The Unexpected Traveller

Stuff you don't find in guide books

A photo of one of the cippi of Melqart - Louvre, Paris, France

The Maltese Rosetta Stone

The Cippi of Melqart, discovered in Malta, are priceless because they were the key to deciphering Phoenician script. This article explains who Melqart was, what cippi are and what this Maltese Rosetta Stone is all about.
A photo of an old "No entry" sign at the Czechoslovak border

The fake and fatal border crossing

The way a communist state handles border control is key to handling internal dissidents. It's always about tracking who goes out, as well as who goes in. Operation Border Stone in Czechoslovakia took this policy to another level.
A photo of Barbastro today

The siege of Barbastro – the pre-crusade

In the 11th century, Musim-controlled Spain was under attack from Roman Catholic Europe. One key siege was a turning point in how the church viewed war as a tool of foreign policy. This article explores the impact of the siege, and how it influenced the Crusades.
A photo of a British Royal Air Force Vulcan bomber

The RAF Vulcan crash in Malta

In 1975, a British RAF Vulcan bomber exploded as it approached the runway of Malta's airport. That few cilivians died is near-miraculous. This article describes what happened and the view on the ground.
A photo of the Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress

Air Battle over the Ore Mountains

On 11 September 1944, a massive, intense air battle took place over the mountains between Germany and what was then Czechoslovakia. The memory of this battle is still alive today.
A photo of Malostranské Náměstí (The Lesser town square) from above - Prague, Czechia

Double agent Colonel Alfred Redl

Colonel Alfred Redl was chief of intelligence for Austro-Hungary at the beginning of the 20th century. He also was a double-agent for Russia, France and Italy. There is a direct connection between his actions and the start of World War I. This article is his story.
A photo of ethnic Germans awaiting trains to take them to Germany - Strossmayerovo Namesti, Prague, Czechia

The German expulsion

I've written lots about how Germany and German influences affected Bohemia and Czechia. This is what led to a backlash after World War II. This article explores the little-known story of how Czechoslovakia expelled Germans after the war.
A photo of the second sunset - Prague, Czechia

The solstice and the double-sunset

Prague is full of esoteric and exotic features, which makes a random walk around the city a magnificent way of spotting all that the City of a Hundred Spires has to offer. If you're in Prague on the summer solstice, you can watch the sun set twice on the same day if you're around the Charles Bridge.
A photo of HMS Marlborough, location unknown

Russian exiles in Malta

Mentioning exiled Russians these days suggests pro-Ukrainian protesters or anti-Putin demonstrators. Malta's reputation as a haven for Russians goes back more than 100 years before Putin's antics.