In my recent trip to far north Queensland (well, actually, in my two recent trips up there, long story), I learned the lines for How to Write a Tasteful Novel (tickets still on sale!) by walking up and down the beach, listening to myself on a tape recorder. Yes, one of those things from the olden…
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Oct
In the course of preparing for my new show How to Write a Tasteful Novel (tickets still on sale!), I ran my publicity material by other people. One time, my printer was running out of ink. It was meant to come out like this: I kind of like the new version!
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Oct
Rio de la Plata – that very wide estuary between Buenos Aires and the Uruguayan city of Colonia – is mud-based. That’s why it’s tinged with brown. Nothing to do with its quality. That’s what we said when Lisa and I swam in it. It’s not like there’s any pollution in Latin America…
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Oct
If you’re going to catch a plane together, it’s best to be early, because planes can run on time. I say ‘can’ because thanks to Latin American strikes, baggage issues, weather and who knows what else, I’ve gotten to know airports in outer Buenos Aires, inner Buenos Aires, Santiago, Lima and Iguazu much better than…
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Oct
When visiting Buenos Aires, it’s best to go to Recoleta Cemetery to see Evita’s grave… … otherwise everyone will nag you about why you didn’t. You may choose to ignore this advice, since it’s come from the man who’s been to Far North Queensland eleven times… … and still hasn’t been out to the Reef….
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Sep
After having cataract surgery last year, I often wore sunglasses, even indoors. I also went to Argentina. The CCK (Centro Cultural Kirchner) … … had an installation which combined the work of David Lynch (Twin Peaks), Patti Smith (singer and co-author of ‘Because the Night’) and Argentine artist Guillermo Kuitca. I liked the resulting pictures,…
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Sep
One popular day trip from Buenos Aires involves taking a ferry over the (very wide) river to Colonia, in Uruguay. You can visit the UNESCO Historic Quarter… … have lunch at one of the many outdoor eateries, enjoy the fresher air … … and take the ferry back as the sun is setting. Just be…
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Sep
King James I of England, who was also James VI of Scotland, was a much underrated monarch. After surviving the Gunpowder Plot, he held on to both his thrones, dying of natural causes at the age of 58: more than 20 years above the average of the time. This may not seem all the remarkable,…
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Sep
