Samurai were feted as legendary, high-skilled, and very deadly warriors. In medieval Japan they were the elite soldiers, and often served powerful landowners (such as the daimyo). From the late 12th Century, through to the latter part of the 19th Century, samurai built reputation for honourable combat, a devotion to duty, and unwavering, loyal service […]
Today is the 22nd of November, the day that Edward Teach, aka Blackbeard the pirate, died, in 1718. Blackbeard is the source of a lot of classical (or stereotypical) ideas about pirates. He was said to be fearsome in appearance, and he carefully cultivated this image, and it is said he even went as far […]
Heralded as a legendary warrior, Queen Boudica terrorised the Romans during their occupation of Britain, but who was she? Other than the revolts she led, Queen Boudica’s life is shrouded in mystery. Her name is well-known due to her exploits as a leader; she had family, as part of the Iceni Tribe, but few details […]
Armistice Day, known around the world as Remembrance Day, Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day, is when the world collectively pauses, to remember the fallen of wars and conflict, and to reflect upon the sacrifices made by so many. In many parts of the world, the poppy, which grew on the fields of WWI battlegrounds, has […]
Fireworks are absolutely beautiful works of art. These bright, colourful, amazing displays can warm you up on a cold November night, as is the case every year, on the 5th of November (and to be fair, usually a few days either side of the 5th!). However, these gorgeous displays of light hide a dark secret. […]
What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in? What am I proud of about my cultural heritage? I guess, to answer that, I’d first need a clear understanding of just what my personal cultural heritage is. Fortunately, my digging into my ancestry has helped reveal a deeper picture of […]
Thousands upon thousands of words have been devoted to the subject of September 11th, 2001. That fateful, terrible day is etched into the memories of anyone who followed the dreadful events as they unfolded, and I do not want to imagine how it must have felt to be in New York as everything happened. I […]
Now, you may be thinking ‘I know all about that lovable cartoon character’, but what if I told you I was writing about a completely different Timon? You see, Timon is the name of an individual who lived waaaaaaaaay back in Ancient Greece. It’s believed he was alive at some stage between 431 BC and […]
Inspired by a recent visit to the Big Smoke, I thought I’d write a post that examines England’s capital, the bustling city of London. Londinium London’s history can be traced to Roman times. Whilst there is evidence for scattered, limited settlements in the general area (some of which have been dated to 4500 BC, making […]
Welcome one and all, to the Meerkat Muse! Irritating Inclement Weather What does a Brit talk about a lot? The weather. Usually, we moan about the weather, and that’s where this Muse begins. You see, the last few days of July, traditionally a warm month, proved themselves to be horrifically damp. Granted, I am pleased […]
'Ah, at last, I can finally go home!'
I just visited Warmwell - Boathouse. This is what I thought: #feeditback
This has been an... eventful train ride. Well, less eventful, more long.
We peel back the door of the Meery Christmas Advent Calendar… and today, it’s decorations! Now, I would say I have something of a love/hate relationship with decorations. I love to look at them. The streamers, the lights, the tree, in their colours of gold, green, red, purple, blue, and more… they are gorgeous to […]
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