Today in History: August 26th

Hello Gentle Readers. Its time once again to look time in the eye with only the whip and chair of history to protect yourself.

1883: The volcano Krakatoa enters the final and most cataclsmic part of its eruption.

1910: The future Mother Teresa of Calcutta is born.

1920: Women get the vote in the USA.

1980: US child star Macauley Culkin is born.


2018: US playwrite Neil Simon dies.

#todayinhistory #august26 #neilsimon #macauleyculkin #womenus #motherteresa #krakatoa

Catching up in Yerevan

Hello Gentle Readers

Feeling the L-O-V-E in Yerevan

We have been in Armenia for a couple of weeks and we have been really busy. We found an apartment and have been focussed very much on getting settled in at work.

We are both going to be working at CIS Armenia which is a Cambridge International School. Everyone there is very friendly and we are looking forward to seeing kids on September 2nd.

Robert is very keen to start school and he has a male teacher, Mr Gordon, who he is keen to meet and start learning from.

Last weekend I was unwell so we didnt really go anywhere apart from a shop called Vega Home and we bought some stuff for the house.

This weekend we decided to go to one of Yerevan's most iconic sights the Cascade.

The Cascade is a series of steps that goes up a steep hillside in Yerevan that gives amazing views of Mount Ararat and the city. As you walk up the cascade you are treated to a wonderful series of modern art pieces. Some of the pieces are located outside and some are under the stairs in a series of mini exhibitions.

It was exceptionally hot today so climbing the steps was hard going but the view was definitely worth the exertion.

We bought ballet tickets for Khachaturian's Gayene on the 14th September and we enjoyed a delicious dinner at Cactus, Yerevan's best Tex-Mex restaurant.

I will keep posting so keep reading.

#yerevan #cisarmenia #cascade #yerevanoperaandballet #cactusyerevan

Welcome to Armenia

Hey Gentle readers.

Well its official. We are now in Armenia and the blogs name has changed again.

Welcome to A Scotsman in Yerevan.

Our new country and our life here will be at the heart of my blogging and we will continue putting videos on our YouTube channel "Thomsons World".

Lena, my wife also writes regularly on Instagram also called Thomsons World so please if you fancy a change of view take a look.

Yerevan will be very different to Guangzhou and Riga so keep following the blog for new insights and new experiences.

The blog has been going for over 4 and a half years and there have been over 350,000 views. Thanks for your support and come back again soon.

Neil

#ascotsmaninyerevan #newbeginning #yerevan #armenia #thomsonsworld

Lithuania: Palanga Amber Museum

Hey Gentle Readers today Robert, Lena and I took a trip with Lena's mum to the Amber Museum in Palanga, Lithuania.

It really is a beautiful place. The gardens are very idyllic and the house in which the museum is located is decorated very nicely.

Here are some pictures

The Robot Lawnmower

The Wednesday Thought: Gun Control

Hello Gentle Readers. With 3 recent mass shootings happening in the US, I wanted to return to an old friend The Wednesday Thought to look at Gun control and the words people have said about it.

Gun control? We need bullet control! I think every bullet should cost 5,000 dollars. Because if a bullet cost five thousand dollar, we wouldn't have any innocent bystanders.

Chris Rock



Make no mistake about it. Gun control is not about crook control. It's about America control.

Derrick Grayson

I'm a Texan - my idea of gun control is hitting what you aim at and nothing else.

Blake Farenthold


In 1911, Turkey established gun control. From 1915 to 1917, 1.5 million Armenians, unable to defend themselves, were exterminated.

Joe Wurzelbacher

#wednesdaythought #guncontrol

Today in History: 4th August

Hello Gentle Readers. Its time to pop the cork of history and spray the bubbly of time all over the place.

1693: Dom Perignon invents the process for making Champagne.

1792: Poet Percy Shelley is born.

1914: The UK and Belgium declare war on Germany.

1944: Anne Frank and her family are discovered hiding in Amsterdam.

1962: Marilyn Monroe is found dead.

1981: Actress and Royal bride Meghan Markle is born.

#todayinhistory @august4 #meghanmarkle #marilynmonroe #annefrank #ww1 #shelley #champagne

Moose in Scandinavia

Hello Gentle Readers

Moose is Roberts friend. I bought him back from Sweden in 2016 and when Lena and I went there this week, we took Moose back.

His journey is below. Enjoy

#mooseindenmark #mooseinsweden