We watch Richard E Grant's 'Very Modern Odyssey' on Channel 4. The actor follows the path Odysseus took on his travels around the Mediterranean. Every so often Mr. Grant positions himself against a suitable backdrop and intones a portion of the Homeric poem in grave tones. Sometimes he does this dressed as an ancient Trojan. Much of the first episode is shot in Malta which seems to have transmuted into an altogether more stylish place than I remember from my brief school trip there sixty years ago. When he's not dressed as a Trojan warrior the actor appears in each scene wearing the same leather jacket and knotted woolen neck scarf. This must have been stifling in the summer heat. The producer presumably thinks this provides a form of continuity but leaves me wondering if the poor man is suffering from a throat ailment. We shall watch next weeks episode to see if the 'shouty' pace eases off a little. The visit to the Megalithic temples on Malta with the heavily accented professor justified the investment of our time.
August brings with it the tourists. It also brings unsettled weather. At this time of the year the Atlantic weather patterns do unpredictable things. It has bucketed down overnight. The grey skies do nothing to deter local dog walkers or the super charged organizers of the summer school for kids. This operates on the " get 'em up early and into bed late " approach to managing lively teens. In between the youngsters do hearty things non-stop until they're ready to drop. This is a wise strategy with this age demographic.
The gannets are still doing their thing offshore. This morning our attention is drawn to the sounds emanating from the farmers cabbage patch. The quail chicks are darting in and out of the rows of cabbages chasing each other. They make that high pitched warbling jabber as they play. This puts a smile on our faces. The chicks seem to have avoided the attention of the local sparrow hawk.
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Back in the village we come face to face with a group of lycra clad cyclists. They're all Americans travelling with the 5 star 'Off the beaten track' cycling company. The group are about to sit down for breakfast at a table set up on the grass by the potato barns. Bacon, large sausages and baked beans are laid out in stainless steel dishes. These are being warmed by small night lights which make for a very luxurious breakfast buffet touch. We wonder if Americans eat baked beans for breakfast. Europeans would have been happy with a half decent croissant .The cyclists rave about Edinburgh. " It's so so Continental and just like Paris but without having to deal with the French " observes one lady with a gloriously Upper East side accent. This, 'The Font' observes, is an unusual perspective....on many levels.
An English view on America :https://www.commonreader.co.uk/p/the-ordinary-sublime-of-the-american
A hopeful take on Iran:https://www.turkiyetoday.com/opinion/peace-dividends-what-a-reopened-iran-means-for-turkiye-and-the-region-3224503
Into the unknown with weight loss drugs :https://www.sciencefocus.com/wellbeing/weight-loss-drugs-mental-health
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