The East Coast of Apulia is rather barren - but still protected by Saracen Watch Towers After a day of sailing, swimming and canoeing we...

With the new Drone we get Photos as never before! Amendolea's Church & the super dry Fiumare Amendolea It is Norman day today. We plan...

A few weeks ago, I talked about Malta being the only nation in the European Union where people speak a Semitic language. It would be an...

In my previous blogs I talked about the Fatimid, the Ottoman, and the Spanish Empire, covered Arab dynasties and wrote about the Mongols....

There are few people who have a capital named after them. President Washington comes to my mind as does Jean Parisot de Valette. When...

Was working on a Blog on Jean-Parisot de Valette, the Grand Master of the Knights of St John during the siege of Malta in 1565, when I...

In my previous blog I was writing about the silver mines of Laurion which made Athens wealthy and powerful. The mines were in operation...

The other day, I came across a beautiful article in the Wall Street Journal "How Poetry won Independence for Greece". At the occasion of...

Now that all my 2017 and 2018 Blogs have been transferred to this site, it is time to switch on the automated notification mail again....

Kirk Douglas as Spartacus (111 - 71 BC) - one of my favourite movies as a child Do you remember the 1960 movie “Spartacus” with Kirk...

Cephalonia is today well known for its spectacular beaches on its West Coast On our way to Ithaca during the last week of sailing, we...

Corfu in 1716 during the last Ottoman Siege Working on the last week of our summer sailing made me think of Corfu and how this island,...

HMS Eagle sinking after being torpedoed during "Operation Pedestal", August 1942 We talked about the strategic importance of the...

View on La Valetta from the bay between Senglea (left) and Birgu (right). The Knights Head Quarter, the San Angelo Fort is prominently...

Canadian Troops on the Way to Sicily in their Landing Craft on 10 July 1943, the same Day of the Year we start our Sailing in Malta...

Otranto with its reinforced walls after the Turks conquered it in 1480 I know, I know. The title is fictitious. The Turkish Admiral lived...

Title Page of the Video "Why did the Ottomans not conquer Italy?" Speculating about alternative outcomes in history is a bit esoteric but...

Preparing Fire Wood for Winter 2022 with Ahmed Wanted to write this piece yesterday but the beautiful weather in the Ardèche was too...

Medieval Illustration of Greek Warriors Sailing to Troy - in Contemporary Ships though! Even though we sail along Genovese trading...

Castello di Svevo Yesterday, I talked a lot about Vikings or Normans who came to Southern Italy for adventure and getting rich quickly –...