Articles written by Gordon Haynes

What is Helium

About me - Gordon Haynes

I'm a writer! I've done other stuff of course. It was necessary because I needed to eat. In another life I was a professional Landscape Architect, but the best bits were usually writing about my work. Then I bought a hotel - I know, it doesn't fit the normal

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Travel > Travel Diaries & Adventures (Other) Best and worst experiences with airlines: 4 of 26
When I discovered America, it was from the window of an ageing Northwest DC-10 when I was 38. I'd had a front row (in Economy class) seat over the starboard wing and reassuringly right next to the emergency escape door. The only problem with this was that the door leaked. Icy cold air shot in from around the seals and dealt m... More..
Food & Drink > Wine Buying wine: Consumer guide: 2 of 8
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. I've been studying and enjoying wine for over thirty years and consider that the foundations I laid back in the early 1970s have been the most important element in my appreciation of it. Although it's good to keep an open mind and to take advice from time to time, that's no substitute ... More..
Society & Lifestyle > Social Values & Norms The use of middle names is redundant: 1 of 3
Fuelled by stories of adventures in Darkest Africa', 19th century heroes were made of such people as Livingstone and Stanley. Victorian parents willingly latched on to the most transferrable of heroes' names, along with those of the queen of the day, her consort, their children, Prime Ministers etc., thus explaining the perio... More..
Travel > Europe (Other) Travel destinations: Portugal: 1 of 2
Paradise on Madeira.One of the horticultural jewels of this, the floating garden in the Atlantic', lies near the centre of the island's capital, Funchal. The gardens of the Quinta das Cruzes, the villa of which dates from the 15th century, are enclosed by substantial stone walls in accordance with tradition and are approached... More..
Travel > Europe Travel experiences: The Scottish Highlands: 1 of 1
Waterspouts & ice creams in MordorWe had a visit from Pat's cousin Angela - a kindred spirit in many ways. She tagged us on to the end of a visit to see a friend in Grantown on Spey and was able to spend a couple of nights here, which was nice. Angela has recently changed her ISP and they couldn't supply the address she wante... More..
Food & Drink > Dairy Products & Eggs A guide to Scottish farmhouse cheeses: 1 of 1
The recent demise of the Taste of Scotland Scheme has left the country's efforts to get its food and hospitality taken seriously without a realistic champion. The banner has passed, for the time being at least, into the custody of enthusuastic individuals who have interest enough to draw attention to the best that Scotland ha... More..
Travel > France Touring the Burgundy wine region in France: 1 of 1
BURGUNDY IS THE NEW GREYFor our holiday last October we turned to Burgundy, leaving from Scotland's grey capital. It was so grey, it was dreich. Even the Forth bridges were barely visible as our captain carefully navigated his way out of Rosyth in a London pea-souper.Anyone who can successfully navigate with Michelin maps is ... More..
Travel > Europe (Other) Travel destinations: Switzerland: 8 of 13
Eiger walkdownWell, we were hardly going to walk up. That had been achieved by extremely expensive train, all the way up to Jungfraujoch from Grindelwald. After an hour or so at the top doing snowballs and photoshots and trying to squeeze our money's worth out of the tickets, we headed down again, but only as far as Kleine Sc... More..
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes The benefits of listening to jazz: 2 of 3
Reflections on Jazz.Ah, the 1920s and 1930s - the age of speed and style. The dark valley' period between the two world wars was in many ways contradictory, when the arts, architecture, engineering and general human endeavour all experienced a glorious heyday despite near global depression, the stock market crash and the very... More..
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Your earliest memory: 208 of 310
Earliest memory? That's difficult. I'm very fortunate in having an eleven page document that my Dad sent me in response to the Golden Wedding present I'd prepared for them, which was a Chronicle of Half a Century - a spoof of the massive book that they had recently acquired and which now resides with me. Dad's document fills ... More..