Jennifer Barclay

Tilos is a tiny Greek Island, and it was here that Jennifer Barclay ended up with her boots, a laptop and a slightly broken heart. She moves into a small apartment with the delightful name of the Honey Factory and a new life and adventures are just beginning. Learning a new thing every day seems to be a good philosophy, and the best way to get to know her neighbours and the locals is to join in.

So she does; learning the local dances held at the regular festivals and weddings, teaching the local children English and helping her boyfriend, Stelios, with his early morning fishing trips and run a beach café with her help immerse her in the local society. Even though the apartment is small, she has enough space for a small garden and a few chickens. What they don’t have is enough space for is a dog! However, after a trip to Rhodes, she is offered a puppy free. Lisa becomes her new companion and almost soul mate joining her on walks and the daily trip to the beach to swim in the crystal clear seas of the Aegean.

This is a really good companion to Falling in Honey, her first book set in Greece. All of life’s rich experiences seem to touch Barclay. She is refreshingly honest too, wearing her heart on her sleeve whilst sharing these pivotal life moments and there is as much happiness in here as there are sad moments. Jennifer paints a beautiful picture of her island too; the descriptions of the landscapes and scenery are evocative. It is a lovely book to read, the writing makes you feel that you are there as well, watching the lightning flash around the hills, soaking up the sun with a glass of wine to hand or tucking into the delicious food. This book does what any good travel book should do, not only do you feel that you are there, it makes you want to that place at the first opportunity. 4.5 stars.… (mais)

Chances are you are reading this on one of the devices that is made in Korea, and yet around 25 years ago this was a almost unknown country, famous only as a place that America had fought a war in.

This is a few years old now, and even then Westerners were not that common in South Korea. Barclay was there on an extended holiday with a guy who had been given a short term contract to play with his band in a hotel in Seoul. She hadn't visited the country at all, and in this book she describes her feelings and experiences. It has maintained it's unique culture even though is has been the subject of many invasions form China and Japan, and is still occupied by American soldiers as they are technically still at war with North Korea.

It does sound like a fascinating country, she found that Seoul was less welcoming than other parts. As she moved out into the country the people were much more welcoming and friend as a whole. She found the countryside and scenery stunning, and the book helpfully list a set of experience to undertake if you are fortunate to visit.

Great little travel book, and whilst I can believe that it has change more since this was written, I think that a lot of things will have remained the same.… (mais)

This is part biography and part travel book.

Jen Barclay has always had a think about Greece, and in particular a thing about a small island called Tilos. Even though she has travelled all over the world, she always comes back to Greece to be completely relaxed.

All through the book you get some feeling for her passion for the island, and the walks, the food and the people, and the ways that it gives her a decent work life balance. She has obviously had a pretty torrid time with relationships, and the main part in the book is about Matt, who may possibly be the right man. Earlier chapters are about first trip to Greece, and another relationship.

All that is important, but this is mostly about her living in Tilos, and making the best of all that life has thrown at her. I haven't been to Greece, but reading this makes me want to go.… (mais)