Saturday, July 23, 2011
Friday, July 22, 2011
Nathaniel's Nutmeg
Read the book online here
The tiny island of Run is an insignificant speck in the middle of the Indonesian archipelago, remote, tranquil, and now largely ignored. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, however, Run's harvest of nutmeg turned it into the most lucrative of the Spice Islands, precipitating a fierce and bloody battle between the all-powerful Dutch East India Company and a small band of ragtag British adventures led by the intrepid Nathaniel Courthope. The outcome of the fighting was one of the most spectacular deals in history: Britain ceded Run to Holland but in return was given Manhattan. A brilliant adventure story of unthinkable hardship, savagery, the navigation of uncharted waters, and the exploitation of new worlds, Nathaniel's Nutmeg is a remarkable chapter in the history of the colonial powers.
Which is just the kind of story to read when one travels the exotic East, and Giles Milton's gripping yarn Nathaniel's Nutmeg brings it all very much alive.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Lost Horizon à la Banjar Hills
For more photos, click here.
P.S. ... and if you haven't read Lost Horizon yet, do yourself a big favour and read it here and now.
Back at Banjar Hills
Back at Banjar Hills Retreat, my favourite place in Bali!
With only four bungalows, two of which I had booked for Padma's parents and Padma and myself, it was very much a family affair. The only other resident was Martin from Germany with whom I had an all-night discussion about everything.
Martin left next morning to be replaced by John Penrose who had Adam and Andrew with him on a guided tour through Bali. We all hit if off well together.
Arrived back in Bali ...
... and Sana met me at the airport.
He made me feel quite at home with the 'talisman' dangling from his car's rear-vision mirror.
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