Reflexes keep you from harm
Barcelona, Spain The point is they are short. Well not short but ever-so-slightly vertically challenged. I even have the evidence to prove it. The average Spanish male is now 175 centimetres tall, the average Dutchman at least seven centimetres taller. And if there was ever any doubt just try sharing a Barcelona theatre box with two Danes, an Italian, two Americans, a Canadian and me. Seven huge adults squashed in to an area designed for three. OK, we were listening to a guitar quartet that was possibly the best I have ever[...]
Do not think about having supper
Bath, United Kingdom When you first arrive in Bath it is difficult to decide whether it is beautiful or, frankly, whether it is about to fall down. The pavements have a higgledy-piggledy look that makes a roller coaster ride seem smooth and the cream-coloured stone buildings, so often stained, are crying out for a good polish. The place is so ancient that even the suggestion of a sandblaster would, I feel sure, reduce Bath to rubble. Yet somehow, and I cannot explain why, the city rapidly gets under your skin. I had[...]
I was an opera virgin
Glyndebourne, United Kingdom It was incredibly posh, amazingly well organised, and one hell of an introduction to a newcomer. You see, I am, or was, an opera virgin. At least I went to one opera years ago, I cannot remember its name, but do recall being squeezed into the tiny seats of Milan’s La Scala and falling instantly into a wonderfully deep sleep. I recollect waking up halfway through what I saw as an incomprehensible singsong, being desperate for a pee, but unable to move left or right for fear of disturbing[...]
Where did I leave my Vitamin D?
Dubai, UAE A major feature of working in Dubai is the opportunity to talk closely with colleagues. Strangely, the interaction I have in the sunny UAE is more regular and involved than I have ever experienced back home. There is a sense of being a team. Unexpectedly to a non-medic perhaps, it is simple in medicine for a doctor to feel lonely, despite being surrounded by colleagues every minute of every day in a hospital, a clinic, or elsewhere. And when there are no colleagues, there are patients. You are rarely alone. Try taking[...]
The man with the flag is king
Dubai, UAE One thing is impossible to ignore in Dubai and that is its pace of change. Somehow the emirate manages to design and build things so fast that even if you go away for a few days, by the time you return something is different. You sense there is a construction steamroller in action so watch out anyone who stands in its way.The other day, looking from my Downtown balcony window, I could see a grassy area - yes, they do have greenery in Dubai - that was no more than 50 metres[...]
Not for me, I’m afraid
Kish Island, Iran There was a basic difference of opinion. I wanted to see Kish Island while my guide wished to drive off-road. Actually, off-road in Kish may sound exciting but is little more than lurching past low-lying scrub as an occasional gazelle-like creature dashes for cover when surprised. I have generally found that off-road in the desert is fun for the driver but sick-making for the passengers in a very big way. Kish would be no different, of that I was sure, and anyway I was in tourist mode big-time and[...]
