New Year, Old Year

Having watched my eldest two children's favourite football team, Liverpool, play in shocking conditions against Manchester City earlier this evening, I am reminded of the extreme weather conditions of earlier in the day and this time last year.

My Year 12 teaching this term is on 'Extreme Weather' and last year's appalling cold weather was certainly a starting point. This year apart from a few windy days in the past few weeks there has been little to really kick start my teaching. I have until next Tuesday  for the weather to take a turn for the worse! However looking at the various weather apps on my mobile, I think I am going to out of luck as the weather looks as if it might be changeable until at least Sunday.

At least, I have seen a little snow this year (see above). This was on the 16th December and I had picked my twin daughters up on the last day of the Autumn Term and they were gutted that school wouldn't be cancelled as they had finished. In any case, it was all rather short lived and gone within 36 hours. Last year almost to the day, we had 350mm of the white stuff in 24 hours - Now That's What I Call Snow!

Looking back on last year, in geographical terms I suppose the highlight was becoming a Chartered Geographer, but it was largely similar to previous years; teaching, examining, writing, sports coaching and running cadets. However there were highlights - my IGCSE results - 14 A*s and 3As, coaching national school champions in T20 and Eton Fives. I also did consultancy work for the GA and RGS that enabled me to meet new people and open a few more doors for me.

I also got the chance to go to Eastern Europe for the first time since the end of communism and get the chance to get out of the terminal at Keflavik airport in Iceland and explore the island. My previous visit to Iceland was an unscheduled stopover on the way back from Chicago to Heathrow in about 1989.

I went to Iceland this time for a recce for a school trip there in March. I was blown over by the place, the scenery, the lifestyle and the fact I could watch ITN and Sky News.

Skogafoss, one of the many waterfalls I saw.




Reykjavik City Centre taken from the Perlan






 

The view from my hotel 'bedroom' at 11.30pm

My trip to Eastern Europe was two weeks with my family. We travelled to Bulgaria and stayed in a Black Sea resort that was well populated with visitors from mainly Eastern Europe -Poles, Russians, Ukrainians, Moldovans, Hungarians and some from the Baltic States. There were a few visitors from western Europe but we were definitely in the minority! Culturally, it was interesting -there were 'western bars' with British entertainment - karaoke, bingo and Sky Sports. The eastern Europeans tended to stay around the hotels and spend their time over dinner that was certainly cooked to suit the Eastern European palate - my children were not impressed with the offal!

The resort had largely been developed since Bulgaria had joined the EU in 2007 containing lots of luxury hotels, bars and western fast food outlets but at the same time there was a feel of a bazaar on the main drag with stalls selling fake designer gear, football shirts (my son bought 5!) and tattoo parlours - I resisted getting 'Made in Britain' inscribed on my posterior.

The view from my balcony

Culturally, it was an interesting place - a melting pot of european cultures but at the same time, a 50p bus ride away was the ancient city of Nessebur - an UNESCO World Heritage site. This had been a Thracian city in the days of Alexander the Great and contained a fascinating museum as well as the ruins of Byzantine churches dating back to the 13th century. This was old Bulgaria -interesting buildings and some brilliant shops including an antique shop selling German war memoribilia. I bought myself some fridge magnets with Orthodox Icons on them. One was of St.George killing the dragon (though it looks more like a crocodile) and the other of the Black Madonna and Child found in one of the local churches. Unfortunately, I mislaid them when I got back and haven't found them since.

A disused church now used as a garage.

The Centre of Nessebur - a little different from Sunny Beach

In school, I suppose the visit of Iain Stewart to talk about his new TV programme was my highlight - he is really the most amazing presenter and makes Geology even more fascinating. I can't wait for the new series some time in the next few months on BBC2.



Most of the Shrewsbury School Geography Faculty with Iain Stewart



A few photos of different places visited in the year! My son beat me and also visited Berlin and Buenos Aires during the year, though his photographic technique still leaves a bit to be desired, so there are none of his.



Arundel Castle Cricket Ground - National Schools T20 Finals Day



First World War trenches restored at RAF Halton, Bucks



Aberystwyth - Year 11 Fieldwork -it was rude not to have an ice cream on such a lovely day





This year, I continue my globe-trotting - Marrakesh and the Sahara desert in Morocco in February, Iceland again in March and Lanzarote in July. In the meantime, I have a cadet camp in Cambridgeshire, the GA conference in Manchester and many away days with Eton Fives and Cricket. I also have a few things to write and some teaching to do!!!

Happy New Year and I look forward to talking again soon