The Edwardians: Age of Elegance Exhibit

The Edwardian era was always my favourite to read and write about. Health care services improved, mortality declined, literacy spread widely, women’s rights were debated, New Zealand & Australia women were enfran-chised, trade unionism increased and the arts and sports were now widely available. Canada federated progressively, while Australian & South African states unified.

Royal portraits and coronation cloaks

Visit London

So I was keen to see what The Edwardians: Age of Elegance Exhibition in 2025 in King’s Gallery in Buckingham Palace focused on. The exhibition went back into late Victorian era to examine the patronage of Albert Prince of Wales/King Edward VII & wife Alexandra of Denmark. The couple married in 1863, soon after Queen Victoria was widowed and withdrew from public life. Thus the young royals were leading taste-makers in society, well before 1901.

Winterhalter portraits of Edward and Alexandra, 1864

the year after their wedding.

jennifereremeeva

Queen Victoria’s son reigned on her death but unlike his very elderly mother, he died too soon 1910. Edward’s son King George V & wife Mary of Teck reigned from 1910-36, but the Edwardian Era will be labelled thus until the Golden Age ended with WW1 carnage. Thank you to Visit London & jennifereremeeva.

Court pageantry was seen in fine art eg Danish Laurits Tuxen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace 1897-9 and Family of Queen Victoria at her 1887 golden jubilee. The theme then focussed on the lavish court world. Note the opulent coronation robes of George & Mary and jewels.

Edward and Alexandra were patrons of leading artists: HE owned works by popular Victorian artist Frederic Leighton, while SHE collected art by Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne Jones. Alexandra also supported Minton’s Pottery Studio in 1870s, patronising women artists. And Alexandra, like many upper-class Victorian women, was a keen photographer.

Laurits Tuxen, Family of Queen Victoria, 

1887, Historian About Town

Global royal patronage was regular. Alexandra’s Danish heritage was seen in Royal Copenhagen Porcelain Co. art, including a huge porcelain cabinet with an ornamental roof. And objects were also collected on visits and in diplomatic exchange with the colonies: India, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Africa. In the late C19th, better travel networks made the world closer, so the royal family travelled further and more often. These visits played an important role in Britain’s imperial identity eg in 1875-6 Edward toured India, producing an array of diplomatic gifts.

In 1871 Waverley Ball commemorated the 100th anniversary of Romantic author Sir Walter Scott and raised funds for the Scott Memorial in Edinburgh. Guests were dressed in costumes inspired by Scott’s Waverley literature. Edward went as Lord of Isles, titular character of an old poem, while Alexandra went as Mary Queen of Scots in the novel The Abbot. Emperor Pedro II of Brazil also attended

Edward and Alexandra hosted a Fancy Ball at Marlborough House in 1874. Actors, artists, aristocrats, musicians, politicians and bankers, called The Marlborough House Set, were invited. Named after their Pall Mall home, they were arbiters of fashion and taste, embracing new movements eg Art Nouveau & Arts and Crafts. Artist Godefroy Durand made a watercolour of the event, which showed Edward in fancy dress as Charles I, with Alexandra in Venetian costume.

A great party was the Devonshire House ball to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee 1897. 700+ invitations went out and James Lafayette photographed the guests. Edward was dressed as a Knight of Malta and Alexandra went as the C16th French queen Marguerite de Valois. Daughters Victoria and Maud, together with Maud’s husband, Prince Charles of Denmark, wore the costumes of her courtiers. And an early royal garden parties was at Buckingham Palace in 1897, marking Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, quickly becoming part of the royal calendar. While keeping strict dress codes, the Prince & Princess of Wales surrounded themselves with fashionable society figures.

A group of artists were portraying members of the set. Philip de László was renowned for his glamorous and natural portraits. In one painting of Princess Andrew of Greece-Denmark/Alice of Battenberg, George V’s cousin, he depicted the Princess in an elegant pose. A highlight of C20th royal portraiture was a striking painting of Queen Alexandra by François Flameng in 1908. In her mid-60s, she was presented as a fashion leader, promoting Cartier choker-necklaces. The best-known society portraitist of the era was by John Singer Sargent who painted Edward’s brother Arthur, Duke of Connaught & wife Duchess Louise 1908. And depicted folds of the Duchess’ dark silk and chiffon sleeves.

The social season also included sporting events eg horse racing during Royal Ascot week in June. The royal stables produced some important racehorses in the 1890s, including the famed Persimmon who won the Epsom Derby and the Ascot Gold Cup. And note the yacht racing at Cowes Isle of Wight. A small seal, enamelled in royal racing colours, marked 1896 when Britannia won 14 yacht races! And the exhibition revealed the royals’ loved dogs!

Fans and jewels

King's Gallery

Visit London

Edward and Alexandra watched theatre goers, actors and musicians in their social set. A bronze inkwell self-portrait by actress Sarah Bernhardt was in Edward’s Marlborough House study. Alexandra was a skilled pianist and Puccini's opera La Fanciulla del West of 1910 was dedicated to her.

For the royal family, and everyone, the age of glamour abruptly ended in WW1. By then Edward’s son, King George V, was on the throne. Both George and his wife Queen Mary visited the battlefields of Northern Europe to meet troops and boost morale, the first time a monarch had visited a warzone in over a century. The art collected by the royal family in this wartime period reflected a solemn purpose. George V collected military relics and images of the Western Front, including the bleak landscapes by photographer Olive Edis, Britain’s first female war photographer. She recorded the devastation caused by bombing and artillery to the buildings of France and Belgium

The monarchy which emerged after WW1 ended in late 1918 displayed a strong sense of duty. See Frank Salisbury's image of the first ceremony at the Whitehall Cenotaph Nov 1920, where King George V led the nation in collective mourning.

international gifts to the royals

todaytix

World's most liveable city. Hello Vienna!

The Global Liveability Survey is a measure of urban quality of life, published annually by the Economist Intelligence Unit/EIU. The EIU is a multi-nat­ional media company based in London, best known as publish­er of The Economist 

baroque Plaque Column, Vienna

1679. Bing

Vienna kohlmarkt

The survey assesses 140 of the world’s major cities in fixed cat­egories, stab­ility, education, universal health care, public trans­port, culture and envir­on­ment. Cities were scored out of 100, with the avail­ability of goods and services pushing scores up and pers­onal risk (guns, terrorism) pushing down.

In 2010 & 2011, Vancouver remained in top position. Even in 2014, 2015 and 2016, the top cities have remained amazingly constant, scoring VERY closely:

1 Melbourne; 
2 Vienna;
3 Vancouver;
4 Toronto;
5 Calgary;
6 Sydney;
7 Helsinki;
8 Perth; 
9 Adelaide;
10: Auckland.

Australian and Canadian cities did best, capturing 7 of the top 10 spots. So why did the world’s most powerful cities not score well? Global business centres (cities with 8+ mill­ion) eg New York, London, Paris and Tokyo were victims of their own size, with strained public transport, higher crime rates and crowd­ing. London ranked 53rd! In addition, The Economist Intelligence Unit show­ed Europe scores had been pushed down a bit by the euro-zone crisis.

The report concluded the best scoring cities were mid-sized cities (2-4 mill) in weal­thier countries with a relatively low population density. Cities with a significant proportion of their area allocated to green parkland did well, as did cities with Olympic Games-standard sporting facilities.

But some disagree that the successful cities were equally live­able for all residents eg The Victorian Council of Social Ser­­vice said Melbourne's top ranking failed to recognise the growing disparity between those who can afford to live where the services and jobs are, and those who have to live in areas of high unemployment, expensive housing and very long public transport commutes. [NB aggr­eg­ated stats lose individual differences in overall results].

The same Global Liveability Survey listed Damascus Syria as the least liveable cities in the Aug 2015 index, although Harare Zimbabwe, Dhaka Bangladesh, Tripoli Libya, Lagos Nigeria and Port Moresby PNG were close. But that too can change. Ongoing conflicts in Syria, Ukraine and Libya might have been predicted, but totally unexpected tragedies in France, Belgium, Tunisia, Ukraine and Gaza were not predict­ab­le. In Athens, governmental austerity reduced employment and reduced the provision of public services.

European cities dominated the top 10 positions in the Quality of Living Rankings, with Vienna remaining in the No.1 spot and Zurich, Geneva, Munich, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt and Copenhagen coming in the top 10. How could the Mercer results be so different from the Glob­al Liveability Survey results, in the same year? Because this American global human resource and fin­an­c­ial firm, is more infl­uenced by business concerns eg currency exch­ange regulations, banking services, housing costs and consumer goods.

The Economist Intelligence Unit is a British business providing fore­casting and advisory services through research and analysis, includ­ing country, industry and management analyses world-wide. It has pub­lished an annual Global Liveability Ranking which began in 2004. The Unit ranks cities for their urb­an quality of life, based on assess­ments across five categories: stability, infrastructure, healthcare and culture, education and environment.

With Melbourne winning the world title for the many previous years, it may come as a surprise to Australians that in 2018 Vienna for the first time topped the EIU’s Global Liveability Index. The diff­eren­ces between the top 30 cities in this index were small. Vienna and Melbourne were VERY close in the index of 140 urban cen­tres for years, and are still separated by less than a point.

In 2018, Vienna was the World's Most Liveable City, the results being: 1. Vienna Austria; 2. Melbourne Australia; 3. Osaka Japan; 4. Calgary Canada; 5. Sydney Aus; 6. Vancouver Canada; 7. Toronto Canada, Tokyo Japan; 9. Copen­hagen Denmark and 10. Adelaide Aus. Vienna and Melbourne saw an improve­ment in their score this year, scoring maximum points in health-care, educ­ation and infra­structure. But while Melbourne extended its lead in the cult­ure and environment component, that was out­weighed by Vienna’s improved stability ranking. Os­aka's impro­ved in public traffic, as well as a consistent dec­line in crime rates, contributed to Osaka’s im­p­roved ratings in infra­structure and stability categories.

Osaka, Calgary and Sydney filled the top 5 positions. The EIU be­lieved the survey usually favoured medium-sized cities in wealthy countries, of­ten with relatively low population densities. Larger, more crowd­ed cities tended to have higher crime rates and more strained infrast­ruc­ture.

Australia and Can­ada achieved great liveability results, as expect­ed. Melbourne (98.4%), Sydney (97.4%) and Adelaide were joined by Calgary (97.5%), Vancouver (97.3%) and Toronto (97.2%) in the Top Ten. But apart from Vien­na, only one other European city achieved a great rating. This was Copen­hagen, 9th place at 96.8%. Helsinki and Ham­burg, who held Top Ten places last year, dropped out.

Green spaces are important. 50% of Vienna comprises green areas, parklands and gardens that can be reached on foot or by tram. Mel­bourne has huge public parks and wide, tree-lined boul­evards. Vancouver has its harbour setting, with beaut­iful parks and gardens. Copenhagen has fine Botanical and Tivoli facilities.

Now examine January Magazine's published results of The 2020 Best Countries Report which was part of US News’ Government Rank­ings init­iative, measuring government performance at the state and inter­national levels.

Overall Best Countries results 2020
1. Switzerland
2. Canada
3. Japan
4. Germany
5. Australia
6. United Kingdom
7. United States
8. Sweden
9. Netherlands
10. Norway and New Zealand

Regarding Switzerland, the report emphasised that “Switzerland has low unemp­loyment, a skilled labour force and one of the highest gross domestic products per capita in the world, according to the CIA World Factbook. The country’s strong economy was powered by low corporate tax rates, a highly-developed service sector led by financial services and a high-tech manufacturing industry.”

Citizens painted a bleak picture when asked about nations’ trust­­worth­in­ess. While the US was seen as the most powerful country in the wor­ld, it was not seen as trustworthy. Can­ada was seen as the most trustworthy country, and has been since the first Best Count­ries re­port in 2016. During the same time, perceptions of the US as being trust­worthy steadily drop­­ped to a record low of 16.3 on a 100-point scale. As did UK also fall in this attribute

There was global consensus about climate change’s effects, 87% agr­eeing it was serious. Of the 36 countries surveyed, people in Rus­sia agreed about climate change the least (71%), and Indonesia ag­reed the most (97%) with Nigeria, Kenya and South Africa. Only 60% agreed their country addressed climate change.

For Quality of Life in 2022
1. Canada
2. Denmark
3. Sweden
4. Norway
5. Australia
6. Netherlands
7. Switzerland
8. New Zealand
9. Finland
10. Germany

Since 2012 the World Happiness Report has published World's Most Liveable Cities in an annual survey ran by the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Solutions Network. The survey ranks global happiness in countries globally and the World Happin­ess Report’s most imp­ortant source has always been the Gallup World Poll, unique in the range and com­parability of its global series of annual surveys. The Gal­lup World Poll prov­ide the basis for the an­nual happiness rankings have always drawn in readers who want to know how their nation is faring but soon become curious about the secrets of life in the happ­iest countries. Right from the outset, we received very favour­able terms from Gallup and the very best of treatment. Gallup resear­ch­ers have also contrib­uted to the content of several World Happin­ess Reports. The value of this part­ner­ship was recognised by two Better­ment of the Human Conditions Awards from the Society for Quality of Life Studies. Although the statisticians typically base the ranking on data from the Gallup World Poll, this year was a bit differ­ent. Since the researchers were unable to do face-to-face in­terviews in a number of countries, they focused on the relation­ship between well-being and Covid-19 in order to rank the countries.

“Surprisingly there was not, on average, a decline in well-being when measured by people’s own evaluation of their lives. A possible explan­ation is that people see Covid-19 as a common, outside threat affecting everybody and this has generated a greater sense of solidarity and fellow-feeling.”

We need urgently to learn from Covid-19. The pandemic reminds us of our global environmental threats, the urgent need to cooperate, and the difficulties of achieving cooperation in each country and glob­al­ly. The World Happiness Report 2021 reminds us that we must aim for wellbeing rather than mere wealth, which will be fleeting indeed if we don’t do a much better job of addressing the challenges of sustainable development.”

Adelaide

Melbourne

Osaka

Vancouver

It's official! In 2021 Finland is the Happiest Country in the world for the 4th year running. So where did other countries fall on the list this year? Norway slipped a bit this year, coming in at #8. Last year, Norway was at #5, and in 2019, Norway was in the top three overall. United Kingdom slipped 4 spots from 2020, coming in at #18, while Germany is at 7—up 10 spots. Another big leap was Croatia, which rose to 23 this year, up from #79 in 2020.

One of the countries that had a challenging time this past year—China—made the top 20 in 2021, coming in at number 19. It was a dramatic leap from last year, when China was at 94. But the researchers, who took a deep dive into the lessons learned in Asia, weren’t surprised. “The East Asian experience shows that stringent government policies not only control Covid-19 effectively, but also buffer the negative impact of daily infections on people’s happiness,” said the Korea Development Institute.

There were similar success rates in Australia, which ranked #12 and New Zealand at #9 “The evidence shows that people’s morale improves when the government acts,” says the editors. Besides the happiest countries in the world, the Happiness Report also looked at the places where people are the most miserable. This year, countries like Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Jordan were ranked as some of the unhappiest countries in the world.

Vienna was named the world's most liveable city in 2024 for the 3rd year running, according to the EIU's latest results. Two Can­adian cit­ies (Calgary, Vancouver) and 4 in Asia-Pacific (Melbourne, Sydney, Osaka,Auckland) completed the top 10. 

The 2020 Best Countries methodology used data gathered from a sur­vey of 20,000 business leaders; college educated individuals; and general citizens who were repres­ent­ative of their count­ry. The goal of the Best Countries report was to understand how global perceptions are related to investment, foreign trade and tourism of a nation. But Best Count­ries should also measure peace for the re­sidents, democracy, universal health care, adequate social housing, unemployment rates, free schooling for all children.

Beyond the essential ideas of broad access to food and housing, to quality education and health care and employment, the Quality of Life measure may also include intangibles such as job security, political stability, individual freedom and environmental quality.

And I have another question. Does cultural diversity add to a city’s overall liveability? If GIU could measure cultural div­ersity (eg the proportion of a city’s population born overseas), Toronto might maximise its score. But then if climate was one of the included catagories, Toronto might go down the list a tad and Barcelona might go up the little.

Crafti's great beach-houses: Australia

Years ago, when our children were young, we wanted a small, cheap holiday home near the beach on Victoria’s coast. It had to be in 2 hours drive of our suburban home.

Basin Beach House with sweeping, curved roof, Sydney
architect Peter Stutchbury, 

in Wallpaper.com

Victorian Coastal Holidays was helpful. Special holiday homes can be found on Phillip Island, Bass Coast and Mornington Peninsular. From spectacular water views, proximity to beautiful beaches, fishing spots, it is all available. From the Island homes, enjoy some of Victoria’s best surf and swimming beaches, and one of the State’s most popular fishing locations. It's Australia’s home of motorcycle racing and is also one of the nation’s most popular family areas, with activities for children AND adults eg famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade, The Nobbies, Seal Rocks, Koala Sanctuary Treetop Walk and other famous wildlife attractions. From the Mornington Peninsular homes, there is easy access to the local beautiful beaches, Peninsular Hot Springs, Mornington wineries and other pleasures.

So finding our cheap, small holiday home was easy, our only requirements being a] 2 proper bedrooms & a kitchen-family room, and b] the back of the house facing the ocean.

Since then, I have found and read books about C21st beach houses, written by Stephen Crafti during the last 25 years. He wrote and featured stunning full colour photography. Australians and New Zealanders are drawn to the coast. Whether it's a fancy abode or a simple fibro shack, the sound of the surf and the feel of sand beneath one's feet are very appealing. The beach house book featured 50 architect-designed homes on the coast. From the simple to the monumental, the closeness to the beach was very appealing.

Family room looking onto the ocean

Even in less than spectacular homes, the windows framed the spectacular views

In Beach Houses: Australia And New Zealand 

While many of the homes were lavish, others simply framed the great views. In this book the author explored the evolution of the once humble abode, from the fibro shack to architecturally engineered homes that now dot the coastline. See 50 beautiful architect-designed homes.

The Beach House book by Crafti featured 50 architect-designed homes along the coast, leaving a lasting impression. While many of the homes featured were lavishly appointed, others simply framed the great views. Filled with photos of well-designed beach houses around the world, Crafti might fill a dream of having one’s own seaside home.

While many of the homes featured in the book are lavish, others simply frame the spectacular views ahead. From the best-selling 21st Century Series, 200+ vibrant full colour pages capture the seaside splendour of over 50 architect-designed homes.

Volume I of Beach Houses showed a diverse collection of Australian and N.Z coastal retreats. The beach house had long played a major role for Australians and New Zealanders’ summer activities, but design was often of secondary importance. Only more recently has the beach house evolved into an architect-designed sanctuary for a family, with breathtaking surrounds and comfortable living.

Looking out to the veranda
In Contemporary Beach Houses Down Under 

In Volume 4 of Beach Houses, Crafti again selected some superb beach homes in a variety of locations. There has never been as much demand among hard working people for places to get away from it all. Once the beach-side site has been selected, architects are the next port of call in the quest for a coastal dream home. Crafti walked the reader through a fine collection of architect-designed beach homes; permanent homes, weekenders, luxury sites and some like the traditional beach shack.

The 5th book of the series was dedicated to beach houses and showcases almost every kind of modern style. This is a great coffee table book with appeal to lovers of architecture and the beach, from an Australian architecture and design writer. Filled with stunning shots of well-designed beach houses around the world, Stephen Crafti's latest tome helped readers dream of having their own seaside dwelling.

A Pocketful of Beach Houses offered 50+ examples of residential beach architecture, including great projects from top Australian and N.Z architects. Superb architect-designed homes, which in many cases have been adapted to harsh beachside environments, were explained and illustrated with beautiful photos, plans and descriptive text. Note stunning ocean views, dune views and impeccable architectural design for beach living.

Another fine collection of beach architecture is Beach Houses Down Under -  stunning ocean views, dunes, seaside flora, and salty air are almost palpable! Crafti again selected some superb architect designed homes, both normal homes and holiday houses, in a wide variety of beach locations.

Many architects were seen: Glenn Murcutt, Harry Seidler, Pete Bossley, Architectus, Craig Moller, McBride Charles Ryan, Kerstin Thompson, Brit Anderson, McGauran Soon, Lindsay Clare, Cox Richardson and others. All projects reflected fine contemporary architecture in a diversity of beach locations: from environmentally sensitive designs, to sumptuous seaside homes and luxurious clifftop residences.

Pole House view over the ocean, Great Ocean Rd Vic

Designed by Frank Dixon 1978

Pinterest

Pole House, minimalist interior

40 metres above the beach

Realestate

Crafti wrote many books for The Images Publishing Group. Full of ideas for the aspiring designer, renovator or builder, they showed lovely locations in Australia and N.Z that complemented fine contemporary architecture. Find many books, including Beach Houses of Australia and New Zealand (2000), Beach Houses (2004), Contemporary Beach Houses Down Under (2008), Beach Houses Down Under (2009) and A Pocketful of Beach Houses (2009).

Great Ocean Road House Victoria, by architect Rob Mills
Est living 

Second Home: A Different Way of Living
Barnes and Noble, 2023

Edna Walling's stunning garden designs

Edna Margaret Walling (1895-1973) was born in York, second daughter of William and Harriet Walling. Edna studied at the Convent of Notre Dame in Devon, enjoying exploring with dad and the practical arts. Arriving in New Zealand in 1912 with her family, she began a nursing course at Christchurch. About 1914 the Wallings moved to Melbourne where William became a warehouse director.

Encouraged by her mother, Edna studied at School of Horticulture Burnley, gaining a graduate certificate in Dec 1917. She then began work as a jobbing gardener around Melbourne. Asked by an architect to plan a garden, she loved the idea. More commissions came and by the 1920s she had built a successful practice in garden design. She developed a sophisticated style,attracting an equally sophisticated clientele, and rapidly became the leading exponent of the art in Victoria at first, then spread to other states. Her regular gardening columns (1926-46) in Australian Home Beautiful and other magazines extended her influence.

Mawarra in Sherbrooke, designed in 1932

Dandenong Ranges Photography

To some extent, Walling emulated the styles of Spanish and Italian gardens and the work of Sir Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll in Britain. The gardens she created typically exhibited a strong architectural character. For clients in the wealthy suburbs of Melbourne and on country estates, her designs included grand architectural features: walls, pergolas, stairs, parterres, pools and colonnades—woven into a formal geometry. And she always found a space for a wild, unstructured section.

For clients with more modest means, Walling's approach was more relaxed, relying on curving lawns and garden beds to give the illusion of greater space. But rarely were there no stone walls or other structural features. Whether the garden was big or small, she created a succession of pictures. Her handling of space, contour, level and view was brilliant. Equally impressive was her mastery of plants and their visual and ecological relationships. Her gardens were clothed by a soft and consistent palette of plants. She favoured greens and used other colours sparingly, mostly in pastel tones or white. For many clients she produced an exquisite water-colour plan of the garden as a means of conveying her proposals. Most of her gardens were constructed by Eric Hammond. Walling often provided the plants from her own nursery and was frequently on site giving instructions and helping with the physical labour. 

Edna Walling's iconic 1920s landscape design, Sherbrooke 

Heritage listed, Facebook

In the early 1920s Walling had acquired land at Mooroolbark where she built a house for herself, known as Sonning. Here she lived and worked, establishing her nursery and gathering around her a group of like-minded people for whom she designed picturesque 'English' cottages and gardens. She named the area Bickleigh Vale village. Some people rather unkindly called it Trouser Lane because of the dress of its predominantly female residents. The village was, and remains, an extraordinary experiment in urban development. In Walling's lifetime, and beyond, it has become a place of pilgrimage for her many followers. She designed several other group-housing estates. One, at Mount Kembla in NSW, was built for Broken Hill Associated Smelters Pty Ltd. Others remained on paper.

By the 1940s Walling's was a household name and she capitalised on her popularity by publishing four successful books: Gardens in Australia (1943); Cottage and Garden in Australia (1947); A Gardener's Log (1948); and The Australian Roadside (1952). A further monograph, On the Trail of Australian Wildflowers, appeared posthumously in 1984. Several more manuscripts were unpublished.

Her influence on C20th gardening in Australia was enormous. The visual impact of the hundreds of gardens she created, her extensive writing, and the respect she commanded from those with whom she worked, including Glen Wilson, Ellis Stones and Eric Hammond, had a considerable effect on the next generation. In the 1980s and 1990s she was to become almost a cult figure for many Australian gardeners and a number of books were published about her work.

The Edna Walling Book of Australian Garden Design,

by Anne O'Donovan, 1980

In the mid-1940s Walling had developed a particular interest in native plants; she had begun using them in domestic gardens in the 1920s. An early and active conservationist, she joined battles to protect the natural environment and crusaded for the preservation of indigenous roadside vegetation. She was an outstanding photographer who always took her camera on her extensive travels. Classical music was another of her passions.

Miss Walling was not a person to be taken lightly. On site, dressed in her customary jodhpurs, jacket and tie, with strong, handsome features, she was energetic, determined and demanding. These character traits often provoked conflict, especially with some of her wealthy male clients. Yet she was also generous, fun loving and good company, attracting many loyal admirers and friends. By 1967, tiring of the characterless suburbs advancing towards Bickleigh Vale, she moved to Buderim, Queensland, to be in a warmer climate and near to her niece Barbara Barnes. Always single, Walling maintained a close relationship with Lorna Fielden, a teacher forwhom she had designed a house and garden at Bickleigh Vale. Fielden also moved to Buderim. 

Edna Walling, book cover of

The Unusual Life of Edna Walling, by Sara Hardy

Royal Historical Society of Victoria

Walling died in 1973 at Nambour and was cremated with Christian Scientist rituals.

Phar Lap, Australia's greatest ever racer!

Phar Lap was born in Timaru New Zealand in 1926, a chestnut gelding standing 17 hands high. The yearling was one of those sent by Sea-down Stud owner Alec Roberts to the Trentham sales. Sydney trainer Harry Telford received a copy of the N.Z Thoroughbred Yearling Sale Catalogue in Jan 1928 and was impressed by the colt’s breeding. Telford did not have money to buy the horse and contacted U.S businessman David J Davis who was initially reluctant to commit to the unseen prize. But eventually Telford’s brother inspected the horse and asked a businessman in N.Z to bid.

Although Phar Lap was New Zealand-born and raised, he never raced there. Even in Australia, Phar Lap failed to place in 8 of his first 9 starts. But he went on to win 36 of his next 41 races, including the Race That Stops the Nation, the 1930 Melbourne Cup. Phar Lap often won by several lengths and sometimes even finished at half pace. In the misery of the Great Depression, Phar Lap’s exploits thrilled both NZ and Australia, and became a legend of Australian sporting history. His sensational rise from humble beginnings captured the public’s imagination in those years.

 Jockey Jimmy Pike rode Phar Lap to 27 wins in 30 races!

Phar Lap and his strapper, Tommy Woodcock, 

Australian Geographic

In the 1930 Melbourne Cup, when he was ridden again by Jimmy Pike, the Australian wonder-horse beat Second Wind by 3 lengths to claim one of his greatest victories. To show you how important the Melbourne Cup always was, it’s still a significant public holiday in Victoria.

In 1931 co-owners Harry Telford and David Davis sent the horse to America. Once in California, all Tom Woodcock's efforts were focused on acclimatising the horse. If Phar Lap lost, Woodcock would get paid nothing other than his trip costs, and he really wanted to show the Americans what he was made of. In the weeks leading up to the Agua Caliente Handicap in Tijuana Mexico,  Australians listened to and read whatever they could on Phar Lap's progress. 

In March 1932, Phar Lap and jockey Billy Elliott won the richest race in the world then!! A fortnight later in April 1932 Phar Lap’s strapper Tommy Woodcock, who’d seen the horse in all his races, found him suffering in severe pain and high temperature. Phar Lap quickly bled to death and Woodcock was devastated. In Australia the death was seen as a great tragedy; rumours quickly spread that the horse may have been poisoned. The autopsy showing the horse's stomach and intestines were inflamed, perhaps poisoned.

Phar Lap’s very large heart was returned to Australia for testing after his sudden death. Davis arranged for the heart to be sent to Sydney Uni for examination by thoroughbred expert Dr Stewart McKay and pathologist Prof Welsh. The wall of the left ventricle was removed, to inspect the muscle thickness. Noting the unusually large size of Phar Lap’s heart, Dr McKay asked Telford to donate it to Canberra’s Australian Institute of Anatomy. Although my father was sure American criminals poisoned the horse on purpose, debate continued as to whether Phar Lap died of an acute infection or from arsenic poison. Not surprisingly, the Institute of Anatomy collection became one of the key parts of Canberra’s National Museum.The mounted hide went to the Museum of Victoria in Melbourne, the skeleton to the National Museum of New Zealand in Wellington.

The death prompted an out-pouring of anger and mourning, and the saying a heart as big as Phar Lap’s came to refer to the horse’s staying power, used to indicate great courage. The heart is still suspended in a clear case, an icon of the National Museum’s collection. Letters sent to Harry Telford by the grieving public are now displayed with Phar Lap with other tributes in art and relics. Objects from his life: training saddle, shoes and tonic book tell the story of the wonder horse whose life abruptly ended.

Easily winning the 1930 Melbourne Cup

The Age

The Museum’s Phar Lap Collection includes the personal photo album of Phar Lap’s owner, David Davis. The album has 36 black and white photos, documenting each of Phar Lap’s race wins in Australia, with race details inscribed on the mounts. This is the only photo album known that features each of Phar Lap’s Australian wins. Davis died in 1959 and this album was discovered by his descendants in their California home in the 1990s.

The Museum’s Phar Lap collection also includes:
1. Jockey Billy Elliott’s Agua Caliente Club race programme
2. The 1932 program from Phar Lap’s last race, with personal inscription on the cover from Elliott.
3. Jockey Jim Pike’s 1930s riding boots and skull cap. 
4. An Akubra owned by Pharlap Dixon who worked on a Territory cattle property!
5. N.Z Thoroughbred Yearling Sale Catalogue Jan 1928, showing Davis WAS the buyer (£160).

In the 1983 film Phar Lap, he was as well-known for his mysterious death as for his great life successes. The film started when Phar Lap was bought on impulse by trainer Harry Telford. The horse lost his first races but Telford's faith in the animal was unshakable. Suddenly the horse became a winner, thanks to stable boy Tommy Woodcock. American promoter Dave Davis arranged for Phar Lap to be entered in several top races, where his long shot status resulting heavy losses for the criminal gamblers. Just after winning a major race in Mexico, Phar Lap collapsed and died; they assumed that the horse was murdered by gambling interests. Australia mourned.

Australia's greatest racehorse Phar Lap.

Museum of Victoria

National Mus Aus concluded that Phar Lap’s popularity was not just due to the fact he won so often. Rather in the impoverished Depression, the horse’s spectacular rise from humble beginnings expressed the dreams of ordinary Australians. 80+ years after he first went on display, the champion Phar Lap remains the most popular exhibit.

 

Rhodes Scholarship - wish I won one.

Established through the Will of Cecil John Rhodes of the diamond company De Beers in 1902, the Rhodes Scholarship was a very progressive project in the new century. 120+ years later, the Rhodes Scholarships are the oldest and most respected international scholarship programme anywhere, enabling talented young people around the world to undertake full-time postgraduate study at Oxford Uni.

Rhodes House, Oxford

built 1926

The reputation as the world's most famous academic scholarship rests not on the life of founder Cecil Rhodes, but on the enormous contributions scholarship-holders later made to the world. Thus the ideal personal and academic qualities (listed below) remain as important as ever. Not surprisingly, Oxford scored first in the Times Higher Education rankings each year from 2016-24 .

One of the founding aims of the Scholarship was to identify young leaders from around the world who, through being educated together at Oxford, would create long term links of mutual understanding and fellowship for the betterment of the world.

The following criteria were used to select Rhodes Scholars:
1.literary and scholastic excellence, intellectual distinction;
2.energy to fully use one's talents where teamwork is involved by mastery in areas like sports, music, debate, dance, theatre and arts;
3.courage, devotion to duty, protection of the weak, unselfishness and focus on public service; and
4.moral instincts to lead fellow humans.

When students from around the world came together in a shared spirit, the excitement began. The Rhodes Scholarship was a life-changing opportunity, starting when applications (aged only from 18-24) for each Rhodes Scholarship open early in each northern academic year. Today 100 scholarships a year cover all fees and a stipend for 2-3 years, with 300+ scholars in residence in Oxford at one time.

Each year, 9 Rhodes Scholarships are available for outstanding Australians to study at Oxford, each state offering one scholarship, awarded by a formal selection committee. Rhodes Scholars here have achieved distinction as politicians, academics, scientists and doctors, authors, entrepreneurs and Nobel Prize winners. Australia’s most famous winner was Howard Florey (1898-1968) received his medical training at the University of Adelaide and at Oxford as a Rhodes scholar. This pharmacologist won a Nobel Prize for Physiology/Medicine in 1945 for isolating and purifying penicillin, shared with Alexander Fleming and German biochemist Ernst Boris Chain. Other Rhodes scholars became heads of state or heads of government, including Prime Ministers Tony Abbott, Bob Hawke and Malcolm Turnbull, and Deputy Prime Minister Kim Beazley.

Howard Florey

There is a yearly total of 32 Rhodes Scholarships for the U.S, covering the 50 states and its territories like American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. The Scholarships in the U.S are administered by 16 regional selection committees, each awarding 2 scholarships. Three scholars are elected from New Zealand each year; 8 Scholarships every year for South Africans; and 5 scholarships available yearly for India. In Canada 3 scholarships go to the Prairie Region; and 2 each to Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes. Israeli scholars have two scholarships available each year, but with one key difference. The maximum age for Israeli applicants is 27, to allow Israelis to finish their 3 years’ compulsory national service before starting university. In 1977, women were finally admitted to the full scholarship and since 2018 students from anywhere in the world can apply; the competition is now more vigorous!

Now for a more detailed look at a specific scholarship winner. After finishing San Mateo High School Cal in 1954, Kris Kristofferson (1936–2024) enrolled at Pomona College Cal, hoping to become a writer. He studied writing under Dr Frederick Sontag, who encouraged him to apply for a Rhodes scholarship. He graduated in 1958 and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, allowing him to study British literature at Oxford earning a Masters. I am not surprised that he wrote stories and examined the works of William Blake. But I had no idea he began writing songs during his time in Oxford. At the same time he began his performing career and he was also awarded a University Blue for boxing and played rugby.

                      

Australian prime ministers: Bob Hawke (L) and Malcolm Turnbull (R)

His studies may have demanded his total attention but Kris continued to play sports and pursue music, all while studying literature. Perhaps he read that the criteria which determined Rhodes Scholars included the mastery of areas such as sports and music.He graduated from Merton College Oxford, in 1960 and returned to the U.S. Followed in his father's footsteps, Kris served in the Army and eventually becoming a helicopter pilot and Captain. He graduated Airborne School, Ranger School and Flight Schools, served in Germany, and volunteered for Vietnam as a helicopter pilot, but instead was offered a Professor of English Literature position at USMA West Point. Disappointed that he was not allowed to fight in Vietnam, he resigned his position in 1965 and pursued songwriting. This surprised me since every male I knew in the last 1960s went into hiding, if they were conscripted into the Australian Army. In '65 Kris was commissioned to teach literature at West Point but ended up choosing Nashville, to pursue a music career instead. He got a janitor job in Nashville studios where he met Johnny Cash, who initially took some of his songs. So I know a lot of the music where Kristofferson changed the face of Country Music back then eg Me and Bobby McGee (1970) (Written by Kristofferson and sung by Janis Joplin)

Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', don't mean nothin' hon' if it ain't free, no-no
And feelin' good was easy, Lord, when he sang the blues

You know feelin' good was good enough for me
Good enough for me and my Bobby McGee.

Australian Utopia in Paraguay part 2

After the crises of the Maritime Dispute in 1890, Shearers’ Dis­pute in 1891 and the Great Depression of early 1890s, many in Austral­ia’s work­­­ing class believed that their nation could never be a work­ingman’s parad­ise. Some were drawn to a utopian settlement in Paraguay. 

William Lane, c1892

Wiki

British-born William Lane (1861–1917) was the popular editor of Bris­bane Work­er newspaper, inspiring the 1890s Aust­r­al­ian la­bour move­ment. Lane loathed oppr­essive industrial laws, dan­g­erous work pr­actices and Chinese migrat­ion. He loved the Women’s Suf­frage Mov­e­ment, progressive taxation, and ut­op­ian societies.

Why did the New Australia Move­ment chose the remote nation of Parag­uay, full of jungles. The New Aust­r­alia Ass­oc­iation originally thought farming would be best in Argent­ina, but that government was unhelpful.

After a long dictatorship, Paraguay had declared war in 1865-70 ag­ain­st its neighbours Brasil, Argent­ina and even Ur­ug­uay. Dev­ast­ation fol­l­owed when two-thirds of Paraguay’s popul­ation were dam­aged or kil­led. The nat­ional govern­ment offer­ed mig­rants desirable land grants, to boost its popul­at­ion of fit young men and help the local economy.

This was the first-ever organised emigration project from Australia, but was op­posed by lo­cal newspapers. So the group continued working and seek­ing members, and pub­lis­h­ed the monthly Journal of New Aust­ra­l­ia commenc­ing Nov 1892. Men had to pay £60 each to join the colony, a large out­­lay! Still, Lane signed up 238 shearers, farmers, stock­men, un­ionists and their families. The Co-operative bought the S.S Royal Tar, intend­ing to transport many ship­loads of members to the new par­adise. They  all gathered in Sydney, but the NSW government used all its mar­it­­­ime rul­es to delay the first voyage.

 
In July 1893 the tall ship finally sailed, across the Pac­if­ic, round Cape Horn and up the Arg­entine coast. In Sept, 500 Aust­ralians arrived in Paraguay’s capital, As­uncion. From there they cont­inued by train to their promised land, facing bul­l­ocks, wag­ons, riv­ers and mosquitoes until they arrived. 75,000 hect­ares of FREE land, but nothing like the arable land they’d wanted.

Eventually the Royal Tar sailed from Ad­el­aide with an­ot­h­er ship­load of emigrants for Paraguay, the utopia of equality, fairness and comm­unal liv­ing. But while many of the settlers seemed both skil­led and well motivated, some New Aust­ralia set­t­l­ers were not well suited to rural life, couldn’t toler­ate grim condit­ions and spoke no Spanish.

Alas Lane was an autocrat; his controlling lead­ership style was al­ready clear aboard ship. His strict rules bann­ed alcohol or soc­ial­ising with local women, very difficult for the single shear­ers. And there were few single Australian women. But even with Lane’s total control, how horrible that committed men were expel­l­ed!

New Australia soon comprised a few small villages and farms but many settlers left to seek a better city-based life. In response to falling numbers and failing finances, and appalled by the behaviour of the young shearers, Lane left.

Par­aguay’s gov­ernment was still generous, granting Lane’s second group another area of land in the south. This even more faithful group of 63 Chr­istian soc­ial­ists moved to a new set­tlement, Cosme 72 ks away, st­ar­ting to clear the bush, buil­d­ houses and plant crops. And a shop soon opened.

Cosme's first shop

University of Sydney

Cosme’s philosophy had the aims of an idealistic society: 1] ev­eryone was equal­, with commitment to the sup­erior­ity of English speaking whites, 2] lifelong marriage and 3] tee­total­ism. Even in the 1890s, this was a strange mix­­ of radicalism and conservatism, perhaps following the views of Australian working-class move­ments th­en. But it was difficult.

Cosme Monthly was a small news journal, from Nov 1894-Dec 1896, hand­written by William Lane. All issues were 4-6 pages, some print­ed by Trade Union Printers of E. London. Subscript­ions for Cosme Month­ly were accepted at Trades’ Halls in all Australian capitals, showing propaganda and progress reports. Regarding social life they reported danc­ing classes, gala nights, cricket matches, chess ga­mes, the Lit­erary and Social Union and school dates for the 22 pupils. 

Cricket match, Cosme

The sett­le­ment’s dire situation could be seen in the final issue (June 1904) of Cosme Month­ly headed: Consider Before Coming: Intend­ing migr­ants to Cosme should carefully consider the foll­owing

Health: The work here is entirely manual, the summer climate is trying and the food is very limited.
Temperament: Disappointments in the industries are common in Cosme; af­­t­er 10 years, still in debt. Our popul­at­ion decreased since last May

One of Aust­ral­ia’s most fam­ous writ­ers, Mary Gilmore, was a colonist who ed­ited the newspaper, taught Cos­me’s ch­il­d­ren and married a settl­er. Gilmore, who’d always bel­ieved in social­ist ideals, wrote about her time in Paraguay saying “It wasn't a succ­ess, however it was a gr­eat exper­ien­ce. Under Lane’s dictat­or­ship it would never work!”

Australian farm workers in Cosme

Courier Mail

Cosme’s sense of lost ideo­l­og­ical and fin­ancial invest­ment must have been heartbreaking. Within a few years most of the fam­­­ilies star­t­ed to move else­where in Parag­uay, sailing to UK or returning home. Event­ually the settle­­ments were dissolved as a coop­erative by the Par­a­guay government, and settlers who stayed were given their own private land. Lane res­ig­ned as Chairman in June 1899 and left. But even now, there are des­cendants of the original New Aust­ral­ians in Paraguay, with names like Jones or with red hair.

5 years after leaving Australia, Lane ditched his socialist utopia and moved to N.Z where he returned to journalism for a right-wing newspap­er!! From N.Z, Lane was invited by the Aus­tralian Work­ers’ Union to be­come editor of the Sydney Worker. He was back with the Australian Lab­our movement but he only for 3 months because his views were no long­er comp­at­­ible with Labour values. He’d ad­voc­ated a strong imper­ial­is­t­ic line during the Boer War!! When WW1 started in 1914, this became a plat­form for rabid British patr­iot­ism and anti-German views. Lane was rel­uctant to talk about Parag­uay but died in Aug 1917 anyhow.

The New Australia & Cosme Collection in NSW’s Powerhouse Museum analy­ses the socio–politics of late C19th Australian colonial society, his­tory of our labour movement, migration of culture between nations, and Paraguay’s New Australia utop­ian settlement. See the Migration Herit­age Centre with its Cosme Monthly, a great source of contemp­orary settlement information.

Summary
Paraguay was trying to rejuvenate its economy by off­ering immig­rants free land, tax exemptions and farming assistance. Paraguay made a deal with Lane’s New Australia Co-operat­ive Assoc­iat­ion - that he’d receive c230,000 hectares of land in exchange for 1,200 migr­ants. Nueva Aust­ra­lia started off well (1893) and within the first few years, the col­ony had prominent re­sidents. But by 1902 the utopian dr­eam had failed, due to William Lane’s autocracy and due to the tough South Am­er­ican jungle. Some of the or­ig­inal sett­l­ers moved to an Australian community c70 ks away and others moved away totally.

There aren’t many descendants of the original Austral­ians left in Nueva Australia/now Nueva Londres, but there is still an Aust­ralian flag on the welcome sign. 

The world’s most beautiful cities - 2023

San Francisco

A 2023 survey by Travel + Leisure invited readers to vote on the world’s most beautiful cities. Recognising the answer is different for everyone, here is the by-no-means exhaustive list of the world’s (25) most beautiful cities.

Sydney Australia sparkles with its yacht-filled harbour, golden beach­es, spectacular headland views, lush parks and gardens, and abundance of sunshine. Take a ferry tour to see the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge from the water. Explore the city's wealth of picturesque coastal walks and great beach­es; Manly has wide, clean sand and perfect surf. 

Barcelona Spain Covered food markets, tapas bars, iconic Modernist ar­chitecture and golden-sand Mediterranean beaches are big appeal fact­ors for Catalonia’s colourful capital. But the culture of afternoon siestas, late dinners and people-watching on busy plaz­as, stop near Santa Cater­ina Market and capture the beautif­ully relaxed life style.

Barcelona

Adventure capital of the world, Queenstown New Zeal­and is the ult­imate playground for outdoor activities. The city has hiking, skiing, sky-diving, rafting, winery-hopping and cruising Milford Sound. Queenst­own is built around a finger of Lake Wakatipu, a glacial lake whose reflect­ion of the Remarkables Mountain Range makes the scene stunning.

Istanbul Turkey is an intoxicating jumble of domed and intricately mos­aiced mosques, Ottoman-era palaces, maze-like markets and hilly cobble­stoned streets where bar parties spill out the door. The food scene stretches beyond the ubiquitous kebab; the mezze and grilled seafood are fantastic, as is the city’s coffeehouse culture at night.

In beautiful Paris France, go from a cosy sidewalk cafe tightly packed with chic Parisians to proud boulevards lined with creamy stone Haussmann-era mansions. The pat­is­series may be as delight­ful as Paris’ splendid art and ar­chitec­ture. Museé d’Orsay has C19th paintings & sculpture in a glorious Beaux-Arts train station on the Seine.

San Francisco CA US, set on a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, offers beautiful hilltop views of skyscrapers, bridges, mountains and ocean. Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Ladies and cable cars are emblems of the city. See North Beach, Chinatown’s dim sum par­lours and Presidio Tunnel Tops, a 14-acre park above highway tunnels.

Sun-soaked Palermo Sicily is a dream for archit­ect­ure buffs. It­aly’s biggest opera house is here! Tea­t­ro Mass­imo’s copper dome is c250’ over the piazza bel­ow. The striking gold-stone cathedral is one of the many old Arab-Norman structures. From the roof­top, see the city’s terra-cotta skyline in the early evening, settle on the bohemian Piazza Caracciolo.    

Cape Town

Perched between flat-topped Table Mountain and the Atlantic, Cape Town South Africa has endless natural beauty. Share in 1]ad­ren­aline-fueled action (dive with sharks, hike or take the cable car up Table Mountain), 2]leisurely (swimming, cock­tails on Camps Bay Beach, biking on Sea Point Promenade) and 3]cultural (museums, cel­lars, music festivals).

Visit Seoul South Korea’s vibrant food and nightlife scene, and urban green spaces. The past and present live together with party distr­icts, ancient palaces, ultra-modern subways, Buddhist temples, sky scr­apers and street markets. This fast neon metropolis has beaut­ifully landsc­aped parks along Han River, mountain hiking trails and free outdoor gyms.

Cartagena Colombia has a great mix of Caribbean beaches and islands in South America, with 5 centuries of history and UNESCO-listed walled Old City. It is splendidly preserved and photo­genic. Bougainvilleas burst from the balconies. Go people-watching in the squares and samp­l­ing grilled arepas from street vendors. At night find live salsa music.

Lovely low-rise Kyoto Japan is different from sprawling, daunting Tokyo. The city has a major UNESCO World Heritage front; 17 sites, including temples, shrines and Golden Pavilion. Plum, cherry and willow trees spill over Kyoto’s riverbanks, and lanterns-lit tiny alleys lined with wooden teahouses. Visit tranquil Silver Pav­ilion then Moss Temple.

Brazil’s second city, Rio de Janeiro Brazil, is home to celeb­rated Ip­anema and Copacab­ana beaches and the largest Art Deco statue: Christ the Redeemer via a steep railway ride. See parks, rain forests waterfalls, caves, great vistas and Jardim Botânico. Art­sy Santa Teresa is for cafe life, bou­tiques, and samba street parties.

Rio

Tbilisi Geor­g­­ia’s cap­it­al is fairy-tale mat­erial. The Old Town is a joy to explore, with carv­ed wooden bal­conies over-looking sleepy court­yards and cobbled streets lined with wine bars and tr­aditional Georgian cafes. Brave the funicular to the C4th Narikala Fort­ress for views of Tbil­isi and the encircling Caucasus Mountains.

Rome Italy is an open-air museum showing 3 millennia of sumptuous art & architecture. Visit the city’s tangle of mean­­­d­ering alleys, hidden piaz­z­as and imperial streets. Note the all-mighty Roman Forum or St Pe­t­er’s Basilica, then stop for a creamy gel­ato or reviving bowl of car­b­onara. When the heat breaks, watch the parade of dapper Romans strolling

Hoi An Vietnam is a riverside jewel. Its preserved old town is an un­touched UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spared the ruin of the Vietnam War, Hội An harbours hundreds of historic timber-frame hous­es, sacred temp­les, pagodas and C18th Jap­an­ese bridge. Go on a bike ride, cooking clas­ses, river­boat rides, local cafes or a trip to a bespoke tailor.

The Middle Ages, Victorian era and modern world coexist in London UK: medieval Westminster Abbey and Tow­er of Lon­don, near Victorian Trafalgar Square, with busy C21st London bustling around. Delight in the Gothic, Baroque and El­izab­ethan buildings; museums and art gall­eries; street markets; and green spaces: Hyde, St James’ and Regent’s parks.

Cosmopolitan Buenos Aires Argentina marries Euro­p­ean and Latin flavour. See green and yel­low par­rots at Bosques de Palermo, find the balcony from wh­ich Eva Perón addres­sed fans at Casa Rosada and refuel with cake in a bar not­able. The city has Paris-worthy man­s­ions, food hangouts, street markets and shopping arcades. It's the birthplace of tango.

Good TV shows benefitted from Dubrovnik Croatia’s cin­em­atic looks eg Game of Thrones. And UNESCO named Dubrovnik a World Heritage Site. This Pearl of the Adriatic, in the charming and traffic-free Old Town, has mint-condition medieval architecture, incl­ud­ing the Gothic-Renaissance Rector’s Palace and the town’s thick stone medieval fortifications.

Taipei Taiwan is the Beautiful Island. From a very tall sky­scrap­er, Taipei 101, the observatory offers gorgeous city views and lush green mount­ains. Then visit tranquil temples, flower markets, shopping streets and food-stall alleys. Hike Elephant Mountain-Nangang District Trail, admire green forests, hot springs and Taipei views at the National Park.

An ancient city set on a dramatic landscape of extinct volcanoes and an­chored by a grand, Acropolis-like castle? Yes, Edinburgh Scotland! Af­ter Edinburgh’s hills, rest in one of the many parks and squares or pop into a pub for steak-and-ale pie and a smooth Scottish stout. Note the bigg­est arts festival in the world descends upon the city every Aug.

San Miguel de Allende, Mexico is the uncontested queen of Mexico’s cen­t­ral highlands. This city is a beautiful maze of cobbled alleys, cool court­yards and buildings built in Spanish colonial, Baroque, neoclass­ical and neo-Gothic styles. The latter is best seen in the grand Parr­oquia de San Miguel Arcángel, a gorgeous pink C17th church.

Singapore’s skyline has futuristic high rises, undulat­ing cloud forest domes and a 540’ Ferris wheel. Its enclaves like Chinatown, Arab Quarter and Little India reveal the city’s multi­cul­tural past. Colourful food streets and hawker centres are packed with stalls. Stroll along Marina Bay’s illumin­ated wat­erfront, the Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay

Manhattan Island New York has huge buildings eg the 104-storey World Trade Centre and Empire State Building. Other architectural treas­ures eg Greek Revival mansions in the Bronx, are found in all 5 bor­oughs. See Monets at the Met, Warhol’s soups at MoMA, or The Dinner Party at Brooklyn Museum. See Central Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park.  

Palermo

Of course tastes differ. My partner voted for ocean-front cities: Sydney, Cape Town, San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro, Bergen and Vancouver. I voted for cit­ies with gal­leries, churches and old architecture: Paris, London, Prague, Vienna and Amsterdam