Posts Tagged: Uncategorized

Budapest is knocking on heaven’s door

“Budapest is knocking on heaven’s door” by Padraic Gilligan When the long haired buskers in the underpass are playing complex counterpoints by Bartok and Bernstein rather than “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” by Bob Dylan then you know you’re in Budapest. This is a city with a profound intellectual and cultural DNA which it carries naturally,… Read more »

The Tasting

“The Tasting” A Short Story The guys were in their early 50s, all a few kilos heavier than their present shirt size could hold but at least not corporate types. One of them was the client, the other two suppliers like her, but all part of the delivery team for the event. Thankfully there wasn’t… Read more »

All Aboard the Marrakech Express (‘cos the Times they are a changin’)

All Aboard the Marrakech Express (‘cos the times they are a changin’)* *with a nod to some great 60s tunes! [First published on the excellent, lively, vibrant and way-cool travel portal http://www.zipsetgo.com/]  In 1962 – almost 50 years ago – Bob Dylan gave voice to a new generation and announced the “times they are a… Read more »

Sao Paulo – the heart of the city

“Sao Paulo – the Heart of the City” With due apologies to Ms Austen, it is a “truth universally acknowledged” that a man measures everything in relation to himself. Thus there is no such thing as big and small per se. Everything is either bigger or smaller than what you are or have yourself. I… Read more »

Incentive travel – a trip too far?

My Latin Teacher would be very proud to know that the dominant image in my mind as the meetings and events industry continues to be tossed about in the stormy seas of problematical perception and economic turmoil is that of Icarus, falling helplessly from the sky having ignored his father’s advice not to fly too… Read more »

Istanbul –of things that are ‘past, passing or to come’

by Padraic Gilligan, Vice President, Ovation Global DMC Like most young people in Ireland, my first introduction to Istanbul came when I entered my second last year in High School. It was 1976, I was 17 and, like thousands before and after me, I was introduced to Yeats’s great poem “Sailing to Byzantium”. The first strident… Read more »