#GlobalBritain: some remarkable statistics
As an Ambassador constantly meeting people of all nationalities interested in the impact of the 23 June vote by the UK to leave the European Union, I am an avid follower of statistics. So for ease of...
View ArticleTackling Modern Slavery – in Vienna
A person is transported illegally away from their community to somewhere unfamiliar or foreign. Once there, they are forced to work without any form of contract or proper remuneration. This is modern...
View ArticleThe wonders of Instagram
Which leading Austrian Instagramer features photographs of a figure in a yellow sou’wester? I was pleased to welcome to the Embassy recently a group of mostly young Austrians with leading accounts on...
View ArticleThings from Vienna? Or Viennese things?
The clock is slightly fake. Its large face, with a hint of what I believe may be 1930s or 1950s design, displays not only hour, minute and second hands, but also – mostly – the correct time. Take it...
View ArticleVienna: Tackling Modern Slavery: Concrete Action
I wrote in my blog about modern slavery last month that “modern slavery is happening throughout the world, including in Europe, on a large scale”. So what are we doing about it? More than 200 years ago...
View ArticleMore about that Tyrolean Squirrel’s Tail
The wind is whistling at the top of the Hungerbergbahn. But my teacher is encouraging. ‘It’s bärig,’ she says. ‘Innsbruck ist bärig’ (‘Innsbruck is terrific’). I repeat; and repeat; and repeat again....
View ArticleUp and down the mountain: a guide to Tyrolean Dialect
My introductory video from last September noted the importance of visiting all parts of Austria; and of the dialects spoken in different regions. You can watch me attempting to learn the wonderful and...
View ArticleAt the hinge of Europe: stunning Vorarlberg
What has been the most unexpected hit video I have put on Twitter during my time as Ambassador in Vienna? The answer is, indeed, not what you would expect. I recently visited the most westernmost...
View ArticleHow to break the barriers that hold back women and girls
When I was in Kyiv, some Ukrainian colleagues used to express scepticism about International Women’s Day. They saw it as tokenism; a relic of the bad old days when Soviet authorities gave lip-service...
View ArticleWhere is Europe’s largest motorcycle maker based?
Which is the most important economic powerhouse in Austria? Amongst the nine Austrian provinces, Vienna has the largest population, followed by Lower Austria and Upper Austria. But more international...
View ArticleLegal highs and “NPS”: concrete steps
What do Project NEPTUNE and New Zealand have in common? Both are working to tackle the problem of New Psychoactive Substances (NPS), also known as legal highs. I recently opened an expert panel in...
View ArticleModest yet famous: Salzburg
I began my current posting to Austria on the platform at Salzburg station (Hauptbahnhof) at around midnight on 1 August 2016. My plan was to spend four weeks polishing my German at a top language...
View ArticleRoyal visit – pictures
I will be writing a blog soon about the recent visit of Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. It was a privilege to welcome them to Vienna; and wonderful to witness...
View ArticleBehind the Scenes on a Royal Visit: Communications
His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cornwall enter a room in Vienna’s magnificent Hofburg Palace as guests of the President of Austria, Dr Alexander Van der...
View ArticleZika mosquitoes and tsetse flies in Austria: how IAEA is fighting disease and...
Hundreds of anopheles mosquitoes are drinking warm blood. Nearby, thousands of fruit fly larvae are tucking into a tasty compote of fruit, writhing, munching and even, alarmingly, jumping in the air....
View ArticleContact lenses, smart phones, violins, Tribology and you
I’m presenting a world-famous Austrian scientist with a gold medal for scientific achievement. His family are present, bursting with pride, along with other world-class Austrian and German scientists....
View ArticleAn encounter with a Viennese wild boar
Climbing through the woods after a cloudburst, I follow the path around a corner to find myself confronting a group of wild boar – four or five hulking adults and countless piglets – known, charmingly,...
View ArticleBoar stories – the aftermath
I blogged recently about my bruising encounter with a Viennese wild boar. Following the blog, I was overwhelmed with ‘get well soon’ messages from well-wishers. Because the story was widely reported,...
View ArticleInnsbruck; 42; Towel Day; and the Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Where did Douglas Adams get the idea for his improbably brilliant book “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”? The answer is… Innsbruck. Eagle-eyed colleagues in the Vienna Embassy have brought to my...
View ArticleClose to the South – and to the UK
The sun blazes down on a red-tiled medieval roofscape. Outdoor tables and chairs and street performers hint at a lively café culture and a burgeoning arts scene. “The Guardian” famously described...
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