Pastel charm, Fetiye

Solar skyline, Konya to Pamukkale

Merhaba Göreme, Turkey

Queen of Scots, Edinburgh

I found a Cobb in Scotland. He seemed a fine lad, and I informed the family that we are well represented. My last trip up to Edinburgh, I took out a bunch of Scottish lads in a poker game, kicked up the shoes at the Dundee blues festival, basked in the Scottish sun, went swimming in a loch (tick) in a glen (tick) - convinced a Scot to likewise (tick), in his boxers (tick)

Obscure Tangents

MacLean Dunkeld
Taybank Tay Terrace, PH8 04Q
ph: 013050727340

The harrrr, north Yorkshire

Days here ''uup north'' in yorkshire are warm. A thick fog rolled in from the ocean early in the week and had yet to lift until yesterday - they call it "the harrr" and it's a classic Sherlock Holmes, Wuthering Heights narrative... London's West End story telling, hollow stage props for the 'The Woman in Black'. Thick fog. You the know the one - perfect for murder. I am living in most civilised digs whilst up here, a piano concerto last night, g&ts on the terrace, mary jane shoes etc etc. A far cry from the nutured yob in London, although i be equally fond of both guises.

Rain perfect for castles, Scotland

Edinburgh. Possibly the most beautiful city I've ever seen. It has stolen my heart.

Even in the rain. Even with a hangover.

Photographs

[Steph and the Tardis, Edinburgh.]

They're calling again

It's the weekend. The day after St Patrick's Day. The more precocious of Carolyn's two cats has pawed my forehead and the sun shining through wide, shutter-free windows casts it's glare across my pillow around 11. They day begins with coffee, talk of a day trip and much non-committal faffing about before energy is mustered and we leave crack of noon for the ferry and drive to the Olympic Mountains.

The view from Hurricane Ridge is absolutely magnificant - an on top of the world kind of vista. The novelty of snow has yet to wear thin. I send a postcard of as much to my big brother with a comical little 'Steph was here' note and arrow scrawled on it. Graham writes back, "Your postcard has made its way on to the fridge. Ethan [my nephew age 4] now thinks you live at the top of a snow covered mountain and I don't see any reason to correct him."

Obscure Tangents

Seattle native Gary Lasater and Nancy McFaul opened this delecatable business in the grand year of 1976. The perfect escape for crumpet and tea...

the Crumpet Shop
1503 1st Avenue
Pike Place Market
Seattle, WA 98101

"Hey baby I hear the blues a'callin', Tossed salads and scrambled eggs (Quite stylish), And maybe I seem a bit confused, Well, maybe, but I got you pegged! Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha! But I don't know what to do with those, Tossed salads and scrambled eggs..

They're calling again.

Goodnight Seattle, we love you!" Frasier

Sleepless in Seattle

I arrive into Seattle's King St Station mid morning and I could do with a coffee.

Endearingly unaware of Seattle's reputation for coffee consumption, it is in retrospect that I ponder how apt my craving. A subtle aroma in the air? Or acute awareness I'd been sleeping in a chair for three days. ''Suffice to say", as I am wont to say, Seattle is a good place to fancy a latte.

Starbucks' first store opened in 1971 adjacent the Pike Place Market. The now household name I learn spawned from reference to Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and I think is perhaps befitting it's origin as humble waterfront caff of a fish market. I'm not a great coffee drinker, and certainly no connoisseuir, although have an appreciation beyond that dulled from too many Uni midnight-til-four, 4 spoons, 2 sugars Nescafe cold sweat specials. But admit I feel out of my league here and pour over coffee menus of full milk, soy bean, fair trade and organic permutations in quiet fascination. Seattle is as if fueled by caffeine - and sponsored by Starbucks. Not to say there aren't plenty of rivals; independent baristas with competitive menus and mini chains with trademarked mugs to go. There certainly seems the demand.`Sleepless in Seattle'? Bloody hell. Seattle is wired!

Photographs

[Pike Place Market neon sign I like to think of as Seattle's centrepeice]

Obscure Tangents

"I am searching for the moment that I am so intoxicated with love that if you offered me another cup, I would not take it", Cherry Street Coffee House
www.cherrystreetcoffeehouse.com

Zeitgeist Coffee
http://zeitgeistcoffee.com/

Tossed Salad and Scrambled Eggs, Seattle

Seattle upholds a quiet charm. The suburbs of Craftsman houses with cream picket fences and delicate window shutters are modest and tasteful in their simplicity. Dotted across a city landscape dominated by water, she seems a makeshift city in her own glassy reflection and has a fisherman's village kind of feel I immediately like.

I met Carolyn whilst working in Sydney two years ago. We were two of three to bond over the trials of a stormwater management project that, in Elissa's spirit of acknowledging ''little wins'', drove us to consume Tim Tams and Sauvignon Blanc in equally extravagant measures. Carolyn inspired the cook-up of a seven kilogram turkey in honour of a shindig a long time ago someplace with pilgrims and Indians and, as I understand it, Libby's canned pumpkin pie (in which Carolyn held the kind of steadfast belief I'd thought usually reserved for religion).

A few weeks ago I'd sent Carolyn an email threatening to meet up just as soon as we shared a continent and took her reply, ''you stud'' to be enthusiastic. A far cry from Pymble mate, it is very cool to see you on home turf. You are a doll!

Photographs

[Nostalgic Steph, Pike Place Market at closing]