Cienfuegos – another stunning colonial style Cuban city, this one clean and not too frantic. We could almost be in Spain. Most of the day is spent in its elegant squares and threadbare department stores, and having fun with the kids. I eventually give in and buy a box of Cohiba Esplendidos, Fidel Castro’s favourite brand before he eventually gave up smoking cigars (described as "the hardest battle I ever fought").… READ MORE.... …
Month: June 2004
Last night I dreamt I went to Mississippi. No run yesterday, but instead, one of those milestone travelling moments. It made me think of Bobo once again. In the mid-90s we took a cheap flight to Orlando, picked up a car as soon as we arrived and set off. This wasn’t intended to be a survey of American musical history but that’s how it turned out.… READ MORE.... …
Sometimes you’re better off out of it. As Zidane’s last minute penalty gave France their shock Euro2004 victory over England this afternoon, I drained my beer glass and left the hotel bar. The feast has been spoiled by the final mouthful. Not spaghetti but worms. The consolation is knowing that I’m not at home to witness the wailing and the breast-beating of a nation and her hysterical press.… READ MORE.... …
A sign of growing old is that you start to notice signs of growing old. This mournful thought zimmer-framed its way across my crumbling brain this afternoon, shortly after a conversation with a tour rep in the Gatwick departure lounge. Not just any tour rep. My tour rep. Yes, it’s come to this. Here’s our excuse. We started to organise our Cuba holiday a few months ago.… READ MORE.... …
Let’s have a break for a while. Next scheduled race is the Datchet Dash (10K) on July 3rd, by which time I should have had a decent holiday and started marathon training again. Please call back around then to learn more. Do stay in touch by using the forum, or drop me a line at andy@runningcommentary.co.uk. Au revoir, Andy… READ MORE.... …
Read this: if URL is Levy and within his name is a full given update on an old piano lesson a wholly old law has died in the proof that could have been the new Newt under our window and the women who’ve known union men hit them the new you can be younger than them no one woman is the game in Vienna but may be moving lower than the women they plan to be the one new perk per floor had lifted politics in the end it was a man who had the end of the boom and he seems nowhere now This rather interesting passage appeared after I opened the Microsoft handwriting recognition utility by mistake.… READ MORE.... …
I can see the appeal of the treadmill. For only the third or fourth time ever, I bounced along on one this evening for 40 minutes or so. It makes the chore easier. It gives you control over your environment. You set the speed, the incline, the time, while you gaze blankly at Eastenders with the sound turned down. A teaspoonful of imagination is all you need.… READ MORE.... …
Some people hate them, or say they do. But I love hotels and hotel life, and the servility with which one is treated. It appeals to the monarch in me. For the past few work-days I’ve had to settle for the austere Dartford Travelodge, but now I’ve been promoted to the rather more agreeable Hilton with its Odeon-sofa-ed bedrooms and tasteful reproduction Deco desk and bed.… READ MORE.... …