Some towns are so closely linked to some of the world’s most popular foods and drinks they even share the same name. Here we take a look at them and find out why these places are such meccas for foodies and connoisseurs.

Cheddar, UK

If you like any cheese at all it will likely be Cheddar cheese; it is the most widely eaten cheese in the world. With a mild taste, inoffensive to even the most trepid palate, it’s popular either sprinkled over a dish like your favourite pizza, stuffed into a ham and cheese sandwich or just eaten by itself.

Officially…

When the nose knows, you’d better take notice; that was certainly the case for Police Constable Nick Shaw in the wee hours of the 9th of January, 1987. It was because of this policeman’s sense of smell and quick thinking that the worst ever disaster to befall a locale of Gloucestershire, UK, was narrowly avoided.

…a queer, muffled popping noise which he described later as the sound of “neighbours falling out of bed.”

It had just gone 3 am and along Wickwar village’s long, wide thoroughfare, with its fine houses which line it, all was still save the prowling of…

I arrived in Prague in late 2013 to pursue a life as an ESL teacher and to escape a humdrum existence in the UK, and I’m sure glad I did. The city was so darn great I stayed for over five years. Here, I reflect upon what I made of Prague society and its foibles I had to negotiate in order to thrive.

The Czech Republic

First of all, it is not ‘Czechia’, let’s clear that up straight away. A name concocted by the Western hemisphere, and used by Google Map last time I checked, yet rejected by most Czechs themselves. The idea…

Assuming you’re a Briton, American or another native English speaker (NES), imagine you are holding a video conference with half a dozen proficient non-native English speakers (NNES), say some departmental managers of a manufacturing firm in Spain. Because the meeting is in English would you assume that you are the easiest to understand in the ‘room’? If so, you’d be wrong. I’ll explain why and ways you can help your international business contacts avoid misunderstandings which could cost you or your employer dearly.

“Ever been in a meeting where every NNES seems to nod and smile to what you are…

Throughout the long, often tumultuous history of Great Britain much of it has passed the simple, rural folk of one quiet corner of it. In the year 1470, a traveller might have set out from London and headed due west.

Days of travel first by riverboat along the Thames, then on horseback along ancient forest byways. On and on they would go until the traveller came to a halt at the banks of the River Severn.

A mighty river miles wide at this point, on the far side, lived the Welsh of which the Severn had served as a bulwark…

There are quite a few towns behind the names of famous… ‘stuff’. (the soon-to-be-renamed) Asbestos in Canada or Balaklava in Ukraine are two examples. Some of these quirky towns really are the centre of the universe for fans of the ‘thing’ and, in this article, we find out about five of these towns, the connections they have and what makes them so worth discovering.

Rugby, UK

It was during a game of football being played at Rugby School in 1823 that a schoolboy named William Webb Ellis, being the cheeky scamp that he was, caught a lofted ball and decided to run…

In this comedic piece we take a look at some of Amazon’s most hilarious, kick-ass product reviews.

Amazon, that Aladdin’s Cave; it’s like a Santa’s grotto of goodies for all ages, selling over 12 million different products and eliminating yet another reason to change out of our pyjama bottoms to leave the house.

Amazon have been guilty of soiling the retail industry by peddling pointless, frivolous or FAD items like books, shoes or healthcare products. They’ve also put on the market arguably some of the greatest inventions and fantastic value for money items of the 21st Century.

Here, we’re going…

Continuing on from Part 9 this completes my epic compilation of oddball hidden gems from history.

Here, I present the last of my queer compilation of tales, exposed like some discovered ancient ruins until then hidden in the overgrowth of history. I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I’ve enjoyed writing them!

When the Queen of England Met a Pirate Queen, 1593

In the 16th Century, whilst Ireland’s eastern coastline was controlled by the English, its hinterland to the west was frontier country. On the wild Atlantic coast, where great rollers pounded the raw, verdant coastline, the Uí Mháille noble family held sway over the pasturelands there and…