Let's hope when Russia is eventually forced out of Ukraine that Kiev etc are rebuilt even more beautifully than before and let's hope that millions of tourists visit to give a real shot in the arm to the country's economy.
You will know that two of my real loves are history and literature and I love it when they combine.
This has happened on our current tour of Northern France and you learn something new every time. This one links authors Barbara Cartland and Ian Fleming. The latter of course is famous for the James Bond books and the former is famous for dressing in pink and writing more books than the average gerbil has had dinners. In fact Cartland wrote a massive 723 novels and I've struggled to write even one (more about that some day but not now). Cartland holds the record for the most novels in one year. Get a load of this. In 1976 she wrote 23 novels. That's pretty much one every two weeks allowing for toilet breaks. One every two weeks. Cripes. That's even more than I write (or Giles Brandreth for that matter). Oh and I forgot to mention that Cartland also wrote a number of biographies (when on earth did she have time to research) and when she died over 160 unpublished manuscripts were found. She also wrote under a number of pen names including, I should imagine, Ivor Hadenough (not really).
Fleming was nowhere near as prolific, writing just 17 in his lifetime of which 14 were Bond books (that's Bond and not Banned - although some would say they should have been as it would have saved us from 007 films).
So what I hear you cry do Cartland and Fleming have in common? Well its tragedy and sadness. Cartland in particular must have had huge sorrow in her life. She lost two brothers and a father in the Two World Wars. Fleming lost a brother.
Cartland's father was killed in the First World War. She married and then divorced Captain Alexander Sachie McCorquodale. She also claims to have had 49 marriage proposals. Obviously fans of her books. That's approximately one proposal for every 14 novels which means she probably had two proposals in 1976 alone. She then married her former husband's cousin - another McCorquodale.
Her brother Anthony was killed in action in Belgium on the outskirts of Ypres on 29th May, 1940, smack bang in the dates and the areas we have been visiting and researching. Another brother Ronald was killed the following day 20 miles from Cassel where we visited yesterday.
That's all too sad. So let's turn to Ian Fleming and it doesn't get any better. His younger brother Michael died during the evacuation from Dunkirk.
Two literary giants, two writing polar opposites but two united in the loss of loved ones.
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Yesterday was a day for celebration. Prices are going through the roof the cost of petrol is out of control but fear not, our beloved leader has attacked the important things in life. Yes he has reinstated the crown on pint glasses. Hallelujah people we can all sleep safely in our beds knowing that of there are any illegal parties in Number 10 they will be served under the sign of the crown.
And also pounds and ounces are coming back. Never did understand all this kilogram and metric nonsense. Does this mean that if the Olympics return to the UK we will have the 100 and 200 yards and of course the mile?
The prime minister has also had a go at petrol stations that haven't passed on the drop in tax duty to customers. I can think of three local stations that may be guilty of this.
Tomorrow I will tell you of another second world war massacre that took place not a million miles from Le Paradis on the following day. Could it be there was a link between the two? I am a day or so behind with my pictures. So today's are from Le Paradis commemoration day. Tomorrow I will have some of Ypres. Just have to finish by mentioning that every meal in Belgium seems to come with chips.
Last night we didn't want a lot as neither of us felt hungry. So we shared a foot hot dog with ketchup, mayo and mustard and it came with chips. The restaurant was called Le Chip and it mainly served chips. There were chips and then there were chips with chips and chips with chips and chips and also chips with chips with chips with a side order of chips.
And finally finally I was saddened to hear of the death of former jockey Lester Piggott. In a future blog I will tell you about a very unusual photograph I have of Piggott in my study.
PS - There are many more photographs from the commemoration day on the official massacre website at www.leparadismassacre.com.