UK: Visiting Haytor – Dartmoor National Park! (17.4.2025

We were committed to traversing directly up before we fully appreciated the difference. Nevertheless, hundreds climb Haytor every week – with wild Dartmoor ponies wandering around the car-park area. These animals may – or may not – come over for a stroke, but visitors must be careful not to be bitten, head-butted, or kicked, etc. This does not happen very often – but wild animals should be respected. Another issues are yapping dogs (which must be kept on leads). As matters transpired, there was one or two calm and sedate ponies that wanted to be stroked and petted, etc. The general experience is important for children – particularly those from city areas – to re-connect with nature and experience the feeling that the immensity of nature – wide-open spaces – can generate! I last visited probably about 20-years ago with Gee – but our two children not yet born.

Steam Train Travelling Through Galmpton!

UK: Galmpton Sheep & Steam Train! (15.4.2025)

I also remember a “93” double-decker bus in Dartmouth. Why? well, in Sutton – where we live – the “93” TFL bus begins in Priory Road (travelling to Putney Bridge) – we used to live in Priory Road from 1998-2004. We now live one or two streets away – but still near this bus route. This bus travels via Wimbledon Common – near to where the Buddhapadipa Buddhist Temple is located. Believe it or not – there is a Buddhist Temple near Honiton in Devon (Upottery) – the Hartridge Buddhist Monastery. We have visited this place many years ago – and might well visit again sometime soon.

Post Office in Desert - Inner Mongolia!

Inner Mongolia: China’s Most Remote Tengger Desert Post Office [沙漠邮局]! (14.4.2025)

“There are some things that a person must experience in the process of growing up, and as people we may have to suffer individual losses, suffer a little here and there, and take a detour – perhaps to better places. When in a state of crying and breaking down, if students could receive a handwritten postcard from the depths of the desert, it would be an expression of warmth and companionship that we can give.”

Dead Confederate sharpshooters of Hood's Division among the rocks in Devil's Den in front of Little Round Top.

CSA: Remembering the Bravery of “Irish” Company “K” – 15th Alabama – Little Round-Top [2.7.1863] – Gettysburg! (3.4.2025)

The weather was hot – and the Confederates had to advance over open ground before storming an inclined slope (in the form of a steep hill) – with the intention of sweeping the Federals off its top and consolidating the victory. The previous day had seen the Confederates sweep the Federals out of West and Central Gettysburg – and into the hills to its East. Washington was just 80 miles to the South – and legend has it that Lincoln was packing his belongings to flee! I have audio-typed part of a chapter from Stephen Sears’ book – carefully reproducing the text from an Audible edition (in my native British English). This provides a general background to the battle – but does not mention the Irish specifically – other than one or two fighting for the Union. For the story of “Company K” of the 15th Alabama Regiment of the Confederate States of America (CSA) – we must turn to the excellent work of Phillip Thomas Tucker – who has produced an excellent book examining the contribution to the Confederate cause made by the Irish!

General George Pickett - CSA

CSA: BBC Antiques Roadshow “Experts” Convicted of Fraud After Appearing on Show! (1.4.2025)

Although a small number of the Confederate soldiers managed to reach the Union lines and engage in hand-to-hand combat, they were ultimately overwhelmed. The charge ended in a disastrous defeat for the Confederates, with more than half of the men involved either killed, wounded, or captured. Meanwhile, on a different part of the battlefield, the Union scored yet another decisive victory at Vicksburg on July 4th, 1863, the day after the defeat at Gettysburg (a conflict had been raging at Vicksburg since the beginning of the war – with the defending Confederates scoring a number of victories – but nothing decisive). Nevertheless, despite these heavy-blows, General Lee managed to muster what was left of his Army and retreat in good order back to the South – and continue the war for another two-years.

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