Author Archives: suzykewct

Important updates on Masterpiece Mystery!

From London Independent. For those of us who are even more addicted to British murder mystery programs than to Downton Abbey – news that there will be more episodes of both Inspector Lewis AND Endeavour is really, really good! The … Continue reading

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Dvořák Festival in Prague

From Prague Post. The program for September’s Dvořák  Festival in Prague is shaping up. Start making plans and get your tickets now!

Posted in Czech Republic, Eastern Europe, European festivals, European music, General magpie travel, News from Europe, Prague travel | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Secret streets near Paddington

There are tons of cozy little streets all over London known as “mews”. On my daily stroll to Paddington station from my hotel last year, I passed a couple of these and decided I would looove to live on one … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travel essays, All Suzanne's travels, England, London travel, UK | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

London Tube closures weekend of 22-23 March 2014 and accessibility update

Most of the Tube work is again outside central London this weekend.  Note Embankment partial closure through early November and changes to Covent Garden thru mid-November. Central line – North Acton to West Ruislip Jubilee line – Waterloo to Finchley Road, Sunday closure … Continue reading

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The Kelpies are coming to NYC

From the website I found when searching for info on this year’s Tartan Day parade in NYC. The parade will be held on Saturday, 5 April, 2014 along Sixth Ave, beginning at 2 pm. When I was in Edinburgh this … Continue reading

Posted in European art, European festivals, News from Britain, NYC travel, Scotland, US travel | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Tidbits from Dutch news – Feb 2014

Here are a couple of stories from Dutch news from last month… The Hermitage’s Amsterdam location is now home to thirty Golden Age paintings by Rembrandt et al., similar to his masterpiece The Night Watch, which lives at the Rijksmuseum … Continue reading

Posted in Amsterdam travel, BeNeLux, European art, European museums, European music, Netherlands travel, News from Europe | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

London Tube closures weekend of 15-16 March 2014

Most of the Tube work is again outside central London this weekend.  Note Embankment partial closure through early November and changes to Covent Garden thru mid-November. District line – Aldgate East to Bromley-by-Bow Hammersmith/City line – Moorgate to Barking Metropolitan line – Wembley Park … Continue reading

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Thingvellir National Park, Iceland

A view of the Þingvellir rift valley (mid-Atlantic Ridge) from overlook point at Hakid on a cold, dry day in mid-January, 2014. Iceland’s first national park, founded in 1930. The site of Iceland’s Parliament from 930 to the end of the … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travels, Archaeology in Europe, Iceland travel, Scandinavia travel | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

London Tube closures weekend of 8-9 March 2014

Most of the Tube work is outside central London this weekend.  Note Embankment partial closure through early November and changes to Covent Garden thru mid-November. Bakerloo line – Sunday only – Stonebridge Park to Harrow & Wealdstone Jubilee line – Waterloo to Finchley … Continue reading

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Introducing Edinburgh Zoo’s penguins

Edinburgh Zoo has a large and renowned collection of penguins – renowned for their daily “Penguin Parade” – when a (variable) number of penguins will take a short stroll along the pathway outside their enclosure at 2 pm each day … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travels, Edinburgh, European museums, News from Britain, Scotland, UK news | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Some Northern Lights I didn’t see

From London Independent. A fantastic slide show of Auroras around the northern hemisphere recently. I knew when I booked my trip to Iceland in January that the lights were more likely to appear in March and April, but I had … Continue reading

Posted in Estonia, General magpie travel, Iceland travel, News from Europe, Scandinavia travel, UK news | Tagged , | 1 Comment

This is silly! Magpie blog sets new record

For the almost three year life of this blog, daily hits to the site have numbered in the single and low double digits most of the time. Statistics automatically generated by WordPress include the daily numbers of hits and showed … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travel essays, London travel, not really travel | Tagged , | 2 Comments

A Czech destination beyond Prague

From Prague Post. A look at Český Šternberk, a place I’d not heard about before now. An interesting add-on possibility outside Prague. The end of the article mentions two different buses to get you there but, since it’s only 30 … Continue reading

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London Tube closures weekend of 1-2 March 2014

Back to the normal weekend closures – minimal Tube closures this weekend.  Note Embankment partial closure through early November and changes to Covent Garden thru mid-November. Bakerloo line – Saturday – Queen’s Park to Harrow & Wealdstone Northern – Archway to High Barnet/Mill … Continue reading

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Harpa, Reykjavik’s new concert hall

In addition to taking day trips into the phenomenal countryside on my visit to Iceland in January, I was lucky enough to catch a classical concert at Harpa, Reykjavik’s new concert hall, open since May of 2011. The Iceland Symphony … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travels, European music, Iceland travel, Scandinavia travel | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

London Tube closures weekend of 22-23 February 2014

Back to the normal weekend closures – not too many Tube issues this weekend. but London Overground is mostly shut.  Note Embankment partial closure through early November… Metropolitan line – Wembley Park to Northwood/Uxbridge Northern line – Camden Town to Edgware Piccadilly line – South … Continue reading

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Fourth plinth artwork comes home to roost

The latest in a continuing series of artworks, each of which resides for about a year on the previously unoccupied fourth plinth in London’s Trafalgar Square. It’s a giant blue rooster entitled Hahn/Cock. I especially like the pigeons sitting below … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travels, European art, London travel, News from Britain, UK | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A Scottish stone is going walkabout!

From London Independent and Univ of Glasgow. The Hogback Stone, one of the thousand-plus year old Govan stones which live in a Glasgow church, is going on exhibition at the British Museum in London. Here’s more info and a photo, … Continue reading

Posted in Archaeology in Europe, European art, European museums, General magpie travel, London travel, News from Britain, Scotland, UK news | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

London Tube closures weekend of 15-16 February 2014

Back to the normal weekend closures – minimal Tube closures this weekend.  Note Embankment partial closure through early November… Jubilee line – Sunday – Waterloo to Finchley Road until 1100 Northern – Archway to High Barnet/Mill Hill East London Overground – Sunday only – Richmond … Continue reading

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Valentine’s Day getaways in England and Scotland

From London Independent. Ten great places for that special weekend getaway. I especially like the gypsy caravan. Let’s hope none of them are plagued by the disastrous floods currently inundating the island.

Posted in England, General magpie travel, London travel, News from Britain, Scotland, UK news | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Top Scotch whiskies

From London Independent. Ten top Scotches, a mix of single malts and blends. Blends? Really? I bought a nip of Highland Park in Edinburgh last month; quite nice but, admittedly, not the 25 year old stuff – more like 10 … Continue reading

Posted in Europe food & wine, General magpie travel, News from Britain, not really travel, Scotland, UK news | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

London Tube strike averted for this week

Tfl reports that the second of two multi-day strikes set for today thru Friday morning has been avoided. Yahoo!

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More Shakespeare for Trevor Nunn

From London Independent. Trevor Nunn has staged 30 of Shakespeare’s 37 plays and wants to do the rest before retiring. Something to look forward to!!

Posted in England, European art, European festivals, General magpie travel, London travel, News from Britain, UK news | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

London Tube strike updates – 11-14 February 2014

The strike set for tomorrow is likely to affect Tube services beginning around 9.30 pm, all the way ’til Friday morning. Oy! Nice that things are supposed to be “normal” come Valentine’s Day. Here is more information from TfL…

Posted in England, General magpie travel, London travel, News from Britain, UK news | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

London Tube closures weekend of 8-9 February 2014

Here are the Tube closures for this weekend. Central London is mostly spared; nice after the two day strike. Metropolitan line – Harrow-on-the-Hill to Uxbridge  Jubilee line – Sunday only – Waterloo to Finchley Road until 1100 Northern line – Kennington to Morden Piccadilly … Continue reading

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London Tube more strike updates – February 2014

The strike set for today is likely to affect Tube services all the way ’til Friday; next week may be similarly dragged out. Here is more information from TfL…

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London Tube strike updates – February 2014

Sorry about slacking off the last couple of weeks with the Tube closures. Working on my blog with my tablet while on vaca can be a real pain, so I skipped it these past two weekends. Today and next Tuesday, … Continue reading

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More to Iceland than Northern Lights

I admit that the first two reasons for my trip to Iceland were to see the Aurora Borealis in a fantastic setting. As it’s turned out, the Lights have been disappointing. Solar activity that generates the phenomenon takes two to … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travel essays, All Suzanne's travels, Iceland travel | Tagged | 6 Comments

Iceland update

Take a look at the comment/s for my previous post for an update on my visit so far to Iceland. Big news, too – I walked down to the local ‘Home Depot’ type place using directions from the hotel staff … Continue reading

Posted in All Suzanne's travels, Iceland travel | Tagged | 2 Comments

Winter in Europe

Just a quick update… I’ve just come from 5 days in London, where I saw two plays, a ballet and the French Property show. Also spent a day out in the countryside with a friend where we played with birds … Continue reading

Posted in General magpie travel | 6 Comments