Most visitors to the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre at Edwinstowe take the short walk through the ancient oaks and birches of Birklands to visit the Major Oak - one of the most famous trees in England.

A tourist attraction since Victorian times, currently over 800,000 people from all over the world visit it each year. Legend has it that this massive tree, whose trunk is 33 feet (10m) in circumference and whose branches spread over 92 feet (28m), once gave shelter to Robin Hood and his Merrie Men.

The truth is that the tree, which is estimated to weigh about 23 tons, is at least 800 years old, so if we believe that Robin was around in the 11th or 12th centuries, this tree could only have been a sapling. So it must have been another, much older oak which hid him and his band of outlaws.

Panoramic Imaging - The Major Oak Near Edwinstowe, North Nottinghamshire

"In the forests are the secret places of the kings and their great delight. To them they go for hunting, having put off their cares".

This late 12th century description of the royal hunting forests of England by Roger FitzNigel neatly explains their main purpose - as a playground set aside for the pleasure of medieval kings, princes and their lords.

Today's visitors still go there to 'put off their cares'. But the Sherwood Forest which Robin Hood might have known is a far cry from our modern view of it. A forest in those days was not just an area of dense woodland, like the modern conifer plantations which make up much of the wider Sherwood area today. There were some birch and oak woodlands, but there were also larger areas of open heathland and grassland, where the king's deer were allowed to graze.

Destinations - European Destinations

360 degree panoramic image showing the Ta' Kola Windmill, Gozo, Malta. It was a VERY hot and sunny day. However, I used my "home-made" pano head and using the backup Pantax camera to take 12 shots around a 360 degree panoramic view.

The tripod was setup in the shade of a small palm tree in the quiet village square garden directly opposite the windmill. This minimised the "flare" from direct sunlight that often spoils my full 360 camera lens.

Direct Link: Ta' Kola Windmill, Xaghra, Gozo

Destinations - European Destinations

GGANTIJA TEMPLES, GOZO 
360 degree panoramic image showing the inner chamber of the Ggantija Temples located near the small village of Xaghra, Gozo, Malta. It was a VERY hot and sunny day, so once again there's quite a bit of over exposure. However, this time I got a bit smarter and used my hat to mask the direct sunlight on the curved lens.

Destinations - European Destinations

Valletta is an astonishing place to visit and well worth the effort if you ever visit the islands of Malta. Most bus routes either start or end up in Valletta which, makes getting there very easy from any place in the island. A day ticket with unlimited bus rides costs only 3 Euro. For this small sum you can literally crisscross the whole of Malta in one day.

But does the Robin of the silver screen and written page bear any resemblance to the real outlaw, if indeed, he ever existed? Is there any evidence that there was a real Robin Hood? Or is he just a figment of many film makers, writers and peoples' fertile imaginations? To find out, we must go back in time, to the first documents which recorded his name, and the original tellings of the age-old tale.

Burnt, Blistered and Buggered - The Barmy Army Skulks into Wellington

Ripped Headline Image

http://www.teamusk.com/images/camel-headlines-burnt-blistered-bugger.gif

Phil Long's blog (http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tms/phil_long/) makes depressing reading for any English cricket fan with the fifth day Seddon Park massacre still fresh in their memories... It seems that not only were the team under prepared, the supporters were also woefully lacking in basic self preservation:

"The sunburn to the shins and feet of one supporter (who shall remain nameless!) on that first day were so bad he had to be taken, hobbling, to A&E at a Hamilton hospital to have the burns dressed and then redressed on subsequent days."

As Phil might say, "It's not the first time England have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory".

The Tea Musk Times confidently predicts a comprehensive victory for England at Wellington. After all; the English (barmy army) HAVE to be "burnt, blistered and buggered" before they really try to win!

Phil's blog is worth reading:

"As I made the eight-hour journey from Hamilton to Wellington by coach yesterday such was the peeling skin on the arms and faces of some of the England supporters onboard I thought I'd accidently stumbled onto a walk-on addition for The Singing Detective!"

Good information presented with a sense of humour.

The small out-of-the-way village of Sanxingdui in today's Sichuan Province just seemed like a typical rural backwater, when in 1929 a local farmer digging a ditch discovered an unexpected treasure trove: some 400 pieces of colorful jade artifacts. This unwitting discovery opened the door on a previously unknown culture that had existed during the period of the first civilizations of China between 3,000 - 5,000 years ago, but which had left no clues in historical records, that seemingly disappeared without a trace and which left artifacts never before discovered elsewhere in China.

The farmer and his family had thought to keep the discovery of the jade a secret at first, but the archaeologists were soon on the case and in 1934 excavations began in earnest at the Sanxingdui remains. In just ten days another 400 jade pieces plus some earthenwares were uncovered. In the next 70 years more artifacts were unearthed as generations of archaeologists worked on the discovery and understanding of the Sanxingdui culture. In 1963 the archaeologist Feng Hanji pointed to Sanxingdui and told his students around him, "the remains are so abundant here, it may very well be a central city of ancient Shu” – a prediction that would be confirmed years later.

Prior to visiting Malta for a panoramic photo shoot, I've done some basic historical research about the Islands of Malta. Most search engine results return commercial listings rather than any useful information. However, a quick "dip" into the Gutenburg collection of e-books returned two fascinating books:

Knights of Malta, 1523-1798
This book covers 275 years of events concerning Malta. It is a little "heavy" going in places and the Olde Worldie sentences can at times be extremely tedious. The Tea Musk Times has republished the entire book using HTML and shortcut hyperlinks for each chapter.
http://teamusk.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=48&Itemid=2

Fair Italy. The Riviera and Monte Carlo (With a Short Account of Malta)

"Then, on landing at one of the quays, after having, of course, been cheated in the fare (for the Maltese will never lose an opportunity of robbing you, though, to give the creature his due, he will not let any one else do so if he can prevent it--you are his own sweet pastures, and his solely)".

Probably an apt description for today's Time Share Sales Person!

The text has been published "as-is" and includes a link back to the original document.

The Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) from Sorrento to Salerno is one of Europe's most beautiful stretches of coastline, and the scenic corniche road that winds precariously along it, is justly famous as one of the world's most hair-raising and most scenic motoring experiences.

From the East, the Amalfi Drive begins at Salerno, one of the most active ports of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city's historical and cultural tradition dates back to Roman times, and it was the seat of the oldest university in Europe, the Schola Medica Salernitana. In more modem times it is best remembered for the Allied troops landing on its beaches, during the second world war.

Salerno isn't a tourist town, but it's a very sociable and lively place with plenty of street life and an intriguing choice of eating places, and makes a good base to explore Mediterranean culture and the fascinating landscapes of the Amalfi Coast. While in the area, a must-see to the east of Salerno is Paestum, which is one of the most important archaeological sites in the county, containing see some of the best preserved Greek ruins, architecture and monuments.

If you are passionate about exploring the beautiful colors that the undersea world has to offer then you should go at least once for scuba diving in Malta. You will surely find it a unique experience to remember as Malta's shoreline offers you lots of dive sites for you to enjoy.

If you are concerned with your safety there are many safe sites for you to visit. On the other hand, if you like adventures, you should visit wrecks such as Hellespont, sunk on April 1942. It is up to you how to spend your vacation for scuba diving in Malta, one thing is sure: you will find it on your taste.

The area of St Pauls Bay is situated on the northern coast of Malta. Approximate transfer time from the airport is one hour.

Traditionally Maltas largest summer resort and can be split into four areas of contrasting age and amenities Xemxija, Bugibba, Qawra and the Old Town.

Famous for its unspoilt rugged beauty and open sea views. A picturesque resort with good attractions and easy access to some of Maltas finest scenery and best rocky beaches.

The three Islands that make up the Maltese Archipelago – Malta, the largest; Gozo, the mythical isle of Calypso; and tiny Comino, famous for its Blue Lagoon – form a very special diving site at the heart of the Mediterranean.

The Islands offer excellent sport for both beginners and experienced open water and cave divers. With their natural harbours, bays, sheltered creeks, cliffs, reefs and wrecks, the Islands invite you to explore. The possibilities are endless. With dive sites just a stone’s throw away from each other, you will be able to explore a variety of underwater worlds. Some of the 34 best known dive sites range from labyrinthine caves to reefs and wartime wrecks.

At just a couple of hours’ flight from major European cities, the Islands are easily accessible for long weekend diving breaks as well. Sea temperatures average around 23ºC in summer and drop down to around 13ºC to 15ºC in December to March.