Crammed into Westminster & Pimlico are an abbey, a cathedral, a parliament, palaces, numerous government offices, up-market shops, men's clubs, beautiful parks, statues galore, theatres, the most famous clock in the world & one of the best schools in the country. 150 years ago the list would have included breweries & brothels, for here, in the capital of the world's richest nation, an underclass of starving, wretched people existed within shouting distance of those who governed them. This is an A-Z historical guide to the area. ...

In the depths of the Cotswolds, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire, lies one of the most beautiful tree gardens in the world. Known as Westonbirt Arboretum. Here you can find around 15, 000 trees, each one lovingly labelled. They offer the perfect, picturesque setting for escaping from the pressures of everyday life. Now, for the first time, 100 of the most popular British trees form the basis of this beautiful pocket guide. Illustrated with artwork depicting the tree & leaf, this covetable little book will educate & entertain with wonderfully concise text by one of the world’s leading tree experts from the Arboretum. Pop this book in your pocket for a great day out spotting some of the most celebrated features of our landscape. ...

This guidebook is all you need to discover The Westweg, a 285km walk along the length Germany`s Black Forest from Pforzheim to Basel. This classic long-distance trail takes around two weeks to walk, in stages of 15-28km. The route is well way-marked & suitable for experienced hikers & those new to long distance walking, though some sections are steep. The Westweg incorporates many of the region`s highlights, such the Schwarzwald National Park, the source of the Danube & Lake Titisee. At Titisee there is a choice to make: the western route taking in the Black Forest`s highest peak Feldberg & the vineyards of the Markgraflerl&, or the quieter eastern route via the Herzogenhorn peak & on to Basel, with all its cultural attractions & old-world charm. With well-maintained & waymarked trails, an efficient public transport system & conveniently placed huts & farmhouse inns, the Black Forest is one of Germany`s best-loved walking destinations. Soft-contoured, forest-clad hills, interspersed with pastures & picturesque villages combine on with far-ranging vistas right across the Alpine chain. Detailed descriptions & 1:100, 000 maps accompany each stage of the route & the book describes options for shortening stages using public transport. There is also information on when to go, where to stay & a German-English glossary
- all of which will earn this useful guide a place in your rucksack.
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`I am taking a few months off to travel & wander, drinking my way across the Islamic world to see whether I can dry myself out, cure myself of a bout of alcoholic excess. It is a personal crisis, a private curiosity. I am curious to see how non-drinkers live. Perhaps they have something to teach me.` Booze is mankind`s premier drug of choice, the most popular mind-altering substance ever devised, & it plays a furtive, celebrated & subversive role in nearly every culture on earth. In ” The Wet & the Dry”, Lawrence Osborne explores the culture of permission, particularly in the West, & the opposing culture of prohibition, notably in the Islamic East. Osborne`s globe-trotting odyssey takes him from the luxurious bars of Milan to the vineyards of Lebanon, threatened by Hezbollah; from Swedish vodka to Pakistani strawberry gin; from the Nellie Dean pub in Soho to the dangerous brothels & drinking dens on the Malaysian border; from the boutique scotch produced on Islay to the liquor destroying Native American reservations; & from the only brewery in the dry country of Pakistan to the search for a bottle of New Year`s champagne in Oman. All the while, Osborne`s own Irish family history of terrifying alcoholism fails to deter him from seeking out a drink wherever he can. ...

There is a legend that a Great Spotted Whale lives in the ocean; local fishermen still talk of it, although the first sighting fifty years ago was never corroborated. Now, two young whale watchers each set out to find the whale, one armed with sound recording equipment, the other a camera. Mid-ocean their boats collide, so they pool their resources & set off together to capture incontrovertible proof that the mythical Great Spotted Whale exists. The eventual sighting is a magical moment: the whale is truly phenomenal, & swimming along beside her is a small whale calf. The children return to shore, solid proof in h&. As an added twist to the story, they discover that it was their own grandparents who first sighted the Great Spotted Whale fifty years ago. The Murrow`s epic, wordless adventure is brought to life with Ethan`s stunning graphite drawings, which convey the drama & haunting beauty of the ocean, & capture the majesty of this awe-inspiring creature. ...

” The Whale Road” is a creative non-fiction story based on a true tale told to an unborn child in which a sailor falls off a cliff, & turns into an albatross, & a pod of female sperm whales chases the setting sun. The journey begins on a research vessel, as her small crew follow the path of the Hwaelweg through the South Pacific, a hunting ground once so fertile that sailors` logs claim the whales formed a black road in the sea. The expedition sails from Tahiti to New Zeal&, making an enthralling tale about human & animal nature, nurture, love & a search for peace. ...

Whale-watching in South Africa
- one of the most exciting activities in some of the most beautiful destinations in the world. The
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” The Whales Companion” seeks to capture the idea of the whale in the human imagination through a collection of evocative writings & images from ancient times up to the present day. Ranging across the cultures of the world for its material, this superbly produced visual & literary anthology explores the complexity of humankind`s relationship with the whale: the awe-inspiring creature that fills our myths & legends, art & literature, with its mystical, sometimes fearsome, often tragic, presence. ...

Revisiting some of the locations seen by John Steinbeck, Pino Cacucci travels the length of Baja California--the world`s longest peninsula. Along the way, he hears the story of a man still suffering from injuries sustained during his past life as a pirate, tales of buried treasure chests, & of the trials of Jesuit missionaries among the Indios. But it is the whales, with their extraordinary intelligence, playfulness, sense of revenge, & touching generosity, that capture the author`s heart. Written with humility & humor, ” The Whales Know” is an insight into a land where appearances can be deceptive. ...

EXPLORE BRITISH HISTORY as you have never seen it before! A beautiful 2m-long timeline unfolds to reveal key moments including the story of kings & queens, famous battles, the heroes of science, art & culture as well as iconic national buildings & monuments, all of which have shaped the history of our islands from before humans to the present day. Also

Includes:: 16 pages of newspaper-style chronicle with crosswords, letters-to-the-editor & a multiple-choice quiz. The finishing touch of a handy pocket magnifier make this Wallbook Timeline of British History the perfect gift for curious kids & adults alike.

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