numerous statues in a covered area just above where we were sat. I just didn't get why he had the gun.

Grand Tour of Italy 2010 Part 5 Tue 3 Aug

The drive through Italy down to Florence began with the descent from the stunning hotel near Brunate. A lovely chat with the lovely owner was followed with a few photos of Mrs. B and then setting the video camera to film the twisting descent.

Temperatures drifted from 15 degrees up to 33 degrees. We relied on the Satellite-Navigation and in doing so we forgot what effect the heat would have on the device. Even with the climate control on in the car; the Satellite-navigation gets hot in it’s exposed condition by the windscreen. The oversight cost us 5 Euro and around half an hour as it took us off the motorway and back on ourselves.

Still, before that calamity; we were able to overindulge in the excellent service station at Saint Martino. My Bro swears that West Moorland is the best Service Station in the UK, and that may be so. But Saint Martino is the best one in Europe. Pauline went for Lasagne, bread, coke and a peach tart. I managed two combinations of pasta. It should have been one, but because I was indecisive the lovely Italian lady suggested half and half. The cheese and ham version was stunning, but the tomato based sauce was far superior! I went for water, bread and some regional tart. It was all first class and came in at only 23 Euro. The Service station is very clean and the food is cooked in front of you. Well done Italy, you know how to look after your motorists.

We went through another 40 tunnels today, and over some stunning bridges. I started to lose count of the tunnels, but we can safely say that if you drive from Wales to Firenze (Florence) in Italy you will go through at least 80 tunnels with another 4 that we saw being built on our drive. So maybe the 20+ Euro worth of tolls today, aren't that excessive after all!

European touring important points:
Whatever the Satellite-Navigation says, for long journeys add on 3 hours


Today’s important points were:
The motorway toll Como and Firenze was over 25 Euro
That’s one way so sort out your budget in advance

Firenze

We are on the fifth (top) floor of the hotel and they have provided a room with a balcony as per my request before leaving Wales. The weather is a stunning 33 degrees

Via from above Brunate

A stunning panarama

Grand Tour of Italy 2010 Part 4 Mon 2 Aug

Breakfast in Merzig was lovely, and as in 2007 we popped to a local bakery in the main street to stock up for a picnic. The drive from Merzig saw temperatures drop to 15 degrees and then rise up to 28 degrees as we entered Italy. Although the highest temperature was some 32 degrees in the middle of the 11 mile tunnel in Switzerland. We have now managed to drive through in excess of 40 tunnels on our journey from Wales to Italy.

The directions provided by the lovely owners of Hotel Cappana CAO, Brunate-San Maurizio-Via Alle colme-Piazzale C.A.O. were spot on. Although it’s times like this that you wish that you were on a scooter or driving a Smart Car and not in the Volvo S60 D5 AKA ‘The Beast’. The route from Como up into the mountains was torturous with hairpin bends every 50 metres or so and single width roads most of the way, Demanding on the concentration but great fun and places Cappana CAO as our find of the holiday. The Panorama from the hotel is simply breathtaking. We are so high up it is like being on an aeroplane.

Drinks and a read on the terrace were followed by a feast. I love the Italians, they are so thin and so well presented but eat so much! I must have been Italian in my former life, as I share their national love of food. I was probably a Centurion, not a General, but some schmuck foot soldier being bullied for 30 years. But hey ho, I bet the Centurions never eat like this. The first course was the size of a main, and the beer is washing it down very well indeed.

There was a bad thunderstorm later in the evening as it got dark and the Internet was turned off due to the weather.

European touring important points:
You need a Motorway Pass for Switzerland
We bought our one online for £30.50 before travelling
In September 2007 we could have accidentally driven through the border
In August 2010 cars were being directed to buy a pass at the border
If you are stopped without one there is an excessive fine
Sat-Nav motorway speeds are incorrect in the rain
Motorway speeds reduce near towns and junctions
Don’t forget your headlamp deflectors


Today’s important points were:
France motorway toll between Merzig and Switzerland 6 Euro 90
Bio Diesel in Merzig was 1 Euro 18 per litre
Petrol was circa 1 Euro 40
A motorway stop in Switzerland took Euro for payment

Vimy Ridge

The Vimy Ridge site is run by the Canadian Govermnet and the front advance trenches have been rebuilt with concrete sandgbags, and concrete shaped like wooden floorboards/duckboards. There is even a trench Mortar. It is a shock to realise how close the two opposing armies where

The Canadian Monument

Pauline at the Canadian Monument near Arras in Western France during August 2010

Grand Tour of Italy 2010 Part 3 Sunday 1 August

The big mistake of the day was to decline breakfast at the hotel, while forgetting it was Sunday with everything appearing closed in France. Other than one of the motorway shops and petrol station. We set out from Arras on yet another bright day. Temperatures went from 22 to 25 degrees as we travelled to Germany, but did not reach yesterday's high of 26 degrees.

Arras is an important military site and I am keen on military history and by degree a qualified Strategist. I have visited numerous war memorials and cemeteries in Belgium and France, but this time I thought that we would visit something involving the dreadful events of the Somme in World War I (The Great War).

I don’t sign up to the 'Lambs Leading Lions' theory as everything has a place in time and space and what was decided was decided with the best theory and practice of the time. British people think of the British loss of life, and quite rightly so.

Nevertheless I decided that I would visit the largest German military cemetery in France at Neuville St Vaast and pay my respects. You can find out more about the site at www.theirpast-yourfuture.org.uk. It was a humbling experience standing in a cemetery where the crosses went on as far as the eye could see. Unlike Allied crosses, the ones that I observed in the Neuville St Vaast cemetery had two names on either side of each horizontal cross. There are some headstones as well, as explained on the website.

My love of military history is endorsed by my wife, and Pauline insisted that we visit Vimy Ridge and the Canadian Monument to the North. This is a visit that anyone interested in the Great War cannot miss. The Canadians take great pride in remembering their fallen. Some of the Canadian and German trenches have been rebuilt and there is a free guided tour available as well as an informative Visitor Centre. I know that the trenches brought to life for visitors are the front trenches of the two armies, but it is astonishing to note just how close they were and how dangerous the undermining and subsequent explosions were for both sides. The name of the crater at the Vimy Ridge site is disputed as it is not known which army mined the area and set the explosion. I was shocked at how generous the Canadians are with a Poppy lapel handed over free of charge. That prompted a donation. The Vimy Ridge site is a lovely area which you could easily find yourself spending a whole day with a good picnic and a good friend.

It was then onto Cathédral Saint-Aubain, which is located at Place Saint-Aubain, 5000 Namur, in Belgique. This is the French speaking southern part of Belgium. We chose St Alban’s Cathedral as it is renowned for its Italian influence architecture. Which if course is a fitting choice, as this trip is after all a Grand Tour of Italy. It’s just that there are a lot of miles to cover before you reach Italy by road. The Cathedral was stunning, with a massive organ taken up the whole area inside above the entrance, and a pulpit that is a work of art. We stopped off at Brassiere in the square that was well up market. Plush is an understatement, as it was well equipped with fine furnishings and deco and up market bar staff. Pauline managed to demolish an astonishing ice cream, bottled water and an orange Fanta. Whereas I had coffee, water, and a Fanta with a total bill including a 2 Euro 50 cent tip coming in at under 20 Euro. This was followed by an enjoyable walk along the canal and a chance to see the walled fortifications of the town. It’s a pity that I didn’t see the car on the roundabout as easily as the fortifications. But all’s well as Pauline shouted ‘stop’, and she who must be obeyed was obeyed and we stopped well before the junction line. Phew, a close shave there then, and a lesson in paying attention when driving abroad.

We have now travelled from Wales, through England, across to France, into Belguim, through Luxenbourg and are now in Merzig in Germany. Our evening meal at Hotel Sonnenhof, Zum Sonnenwald 42, 66663, Merzig, Germany was lovely, as is the beer. We also enjoyed the company of two German nationals who took the time to decipher the German menu. I settled for a tradditional regional dish while Pauline went for Chicken with a mild curry sauce and rice and potatoes. Oh, and both of us had a delicious salad to start. Both salads contained a boiled egg and olives and was the best part of a meal in itself. We were having soup but something got lost in the translation.

Planning a Grand European tour important points are:
I made good use of www.laterooms.com, www.hotels.com, http://www.theaa.com/route-planner and http://www.google.co.uk/

Today’s important points were:
The Arras towards Namur in Belgium Motorway toll was only 3 Euro 90 Cents
There were no tolls in Belgium
There were no tolls in Luxemburg
There were no tolls in Germany
Breakfast of 1 coffee, 2 baguettes, 2 cakes, and a toasty to share cost 20 Euro on the motorway

Grand Tour of Italy 2010 Part 2

We are now in Aras in France on day one of our Grand Tour of Italy. We drive through Germany tomorrow and then through Switzerland the day after. With the first of many days in Italy scheduled to start at a Hotel that we have booked at Lake Como.

I just received a lovely message from my Bro Steve via that World shrinking mobile phone device. Hi Bro, and hi to everyone else out there who reads the Blog. AKA my mate Adam, the lovely lady from Brazil, the Welsh Speaking Welsh lady located somewhere in South Wales, and our daughters. We set out from Wales just before 0900 this morning, which for those that know me, will also know that me being on time at the start of a trip is a rarity. I strongly believe in keeping appointments, but for some reasons I am slow off the mark when starting a holiday.

Nevertheless we were ahead of time, until I bumped into the postman as we drove away and then had to buy a notepad to bang off an important letter. So around 0915 we left the Village and drove through the delightful Welsh mountains and down to a point where South Wales meets England. It has been a lovely day for driving, and the weather has been fine all of the way. We made the 1815 ferry out of Dover. The crossing was smooth and the French Countryside with the setting sun was stunning. We are now at the Hotel Campanile Arras, in the Zone d’activities des Alouettes. Located in Saint-Nicolas 62223 near Aras France. Our first floor room is accessed from an external balcony. The double room is well equipped, and Pauline is learning a bit of French as she switches channels.


For those planning a Grand European tour pre holiday important points are:
P&O Ferry was only £30 each way booked online at their main website
Thomas Cook beat other Euro rates and handed over the monies immediately
A Post Office pre-loaded Sterling debit card cost us £3
A Thomas Cook one also cost us £3
A Euro pre-loaded debit card costs zero with the Post Office and Thomas Cook
Thomas Cook spread the better Euro rate across cash and the debit card


Today’s important costs and points were:
P&O Ferry check-in was smooth and very fast
P&O Meal for two, 1 drink, 1 bread roll, ice cream and Greek Yoghurt £20.36
The Calais to Aras Motorway toll was 7 Euro 20 Cents
Beer and a bottle of coke at our hotel was 9 Euro 80 Cents
France is 1 hour ahead so it is now 11pm

Grand Tour of Italy 2010 Part 1

We are due to travel on our second Grand Tour of Italy from tomorrow. In 2007 we drove to Siena and we were away for 10 days. This time it's a tad longer as our itinerary includes entries for 'Week 3'. The trip will take us through England, across France, into Germany, through Switzerland, and then down through Italy all the way to Sicily.

It's all been booked online mainly via www.laterooms.com and www.holidaylettings.co.uk with a few hotels.com and hotel.info thrown in for good measure. Our home is occupied while we are away as the rest of the family are not travelling with us. This is a bit of 'we' time and includes a Romantic retreat with a Villa on the mountainside and a pool with an astonishing view in Sicily for a week, and four days in the Romantic Florence. As well as taking in Arras, Merzig, Lake Como, Salerno, Naples, Bologna, Strasbourg, and of course Calais.

For those of you that scoff at the idea of staying in Calais; we have booked a room at the upmarket Hotel Meurice. And if we have any money left at the end of the Grand Tour then I suspect that we will indulge in some excellent French cuisine while we are there. I have even packed my watercolour pencils and leather bound journal for the trip.

Anniversary Gift

A photograph of original artwork of me and Mrs.B drawn by Aberystwyth artist Richard Ireland. The main image is from photograph's of around 20+ years ago. The subtle background images are recent. The artwork was commissioned as a Wedding Anniversary Gift from Hollie Bennett. The Original artwork is mounted on card and framed with glass with an overall size of approximately 27 x 18 inches. The small square and slight reddish colour are background reflections from the glass when taking the photograph. A larger version appears at the foot of the main Blog page.

A little bit of Wales

This short video is for my African friends and other Blog readers throughout the World to know a little bit more about where I live. The video runs through the Countryside to our village, from about one mile away. The video was shot on Sunday the 25 July 2010.

Italy

Visitors from the 24th country to read this Blog came from Italy. Or to be more specific the reader came from Sicily. This is really cool, as we are trying to book our summer holiday to include a one week stay in a villa in Sicily. I will of course update the Blog as soon as we receive confirmation of the booking and will also try to maintain the Blog as we travel from Wales next Saturday on an 18-19 day European adventure.

The last time Pauline and I ventured into Europe; we ended up staying in a lovely hotel in Siena and clocked up 2800 miles in the Volvo S60 D5 aka the Beast.

The Beast is booked in for a service later this week and I am also having the Tom-tom satellite navigation system hard wired into the dashboard. It’s to cut down on the number of electric leads trailing from the cigarette lighter across the dash to the various components. I have cleaned the car, and the leather ready for this year’s adventure. I even intend to have another haircut just before we set off. As is always the case in my life, everything is so last minute. But we are really pleased with the property that we have found and now have to wait for the confirmation.

17 Libraries

The last Blog entry mentioned the number of Castles in Wales per square mile as being the greatest number in any country in the World. Oppression aside; Wales is also a place of learning. This can be best understood by reference to the number of libraries. At the last count there were 17 libraries in Aberystwyth which is the highest number of libraries per head of population in any town or city in the World.

It was inevitable that Aberystwyth would become a centre of learning. The Parliament of Owain Glyndwr is believed to have been called at nearby Machynlleth. Aberystwyth and Harlech were the last two castles held by Glyndwr during the Welsh Rebellion. The isolated position of Aberystwyth with its port and poor road network meant that a castle was a necessity. Located around such a dominating structure a town was bound to grow. Ceredigion was an important area for the Welsh Princes to control. With a trading port and good grazing for livestock, Ceredigion also provided isolation from large scale attack and disease. Although, inhabitants located along the coast were vulnerable to sea-borne plundering raids. Nevertheless the town grew around the castle and the port and by the Napoleonic era the County had attracted great wealth from trading in Wool and Horses. Money leads to investment, and this provided grander structures to attract more people to the town. Initially to partake in the waters, but these days the emphasis is on housing the migrating population of Aberystwyth University and to a lesser extent; the not insignificant number of visitors attracted to the town each summer.

As a centre of learning, the town attracted the development of a National University of Wales and the National Library of Wales. The University has a worldwide reputation as a centre of excellence, and its Department of International Politics is second to none. The Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies located next to the National Library of Wales is a dedicated research institute of the University of Wales. It is little wonder that people from all over the world are attracted to Aberystwyth as a place of learning. Michael Appiah of Ghana is one of those academics who have graduated from Aberystwyth University. And of course, I am another one.

Castles and all that goes with them

For those of you who do not regard Wales as an oppressed nation; then consider the following fact. There are more Castles per square mile in Wales than in any other country in the World.

Now that's great if you like visiting Castles, but pretty dammed annoying if you lived during the darker periods of Welsh history. Castles were not only built for refuge. A Castle represented power, through its visual presence and the cost of building such a structure. And not just monetary cost, there was the ability to assemble and protect or coerce labour. The ability to take or move natural resources. Yes, a Castle was a place to garrison trained soldiers who where not on the whole, vulnerable to a surprise attack. But it was not just a physical entity, it was also an oppressive statement, and a significant one at that. It was a place to collect and store your wealth. A place to keep your prisoners, and a building to dominate the surrounding countryside and therefore present a constant reminder of your might, to your enemy.

The Romans established forts in the military zones throughout Wales. The early Welsh Princes would have built their own stockades and Castles. But the Normans and then the English Kings decided to dominate the landscape with these superstructures of their time. A decision that was made in order to control and subdue the Welsh people.

Just in case

Just in case you thought that I had moved on from the situation faced by Ms Sakine Mohammadie Ashtiani, as I Blog about Human Rights Racism and the Colonisation of Wales and Africa. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but some things are simply too important. Regular readers will accept that the Blog threads will not seamlessly connect. Hey ho, that's insignificant compared to standing up for what you believe in.

If you believe in something that matters then sign the petitions at:

http://stopstonningnow.com [http://stopstonningnow.com/sakine/sakin284.php?nr=50326944&lang=en] (11,000 signatures),

http://www.avaaz.org [http://www.avaaz.org/en/stop_stoning/?cl=651962225&v=6766] (529,000 signatures)

http://freesakineh.org ( 129,000 signatures)

And visit and add the Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-Sakineh-Mohammadi-Ashtiani-from-being-Stoned-to-Death-in-Iran/123908540984923 (45,000 people)

None of the above values are insignificant figures. It really is a case of the people of the World standing united and arguing as to why Ms Sakine Mohammadie Ashtiani should be released.

What did the Romans ever do for us?

Of course the Colonisation of Wales did not start with the English incursion into the country. The Romans colonised Wales long before the English. Historically, Wales was believed to be a military occupation zone. The Roman Villas that represented long term gain and lifestyle choice through farming and trade were believed to have been restricted to South Wales and England. That is until recently, when Archaeologists unearthed a Roman Villa at Abermagwr near Aberystwyth in the County of Ceredigion.

The excavation has shown that the owners used coins and imported pottery from afar afield as “Oxfordshire, Dorset and Northampton” (The Cambrian News p.4 22 July 2010). This was an established Roman Villa dated late 200AD early 300AD and is evidence of Roman activity in this part of Wales for some time beyond the previous known date of 130AD when the Roman Fort at Trawsgoed also in the County of Ceredigion was abandoned. The newspaper article goes on to make an interesting observation about the name ‘Abermagwr’. We are informed that the word ‘Magwr’ in Welsh means ‘ruined homestead’. So the Welsh name implies a memory of a building on the site, long before the modern hamlet was established.

With all of this ‘Romanesque’ activity in the County coming to light; the phrase “what did the Romans ever do for us?” springs to mind. Those of you who know your Monty Python will also know where that phrase comes from. Plus of course there is a nice link to me and to Ceredigion in respect of that particular film. My good friend Douglas Rumsey and I were desperate to see the film, and had read the reviews that mentioned colossal crowds. So we camped out at the ABC Cinema in Newport, South Wales and waited for several hours. Whiling away the time sat on the kerb and drinking the odd can of beer. As the door to the cinema opened for the Newport premier; we were the only ones waiting. Well, it could have been worse as this was 1979, and if I had been living in Ceredigion then I would have had to have waited another 30 years to have watched that film in the Cinema. The film ‘the Life of Brian’ was banned in Aberystwyth.

Some people regarded the film as about Christ and Christianity. For me the film was about group dynamics. Insider and outsider groups as explained by Norbert Elias, and the interaction between groups. Brian takes on the mantle to fight for the freedom of the Jews from the Romans. The problem being that there are many groups with the same intent, but none will work with the others as a cohesive force. The film is as much about group dynamics and insurgency as it is about Religion. The ban in Aberystwyth lasted for 30 years until the delightful Sue Jones-Davies (the lady on the Cross) became Mayor of Aberystwyth and had the ban overturned.

I missed the screening in the Arts Centre in Aberystwyth, simply because I did not know of the event until the last minute and by then all of the tickets had been sold. But I wonder how many of those that attended the screening where true fans? Would they have sat on a cold pavement for many hours waiting to see their heroes? Did they own a copy of the tape that was played for hours in the car cassette player?

No, I’m not bitter; I just want to know what did the Romans ever do for us?

The Thin Line

My lack of understanding regarding racism was matched by my inability to separate the term ‘Apartheid’ from Africa. Well, the two go hand-in-hand don’t they? Or so I thought until my academic horizons were raised.

RR Davies in his work “Owain Glyn Dwr – Prince of Wales” explains the gulf that existed between the Welsh and the English in terms of Apartheid (p. 140). During the Welsh Rebellion that was led by Owain ap Gruffudd Fychan ap Gruffudd (Owain Glyn Dwr), the Penal Laws were passed by the English Parliament in 1401-02. These laws served to widen the significant gulf that already existed between the peoples of these neighbouring nations. The Penal Laws intended that no Welshman could hold any office of importance, or register as a political official or representative of a borough in Wales. Nor could he buy land in the boroughs of Wales and the border areas between Wales and England. No Englishman could be tried for a crime by a Welshman. The Penal Laws defined the Welsh and the English as two different nations with the Welsh regarded in law as the inferior of the two peoples. The stated inferiority meant that an Englishman, who felt that he had been wronged by a Welshman, could turn to the Penal Laws for redress. This was colonialism long before the mad rush for Africa.

The term ‘Apartheid’ may have been in popular use many centuries later, but the Penal Laws and the time preceding and following these laws are evidence of the existence of Apartheid in Wales before and during the 15C.

This Apartheid also led to suspicion and to men of worth losing their role in society due to the poor application of the Penal Laws. Legal interpretation can always be hazy, and I understand that you should not confuse the law with justice. There are significant examples of injustices suffered by the Welsh during this period. These injustices were replicated several hundred years later with the transportation of slaves from Africa. The west coast of Ghana was a prime departure point for the unfortunate slaves. The slaves had little in common with their new masters. Body structure, skin tone and facial recognition were all different. Many of the slaves had facial markings to aid tribal identification during close combat. It is little wonder that racism occurred as the slave trade died out and these dispossessed persons had to be fully integrated into new societies.

It was an inevitable outcome of the civilising process that the trading of slaves would cease. The end of slave trading was as inevitable, as the outcome of the people of Wales and England evolving to exist in harmony. Integration through marriage, friendships and industry bring people together and make it more difficult for fault lines to appear. Although, for Western society, events in nearby Bosnia, is evidence that these faults can occur and when they do the results can be catastrophic.

The book ‘War of the World’ by historian and author Niall Fergusson examines political violence throughout the 20C. It’s a great read, but what strikes home more than anything else, is how easily society crumbles to allow racism to take over. It is a fine line, and all too often it is crossed.

Response

I had my first acknowledgement of my letters concerning Ms Sakine Mohammadie Ashtiani today. The response came from Portugal and is evidence that we can all make a difference if we try, and that our words will not go unheeded if we can become vocal enough. Why don't you set aside a few minutes and write a letter to someone regarding something that you hold as important. Be it Human Rights issues, or something else that you feel is unjust.

Friendship

My understanding of Racism was greatly expanded when I undertook my Masters study in social and economic science at the Department of International Politics in Aberystwyth. I suppose, like many other people, I related racism to Black Slavery.

I remember Michael Appiah explaining to me, that the English did not bring slavery to his country. Slavery had been present for some time through tribal exchanges. Slavery was not a new phenomenon that occurred when the English arrived. No, what the English managed to do in Michael’s words was to industrialise the process.

The obvious difference in skin tone and facial structure must have led to concerns on both sides, the land of the master, and the victim.

My first introduction to racism occurred when I was eleven years of age. I had met a new friend in Secondary school and called at his home on our second day so that we could walk together. We were both from extremely poor backgrounds. Our parents could not afford the bus fare, but we lived too close to be considered for a free bus pass. It became a long walk as the winter months drew in. But this was only the second day of a new term and for me a new beginning. My grandfather has been quite rich prior to his reverse of fortune. My uncle had a university education and my father would have enjoyed the same standard of education if it had not been his desire to seek succour in the Arts.

Anyway, we were poor, this was day two and I was on my way to school. I called at the home of my new friend Glyn and was duly invited in by his Mum. As we sat in the lounge, I was offered a cup of tea which I gladly accepted. A trait for those who know me that I still have today. If you are offered a cuppa, never say ‘no’. One, it’s bad manners, and two, when you are as poor as I have been, you never know when your next cup of tea is going to come from. Especially if you are the type of person who expects a drop of fresh milk rather than the powdered type to grace the cup.

We trundled off to school and I never gave the matter a second thought. Well, why would I? Glyn was my new friend and his Mum had invited me into her home. The next day, I again called for Glyn and we set off for Queen’s High School that was at the time located in the centre of Newport Gwent near to the Westgate Hotel. Which of course is an important location for those of you who know your Welsh rebellion, and injustice history.

As we walked along, Glyn turned to me, and explained that he was now my lifelong friend and that he would be there to protect me whenever anyone ever tried to do me harm. Pretty cool statement really, as I had only known Glyn for three days.

Glyn explained that I was the first white person to ever call at his home, and therefore the first one to enter and receive hospitality from his Mum. His mother was so proud, and Glyn seen that as a bond of friendship. You see, Glyn was what we would now term ‘Mixed Race’ but in 1971 would have been referred to as a ‘Half-Caste’.

Glyn Bailey would have been my life-long friend if he had not been murdered on the streets of London in broad daylight aged 17. A gang of Asian youths had killed him because he dared to insist that a parking space was for his relative. The funeral was an extremely sad affair. Well, funerals often are. Glyn was a young man with his life ahead of him. The family were still extremely poor, and when you don’t have worldly possessions, your sense of perspective and focus rests firmly on your kin.

This Blog post is a lead-in to my current study of Welsh history and the racism that occurred during and following the Welsh revolt led by Owain Glyn Dwr. You see, Africa and Wales are not that far apart historically.

23 AND Rising

Readers from 23 countries have now read the Blog. The latest addition is from Spain. Which is really cool as I had lunch in a Spanish restaurant yesterday and enjoyed a bar of Spanish chocolate the evening before. 'Viva La Espana', I say. Welcome to the Blog and enjoy the read. It's all about Africa, Wales, the Civilising Process and Human Rights. Oh, and with a few personal stories thrown in for good measure.

Human Rights

Sakine Mohammadie Ashtiani

Gaining and preserving Human Rights is a important aspect of World citizenship. Ms Ashtiani has been in prison for 5 years and has been flogged with 99 lashes for having an illicit relationship. The original sentence of 'death by stoning' has been set aside, but Ms Sakine Mohammadi Ashtiani is in grave danger of being executed by other means by the Islamic Republic of Iran. I have never challenged the right of Iran as a sovereign state to make a decision. I have never accused the Islamic Republic of Iran of being either barbaric or uncivilised.

My academic studies have taught me that in many ways all countries are still uncivilised for a variety of reasons, and that all societies are still in the developmental helix of the civilising process. Western societies that consider themselves civilised, may not be as special as they think they are. The fine line between advancement and decivilising was shown in Bosnia. That was a comparatively recent deflection in the process. Nevertheless, Bosnia is evidence of the existence of a fine line that can be unexpectedly crossed. Societies do advance in their own way, and at different rates, and will take different paths. At some stage in their evolution, a country that might now be regarded by some as uncivilised could still be recognised as the 'cradle of civilisation'. While Western powers are in the ascendancy it is easy to label others and to criticise their way of life.

It does not necessarily follow that by being criticised, that something is wrong. What is totally acceptable to one group of people may be utterly unacceptable to others. My non judgemental approach to the widely publicised case of Ms Sakine Mohammadie Ashtiani, is to plead with the authorities in three separate letters as to why they should release Ms Ashtiani. My arguments are not based on abhorrence or criticism. They are merely reasoned arguments about how societies develop and interact for the greater good of everyone. Two of these letters have been posted in the Blog and all three of the letters have been sent to the Iranian Embassy in London. The letters to the Embassy have either been sent as stand alone emails or with an embedded link to the Blog.

Please refer to Blog posts of the 08 July 2010 and the 18 July 2010 regarding Ms Sakine Mohammadie Ashtiani or check out the Blog Labels at the bottom of this page if you struggle to find the relevant posts.

Your Excellency, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of the Islamic Republic of Iran

This is an Open Letter to the President of Islamic Republic of Iran to release Ms Ashtiani. Blog readers and followers are also referred to Blog entries 08 July 2010 and one made earlier on the 18 July 2010 regarding the circumstances that Ms Ashtiani finds herself. I have been quite moved by the situation since first reading about it in The Times while I was at our flat in Cardiff undertaking some repair work. I stopped that work and started writing letters and Blogging about Ms Ashtiani. This third letter, has been written because my previous two letters went unanswered.

"... Your Excellency, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of the Islamic Republic of Iran

I have written to you on several occasions via the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran that is based in London. I have also sent my letter electronically to other persons that may have access to your email and as such can forward communications. I am yet to receive a reply, and suspect that in the main, this is due to my humble status.

I have written to you and published one of these letters on my Blog because I care for people and I am therefore concerned about the case of Ms Ashtiani. I have taken a non judgemental stance and instead attempted to engage with you through reasoned argument. The Blog has been read by people from 22 countries and that figure increases daily. The essence of the Blog is about people, cultures, and civilisation. The Blog may be set against a background of Africanism, but it really examines and comments upon social matters. Irrespective of the issues under comment; be it African, Welsh or matters from another Country. The origin doesn't matter, as it's about the link and the value of a topic to the broader debate. In particular the Blog examines the Civilising Processes that we all participate in, and the social and economic science nature of these processes. An examination of the Civilising Processes (that show that Western society is not yet civilised) was the fundamental reason for asking you to release Ms Ashtiani.

I yet again write an open letter and ask the Islamic Republic of Iran to release Ms Ashtiani. Not because of World opinion, but because you decide that it is the correct thing to do. I have explained in my two previous letters that the Republic could grow stronger from making such a decision. President Obama spoke of offering his hand if Iran would unclench its fist. These are good words, but they were probably written for effect.

I’m not so certain that the hand of Iran is clenched at all. Misunderstood yes, but then again domestic matters are often relevant to domestic circumstance. That position is fine. I have explained in my other letters, that the decisions made by a sovereign state are unique to that State. But the Islamic Republic of Iran can now move forward to embrace the wider community and in making that significant step it can make Iran stronger. Deciding to release Ms Ashtiani is a painless decision, but one that will strengthen the Republic. I yet again urge you to take the next step and start to portray the Islamic Republic of Iran as a caring State that now wants to take its place in World affairs. You have been out on a limb for far too long, now is the time to take an active part in the Civilising process that makes the World a safer and stronger place..."

You can contact me at rba@hotmail.co.uk

Wants and desire

I want to write about the gates, my new friends from the Cameroon, and our Anniversary meal. In fact I really desire the opportunity to tell you about the many meals that I have eaten in the last few months at some wonderful and not so wonderful restaurants and cafes around Wales. But that all pales into insignificance compared to the urgent need to still press the Islamic Republic of Iran for the release of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. Who followers and readers of this Blog will know was sentenced to Death by Stoning.

I read of Ms Ahtiani's intended fate while at our flat in Cardiff, after an extremely hard day of prepping the gates for painting. When I read the story in The Times it was in the early hours of the morning and the story was on Page 27. I was horrified by what I read, and was moved to stop working on the gates and instead add a page or two to the Blog and then write the first of two letters that I sent to both the U.N. and the Iranian Embassy in London. After updating the Blog and writing and sending the letter, I went about my business for the day. After a lot more hard work I ended up at Cafe Nero in Cardiff and then read The Times to find that the story had spread overnight from Page 27 to dominate the front cover and the main pages of The Times. Well done to the The Times for taking such a strong stance in such an important matter.

I followed up the initial letter with a second, in which I again set out my position and reasoned arguments. I have learnt that all too often, people shy away from the evidence and reasoned argument of a debate and instead immerse themselves in the emotive dialogue of defence. Sometimes, some things, cannot be defended.

My academic hero is Norbert Elias. Again, followers and readers of the Blog will know of his stature and worth. My academic hero from the United Kingdom is World renowned Professor Andrew Linklater. His work on Harm in World Politics is to say the least 'eye-opening'. Professor Linklater cares for people, and I suppose that my caring nature was enhanced by my exposure to his teaching.

Just when you think that you have all of your heroes in position, and can proceed to buy the Box Set. Along comes a new contender, on this occasion a beautiful looking lady by the name of Nazanin Afshin-Jam. I can advocate her beauty without appearing sexist, as the delightful looking Nazanin is a former Miss World Canada. But her recent beauty is not enhanced by her looks, but by her position as a Human Rights Activist. I have read about Nazanin, because on the 17 July 2010 (our Anniversary), The Times was still running material regarding Ms Ashtiani and The Islamic Republic of Iran. This article was on the 'Opinion' page and was written by Nazanin Afshin-Jam.

Check out http://freesakineh.org/ and http://www.nazaninafshinjam.com/ and while you are at the former Website, take the time to add your name to the petition concerning Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. And if you can find some new and relevant addresses for me to send my two letters to the Islamic Republic of Iran; then please drop me a note at rba@hotmail.co.uk

Dakar

I have had my first visitor to the Blog from the city of Dakar in Senegal. The Blog has also been recently visited by people from afar afield as Chile and India. The full list of countries from which visitors come from is shown below. This list has been extracted from Google Analytics and shows that there have been 500 visits from 22 countries:

United Kingdom
United States
Ghana
Brazil
Canada
Hong Kong
Netherlands
Australia
Germany
Chile
Japan
Honduras
India
Ukraine
Ireland
Vietnam
Sweden
South Africa
Russia
Senegal
Singapore
Antigua and Barbuda

Ghana ranked 7th

The Ghanaian national football team, the 'Black Stars' have been ranked 7th by FIFA following their performance in the 2010 World Cup Finals in Africa. 7th place just behind Brazil and Argentina, is a move upwards of 6 places for the Ghanaians since their 13th place ranking after the 2006 World Cup Finals.

Congratulations to everyone involved with the team. You are great Ambassadors for Ghana, and you all deserve your new found fame and increased prestige.

Keep Hope Alive

I managed to find six addresses and sent a copy of my letter to:

info@iran-embassy.org.uk
consulate@iran-embassy.org.uk
npillay@ohchr.org
urgent-action@ohchr.org
Iran_team@amnesty.org
saneif@hrw.org

You could also write a letter and send it to these and to any other relevant addresses that you can find. Remember, the only thing that makes change happen is people. Five minutes of your time could add 40 years to the life of Ms Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani. Unlike my error, mention your country of origin. It is after all a shrinking World and peoples from across our World would benefit from better communication and improved understanding. I forgot to mention that I am from Wales. It was an oppressed Country that was conquered. But I could bet on the fact that in some distant past our people were guilty of some act that would be regarded as barbaric by others. It is simply that we have evolved beyond our past, as Africa and others evolve beyond theirs. Let us remember to ‘Keep Hope Alive’ and hope that the Republic of Iran will commute the sentence and allow Ms Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani to rejoin her family.

Ms Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani

I need to deflect from my usual course of writing about Africa, and instead ask you to spare some thoughts for Ms Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani who is under sentence of death by stoning in the Republic of Iran. I repeat below a letter that I have written this morning. I now intend to spend the next few hours in this astonishing heatwave indoors searching for an address to send the letter. If you know who to send the letter to, then please copy and paste and forward to the address that you have in your possession.

I hold a Social and Economic Masters Degree and run an African and Social Science Blog at http://rbabennett.blogspot.com and would say that all in all compared to what many others do or hold; this no big shakes. But the one thing that could come across to those that read my Blog, and those that meet me in the street; is that I care about people.

I am interested in how Civilisations evolve along their development and time helix, and look to Norbert Elias as my academic hero. I see the significant events of history that present a darker side to human nature, as mere deflections that do not impede the natural improvements that occur through evolution. I am not bright enough to be regarded as an academic, but I have a good value set and believe in equality for all. I stand against oppression, but recognise that freedom of speech is not always in the States best interest. Somewhere out there, there is a label that could be assigned to someone like me.

I am none judgemental and do not challenge the right of someone to do something. I believe that we all make choices, and these choices shape our future and our position in the World. Choices made by a leader, can place a nation on the World stage for the right reasons. I do warm to nations that engage in Statecraft and International Politics for the greater good of everyone and not just those that live, work, and play within their society.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has often found itself on the World Stage for the wrong reasons. The rhetoric or the manoeuvring has sometimes been mistimed, and yet, on more than one occasion the Republic has displayed its other side, and by doing so has won World opinion. The case of Ms Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani (The Times, 7 July 2010) is an example whereby Iranian politicians can win through with ease. I urge you not to execute Ms Ashtiani, but instead set her free with the five years of imprisonment and the 99 lashes as fair warning to others who breach the rules that govern your society and in doing so take the next natural step on your developmental helix of the civilising process and cease death by stoning.

I ask you as an average citizen, who has no political alliances, and has nothing to gain from asking you, and has nothing to gain by you accepting the request. I do not challenge your right, I simply plead to your instincts. At some point from now into the future, the Islamic Republic of Iran will stop death by stoning and will stop executing people. Given that in the development helix that outcome is certain, then why not put the mechanism in place now, and thereby take the Moral High Ground in World affairs?

Roger Bennett

Cameroon

My second Blog entry on this astonishingly hot night, relates to the shrinking World. We have bought a second home and I am down in South Wales shoring up the structure and making good those many jobs that occur when we invest in property. It's so warm that the work on this occasion is being done outside.

I was beavering away, and a lovely chap walked around the corner. Well he has to be lovely because he is one of my new neighbours. Well, we got chatting because I thought that he thought that I was a tradesman and he had just popped out to offer me a cup of tea. I know that's an English thing and I'm Welsh, but the family will tell you, I am particularly partial to a nice cuppa. Especially when working.

Unfortunately there was no tea in the offering, but it was nice to chat about Africa. Mr Nice is from the Cameroon, and his Mum had just got out of a taxi on a two week visit from Africa. No, she used a Plane, and didn't travel all the way by taxi. I must try and sit down with them and have a chat once 'Mum' has settled into Wales for her brief stay. I have friends from Ghana, and the Sudane and it would be nice to learn some more about the Cameroon. With this heatwave in place, Africa is well in the forefront of my thoughts. Tonight will be like my time in Accra, but unlike Jeffers, I don't have a blinking great big fan rotating on the ceiling and a blinking great big lizard moving up and down the wall. But sat in the flat Blogging, feels like the time I was sat in the house in Accra. It is astonishingly warm, and I long for tomorrow daytime and the fresh air as I work hard to protect our investment.

Proper Colonial Finalists

Well, who would have expected Spain to defeat Germany 1-0 in the 2nd of the two FIFA 2010 World Cup Semi Finals in Africa? The Germanic fluency that I mentioned in a previous Blog, simply didn't come alive tonight. In many ways it's a grave pity, but the upside is that we will now have a new Football World Cup winning nation.

And that folk's is the way of things, change happens and a new order comes into existence. The European Great Powers searched for lands to Colonise. The 20th Century collapse led to the emergence of Russia and the United States of America. Although the good old USA (our special relations across the Pond) won't be too keen to let go, there is however, an inevitability to the emergence of Asian leading nations. Japanese economic strength and Chinese population transferred into economic growth will eventually lead to Asian dominance of World affairs.

To put it simply, things that can change, often do change. Holland against Spain, who would of thought of it?

Holland, Holland, Holland

Well done to Holland for their crushing 3-2 defeat of Uruguay in a Semi-final of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Africa. Although I would have preferred to have seen Ghana taking their rightful place in this game against the Netherlands; what goes round, come round. Uruguay simply weren’t good enough.

The downside of this result is that the cheating that occurred in the Quarter-finals will soon be forgotten. The Netherlands will now meet Germany or Spain in the Final, but the upside is that I don’t have watch the 3rd-4th place Play-off and therefore don't get to see the cheat again.

The Netherlands were Colonial masters in South Africa between 1652 and 1795, with the linguistic strength of the simplified Dutch spoken by migrant Dutch farmers leaving a legacy on the African Continent. Germany showed its Colonial Expansionism by acquiring South West Africa [Namibia], and German East Africa [Mainland Tanzania, Rwanda, Burundi, Togo, and Cameroon]. There are examples of German atrocities regarding native Africans, but these are too extreme for me to replicate on a family website. I knew about the Holocaust and atrocities in Bosnia, and modern Rwanda, but I was not aware of turn of the 20th Century atrocities in Africa. When I finish reading my current set of academic and heroic books, I shall delve a bit deeper into that bit of dark history.

The last of the three World Cup nations was not intent on African Colonisation. Instead, Spain looked towards colonisation of the Americas. However Spain did hold Morocco until 1956, Guinea until 1968, and Spanish Sahara until 1975. The point being that the nation that has already secured a place in the Final of the 2010 World Cup and the two nations that are now left to contend the last remaining place; all held colonies in Africa.

A pretty cool flag and map

This is a pretty cool map and flag combination of Ghana that I found was being used as a Profile picture on Facebook. Ghana is highlighted on the map of the African Continent (just above the central black star on the Flag).

The Times, London

The Times, London

I submitted a letter to The Times regarding the cheating that denied the Ghanaian Football Team their rightful place in the 2010 World Cup Finals held in Africa. Writing a letter to a newspaper is something that I have not done for a very long time, and maybe by referencing the act, you can gauge my outrage that the cheating occurred and that the cheat was shown celebrating the success of his cheating on World Television. Unfortunately, my letter did not make the Editorial cut.

The only letter to appear in the July 5 2010 edition of The Times regarding Ghana being robbed; came from a Frank Edwards, from Croydon, Surrey

Pay the penalty
Sir, Ghana were robbed of victory in their quarter-final with Uruguay by cheating in the form of Suarez’s blatant handball on the goal line (report, the game, July 3). I suggest that when such a foul stops what would otherwise be a 100 per cent certain goal, the referee should be able to award an instant penalty goal, similar to the penalty try in rugby.

My unsuccessful submission was a tad longer. Well it had to be, didn’t it?

A Sad Day for Football
Sir, a lot has been said and written regarding the disallowed goal when the ball crossed the line during the England and Germany clash during the 2010 World Cup Finals in Africa. A bit less was said and written regarding the Argentinean player being in an offside position when Argentina scored against Mexico. Each decision to disallow one goal and to allow the other may have been made in error, but neither decision can be considered as a deliberate act that disadvantaged one of the teams. Players, Match Officials and even Supporters make mistakes. There is a vast difference between a mistake and a deliberate act. For that reason, the events that occurred at the end of the Quarter Final match between the Ghanaian ‘Black Stars’ and Uruguay represents a sad day for World Football. The Ghanaian players and everyone involved with the team can hold their heads up high. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of the Uruguayan player who handled the ball in the dying seconds of the second period of Extra Time, and thereby stopped Ghana from scoring a certain goal. Worse still, this player was not ushered down into the tunnel and remained near the pitch. Onlookers witnessed his shameful behaviour of celebrating the missed penalty. Heartbreaking yes, but many people would rather be on the losing side than win under these circumstances. The hand ball and the images that were repeatedly broadcast throughout the World showing the player as he celebrated the success of his act, should have led to the game being awarded to Ghana. Instead, Ghana went on to lose the penalty shoot out. If winning means so much that you have to cheat, then Ghana is better off by not reaching the FIFA World Cup Semi-Finals. Ghana has already achieved far more in its years of Independence that winning a Football World Cup. The Ghanaian contribution to Statecraft and Security dwarfs that of lesser actors. The sheer effort of Ghanaians to help to secure World peace is an embarrassment for those countries that make little or no effort to Peacekeeping Operations. Ghana is already a World Champion of International Politics, and Ghanaian athletes will go on to achieve accolades for Ghana in the sporting arena. We must ‘Keep Hope Alive’ and I hope that Uruguay win the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Simply because a Uruguayan victory built on the defeat of Ghana, will be an embarrassment to Football. Uruguay may have the technique and the run of good fortune, but like others, they brought the wrong value set to Africa. It was a sad day for World Football and no one should lose sight of that fact.

FIFA Failed

By only upholding a single match ban for the Uruguayan Cheat, FIFA failed to restore the ideals of fair play to the 2010 World Cup Finals in Africa. Contrary to their grand claims; the Uruguayan Football Team is not amongst the best four football teams in the World.

Uruguay were beaten in normal play 2-1 by a Ghana team that finished the game stronger than their opponents. Well that would have been the score, if a cheat had not punched the ball away from a certain goal. If fair play is what FIFA believe in, then they should have asked Uruguay to go home. The cheat should have been banned from the tournament, either by joining his team on the flight home, or by being refused entry to the Stadium. This was no 'Hand of God', this was 'The Hand of a Cheat'.

This Uruguayan Football Team with the actions of the cheat and the subsequent celebration of the cheating; has probably done more damage to the good name of Uruguay than any athlete or politician preceding them. I am embarrassed that the good people of Uruguay have been shamed in this manner by their athletes.

I am glad that the Ghanaian Team Manager is proud of his players, as there are millions of people throughout the World who are also proud of them. People who cannot believe what happened and how that act was celebrated. I hope that Uruguay win the torunament as it will remind people that they won because of what they done and celebrated against Ghana. A Ghanaian Team that by right should have proceeded into the Semi Finals and taken their rightful place as one of the best four football teams in the World.

Like I mentioned in a previous Blog posting; if you have to cheat to win, then you are better off not winning.

Players and Teams that don't cheat

The three good thing about the Football World Cup Finals in Africa, were the other three Quarter Final Matches. After the sorry affair involving Uruguay and the deliberate hand ball and shameful celebrations; it was a pleasure to watch the skill and measured celebrations of the other six Quarter Finalists. Brazil went out 2-1 to the Netherlands. but were humble in defeat both on and off the field. The Brazilian players come and go yet again as true Ambassadors for their nation. Look on Uruguay, and learn. Germany crushed Argentina 4-0, but yet again the losing side had no complaints as they were beaten by athletes and not by a cheat. My favourite Quarter Final match in Africa, must be the game between Paraguay and Spain. I could write about the drama of Holland fighting back from being 1-0 down. I could write about the calm skill of Germany. An almost orchestrated skill, whereby each player understands their place on the pitch and the team moves in unison to fill the gaps and to make the play. Astonishingly fluent, and to me one of the best German Football Teams ever.

Indeed, if Carlsberg Managed Football Teams then this one would be theirs. But no, the Blog is about Africa, Ghana and all things Accra. I have artistic licence to write about the 2010 World Cup Finals as they are taking place in Africa. And for me, however fair, equitable, and humble the games were between the Netherlands and Brazil, and Germany and Argentina, the game that stands out was Paraguay and Spain. like the two other Quarter Finals that I refer to in this posting; there were no cheats. In many ways, there were also no great players. There certainly wasn't the Chess Mastery Fluency of Germany or the independent skill of players from Brazil and Argentina. No, this game was different because the 22 players were average. Well, if I am able to describe World Class athletes as average. But you know what I mean.

Both teams had chances and players from both teams unlike the Uruguayan Cheat refrained from cheating. One of the best examples of fair play emerging from this Quarter Final clash was the astonishing double penalty events of the second half. As a qualified Football Referee, it was nice to see a Spanish player penalised for a foul in the box during a corner kick. Paraguay will not complain about the subsequent spot kick and the inability of their player to score. It was fair, there was no certain goal before the foul and there was no goal afterwards. But what struck me most about that penalty; was the way in which the Spanish players rushed forward to gobble up the ball in the event of a save or deflection off the post or cross bar. They were lucky that I am not a World Class Referee as if I had been there, then the Paraguayan player would have taken the kick again.

Seconds later and the ball was at the other end of the pitch and Spain were quite rightly awarded a penalty. The Spanish play converted the spot kick and embarked on the customary celebrations when it dawned on him and others that the Referee was having none of it. The Spanish players had yet again encroached into the box in their mad rush to gobble up a deflected ball. The penalty was taken again and this time the 'heroic' (well you have to use that word once, don't you?) Paraguayan goal keeper made the save. 0-0 and that was fair. The point being that no one really complained, the athletes just got on with the game. Well done Paraguay and Spain, unlike the Uruguayan team you are a credit to your country and bring the correct values to Africa.

Oh the final score? 1-0 to Spain.

The aftermath

In the aftermath of defeat it was nice to hear from Michael. Especially as he always greets me with 'Commander'. A word associated with a long gone role that I once had in life. As Michael explains in his communique; "Hope must always be kept alive!" We both believe that the Ghanaian Football Team and Ghana, will go on to achieve greater things. Yesterday was a Sad Day for World Football. The cheating and the images broadcast throughout the World showing the cheat as he celebrated the success of his act, should have led to the game being awarded to Ghana.

Ghana has already achieved more than winning a Football World Cup. The Ghanaian contribution to Statecraft and Security dwarfs that of lesser contributors. The sheer effort of Ghanaians to help to secure World peace is an embarrassment for those countries that make no or little effort to Peacekeeping Operations. They are already World Champions in International Politics, and Ghanaian athletes will go on to achieve greater accolades for Ghana in the sporting arena. For me these things are written, there is no if, it is simply a case of when.

Google Analytics

A quick look at Google Analytics informs me that 212 different people have visited this Blog (Africa, Ghana and all things Accra) since I began writing the Blog back in 2008. Google Analytics also informs me (amongst an awful lot of statistical data regarding these Web pages) that these 212 different visitors come from 20 different countries. It even provides a World Map that you can drill down into for more detail regarding viewers and their behaviours online when visiting this site.

Leaderboard
Country with the highest number of different visitors first

United Kingdom
United States of America
Ghana
Brazil
Canada

Amongst the other 15 countries, I have managed to attract visitors from the Ukraine, and from Russia. I only found this out tonight, which is pretty cool as I am currently reading an academic book on Statecraft and Security and Russia features quite heavily throughout the text, and the Ukraine was a key country in the chapters that I read today.

Indeed, today has been a particularly grand day. I managed a very long walk along the promenade in the glorious sunshine. Spanish Breakfast in my favourite restaurant. Coffee and a Chapter of my current book on the decking at home. 40 lengths of the swimming pool. Unfortunately that is not at home! And coffee and another Chapter of the book in Costa later in the afternoon. Oh, plus a good nosh up for dinner and a great Ghanaian themed evening watching their Quarter Final clash.

A very sad day for Football

If winning means so much that you have to cheat, then Ghana is better off not reaching the FIFA World Cup Semi-Finals.

At least all of the Ghanaian players, Ghanaian officials, and Ghanaian supporters can hold their heads up high. Unfortunately for World Football, the same cannot be said of the Uruguayan player who handled the ball and thereby stopped Ghana from scoring a certain goal. Worse still, the same player was not ushered down into the players tunnel and we instead witnessed what I can only describe as the shame of him celebrating the missed penalty. Heartbreaking yes, but I would rather be on the loosing side than win under these circumstances.

The behaviour of the Ghanaian athletes this evening is a credit to everyone throughout Africa and on many levels; some of which may not be understood by opposition teams that do not behave in the same manner. Shame on the winning team and shame of FIFA for allowing him to display his delight on World television. His Red Card should not stop him playing in the next round, but should equate to an expulsion by the authorities, that sends him homeward bound, not tomorrow, but today.

With Ambassadors as good as the Ghanaian Black Stars, it is no wonder that all of Africa united in a show of pan-Africanism for the Ghanaian Quarter Final clash with Uruguay. The team spirit and fair play on the pitch was matched by the broadcast of the team disembarking from the Team Bus in traditional song. There was not an iPod or MP3 player in sight. It was truly inspirational to see Hope Kept Alive as the 7.30 pm UK time Kickoff at Soccer City approached.

ITV back in the UK done the Ghanaians proud, by setting up a video link direct into the heart of Accra. Viewers in England and Wales were given the rare treat of a 'live' feed into the city and a chance for yours truly to show my wife some of the things that I experienced when I visited Accra and the surrounding area.

The Match was dedicated towards the fight against Racism. This led to an announcement by Officials and one player selected from each team. It was wonderful to see and to hear, as those that spoke are footballers and not public speakers.

It was the Red and Yellow of Ghana against the Blue, Black and White of Uruguay. Kingson kept goal for Ghana in brown instead of his usual resplendent blue and Lilac strip. Ghana snatched the lead with a superb long distance strike in the 2nd minute of extra time at the end of the first half just as the whistle was about to be blown. Some ten minutes into the second half and the equaliser was scored from an extremely well executed Free Kick. The game stayed at 1-1 and would have been 2-1 to Ghana in the very last seconds of the second period of Extra Time, if the handball on the line to stop the ball had not occurred. Ghana were unable to convert the resulting penalty and thereby seize what would have been a well deserved place in the FIFA 2010 World Cup Semi Final. Instead, Ghana went on to lose on Penalties, but won on values.

But to me, the shame was in seeing the player that handled the ball, celebrating when he should have been in the dressing room. My academic hero Norbert Elias taught at the University of Ghana. Amongst many subjects, he wrote about shame. I am confident that tonight's display, that appeared to lack any shame on the part of the player, would have been mentioned in some way. Societies have evolved, and as we evolve, it is interesting to note, that things that were once regarded as shameful, no longer count as such. Sometimes the burden is shared or adopted by the onlooker rather than the person who is directly involved. Tonight, I took on some of that burden, as Africa deserved better than to be cheated out of their rightful place in the Semi Final.

Well done team Ghana, well done the team coach, well done the Supporters. Your day will come, but please never lose sight of the fact, that it is better to have played and to have lost, than to have won at all costs. Sometimes, (and this occasion is one of them) coming second is winning.