The above image is my entry for the poster showcase, whereby contributors interested in potential research projects put forward their ideas for review, discussion and the slim hope of being offered large sums of money to develop the project as a major study.
I’ll be manning the poster stand on Wednesday afternoon next week if you want to discuss in person.
If you like the idea, contact me via the homepage.
I’m delighted to say that I picked up the award for Best Article about a Dutch Icon at the annual Taste the Dutch Lifestyle Travel Writer Awards last month.
The awards were organised to honour UK journalists who have written outstanding articles about Holland in 2012.
The winning piece was Holland on a Plate, published in The Daily Express in July 2012.
Here’s an extract:
Farmer’s wife Corrie Balthus greets me with a white-plastic apron and a cheese mould.
She’s been up since six, making cheese in her rustic kitchen at Zeilzicht farm as she has every Friday for over 30 years.
“You need all five senses to make high-quality cheese,” she says, cutting into a eight-year-aged Gouda with a knife more like a sabre.
“You look at the colour and form, listen for the sweetness, crumble and smell it in your hand, and then taste it.”
More about the awards from the press section of Holland.com.
Liked this? Read about another win – the Golden Pen award from the Croatian National tourist Board.
Blimey. Hit the North must have touched a nerve somewhere with Monday’s post, a wake-up call to readers after my extended hiatus.
Judging by the flurry of phone calls, emails and Twitter messages I fielded on Monday morning, this blog is not about to be consigned to the recycling bin of history anytime soon.
Thanks to everyone who did get in touch. We’re all busy and I appreciate your efforts. But what have we learnt from this – apart from some people are rather touchy about their brand yet reluctant to post a view-by-all comment on the blog?
No much so far. I’m still looking for inspiration from across the region, although an autumn visit to Lancashire is looking increasingly likely. It’s early days but I suspect this idea will turn out to be a good story.
Does anyone remember them?
Personally, I’m not bursting to read yet another top ten round up of catch-all lazy journalism, nor swooning over another nicey-nicey review of a free cream tea the writer scoffed on the way to their spa treatment.
I like reading real stories. Or is that just me?
I still think the best travel stories are not about places but the people who live in them. But they also need a bit of proper journalism, human interaction, research, a timely hook etc.
It’s easy to appear belligerent but I’m trying to be practical. So I’m planning to post some examples of recent assignments I think made good stories over the next few weeks.
