Page 9 - News and Views Spring 2023

Great Aunt Sylvie passed long ago, but her words have remained with me and I always reflect

upon them at this time of the year. Although I disagreed wholeheartedly with her at the time, I now
realise that the young minister was probably right, and that Aunt Sylvie did have a point, although I
never heard the full explanation.

As a result, I have a conflicting view of “Happy New Year”. Whilst living in Spain and the Canary
Islands, anyone that we happened to meet, particularly when taking our dogs for a walk, whether
we knew them or not, would always wish us “Feliz Ano Nuevo”. Sadly, in Devon, most people
simply look the other way or ignore us, unless we know them. This is yet another of the many
cultural changes that we are trying to adjust to.

However you spend it, we wish you all a “Healthy, Happy and Successful New Year” and that you
all continue to ‘Travel Hopefully’ throughout your lives.

Er, so sorry Aunt Sylvie.

Barrie’s latest book ‘Travelling Hopefully’ has recently been published and
is available from Amazon, Waterstones and by ordering through all good
bookshops. A Kindle edition is also available.

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