Hope you all had a great Easter weekend. Mine was spent in an AirBnB in glorious Dorset with family, friends and dogs. Cowboyâs little legs struggled to keep up at times but he pushed on through đđ» Day one - #newforest , day two - Crabbing at #mudeford day three - #corfecastle and #dancingledge The tearoom is @esmestearooms in #brockenhurst and the brilliant pub (complete with live folk band) is @squareandcompasspub in #worthmatravers If you ever fancy a staycation, this is a brilliant area to base yourself in. Thereâs so much to do.
Happy Motherâs Day to my indefatigable mum Pat in her 95th year, and to all mums everywhere, including those who are no longer with us. Thank you - youâre all phenomenal. #mothersday
A big thank you to @codie_bullen for her @dailymail article today about her experience of working with my old friend Kaye Adams. I have worked with Kaye on and off for nearly 30 years and have only ever seen her be kind and supportive to junior staff. I also know that dozens of people who work/have worked with her wrote to BBC Scotland to express their support but it didnât seem to make any difference to the outcome. I also note from the many comments under Codieâs article that thereâs still a lot of common sense out there. Phew. So well done again to Codie, and stay strong @kayeadamsofficial - youâre a good person â€ïž
Hereâs an excerpt from the articleâŠ. âIâve witnessed first-hand how passionate she is about the show, getting things right and putting her point across. But I also saw a softer side to her, a woman with good manners, who always had time for the junior members of the team like me. Kaye is, of course, well known across Scotland, and when I told people that I worked on her BBC show, they would always ask, âWhat is she like in real life? Is she as stern in person?â
My answer is, Kaye is actually softer than she comes across. As someone whoâs worked with her for many years commented: âKaye comes across tough on TV, but in reality, sheâs soft and will be very upset about being taken off air permanently. That show meant a lot to her.
âDespite being a huge presenter now, Kaye has never forgotten where she came from.
This will feel like a huge blow to her 40-year careerâ
Final leg of our amazing adventure in Colombia is the buzzy party city of Cartagena followed by a more tranquil couple of days on Isla MĂșcura. But best of all has been the people đšđŽ #colombia #cartagena #islamucura
Next stop, Columbiaâs coffee region and the towns of Salamina, Salento, and Armenia, all perched on top of the Andes mountains. The drive up was very long and bumpy but so worth it for the stunning views. What a beautiful country. Today we head off to Cartagena #colombia
Next stop Medellin, which, anyone who has seen Narcos etc will know, has had a troubled history in the grip of Pablo Escobar and the drug cartels. But now? This is a fascinating city where graffiti art and music tell the story of how life can be lived differently when youâre no longer in fear. Comuna 13 was once a no go district in the grip of violence and is now packed with young people enjoying the bars, street art etc. As you can see, thereâs a heavy police presence just to remind everyone who is in charge. We also went to Comuna 3 which is less commercial but starting to encourage outside visitors. Thelma, in one of the photos, has just realised her dream of opening a small restaurant there, and check out the man who rents out washing machines to people for three hour stints and brings it on his motorbike! Meanwhile, the main centre of Medellin is a bustling city with fantastic restaurants and bars and a penchant for âgardenâ balconies. Loved it. We have now moved on to Salamina, a small town in the coffee region, high up in the Andes mountains.
#medellin #colombia
First leg of our Colombia trip is the capital of BogotĂĄ. From the stunning, underground salt cathedral at Zipaquira, to the high altitude Montserrate church reached by cable, the galleries/museums, and the graffiti art that tells the story of decades of unrest in the grip of drug cartels, it continues to build and thrive. Thereâs so many great bars and restaurants but my particular favourite was @nueve_rest with the lovely bar and food shown in my photos. And our visit to La Casa de la Paz (Peace cafe) was particularly memorable as itâs a small business collective that gives opportunities to those who were once forced to work in the drug trade and now earn a living through selling beer, hand-made clothes etc. There were cloth butterflies hanging from the ceiling represent those who lost their lives to cartels AFTER the 2016 peace deal had been signed. In all, over nine million Colombians (82 per cent civilians) lost their lives over the decades of violence, so to see the country rebuilding itself is quite something. And everyone here tells me that, whilst Colombia owns up to its part in the cocaine industry, so too should those all over the world who regularly take it and create the demand. Next stop Medellin. #bogota #colombia
After @timesradio stint this morning, I had a long list of chores to do on my day off. But instead? We hopped in the car, drove to Caterham, Surrey and whiled away a couple of glorious hours in @wearebrickstop where you can choose from a wide variety of #lego sets for all ages and build them at your table whilst enjoying a coffee and a cake. Utter heaven. I built a pink typewriter (360 pieces) and feel very proud of myself đ Such a great small business so if ever youâre passing, pop in! Kids probably love it too đ