Went to see a 25th-anniversary showing of Amélie this evening. It is such a great film. Something I hadn't notcied before was how much tint there is giving it an almost sepia tone.

Apparently it was Wa**er Williams.

Interesting new exhibition at the Reading Museum showing the history of places in the town through old and contemporary pictures. Worth a visit.

There are 4,959 people here that don’t know what they are talking about!

Thanks and love the surname! There’s a lot of us Thompsons about.

Waterhouse in Reading I seem to have developed an unnatural fascination with the work of Alfred Waterhouse, famed architect of the Natural History Museum in London and, as it turns out, many fine buildings in Reading to…

I seem to have developed an unnatural fascination with the work of Alfred Waterhouse, famed architect of the Natural History Museum in London and, as it turns out, many fine buildings in Reading too. For my Reading Guide project I’d visited some of the …

Walking the Number 17 Bus Route A while back I decided to walk all of the Inner Distribution Road (IDR), Reading’s least glamorous route. As a follow-up I decided to tackle the iconic number 17 bus route. Running just under…

A while back I decided to walk all of the Inner Distribution Road (IDR), Reading’s least glamorous route. As a follow-up I decided to tackle the iconic number 17 bus route. Running just under seven miles from the water tower in Tilehurst to The Three Tu…

Rome 2026 – Day Four – Out with a Bang Last full day in Rome and our last AI inspired itinerary. Today was a walk along the Tiber to Isola Tiberina, into the Trastevere area before walking up Janiculum Hill for the views. The timing of …

Last full day in Rome and our last AI inspired itinerary. Today was a walk along the Tiber to Isola Tiberina, into the Trastevere area before walking up Janiculum Hill for the views. The timing of all of this was crucial as we needed to arrive at the Piaz…

Rome 2026 – Day Three – How much? Day two of our AI built itinerary of Rome today took us in the other direction down Via del Corso to the Piazza del Popolo, up into the Villa Borghese and back to the Spanish Steps. We’d learned fr…

Day two of our AI built itinerary of Rome today took us in the other direction down Via del Corso to the Piazza del Popolo, up into the Villa Borghese and back to the Spanish Steps. We’d learned from yesterday’s walk that the suggested route wasn’t …

Rome 2026 – Day Two – AI We’ve been to Rome a few times before and so didn’t feel the need to do all the big ticket locations once again, well at least not to pay and go inside. We wanted some alternatives and so asked AI …

We’ve been to Rome a few times before and so didn’t feel the need to do all the big ticket locations once again, well at least not to pay and go inside. We wanted some alternatives and so asked AI to help us out. Prompt me an Itinerary I flit between …

Rome 2026 – Day One – EES Today was the first time we had travelled to Europe since their new Entry/Exit System (EES) was introduced. I had read horror stories in the press about long queues and wait times as people got use…

Today was the first time we had travelled to Europe since their new Entry/Exit System (EES) was introduced. I had read horror stories in the press about long queues and wait times as people got used to the technology and the bugs are ironed out. There see…

Inside Aardman: Wallace & Gromit and Friends, Young V&A, London I’m on the V&A mailing list. Normally it’s only of passing interest but when I opened one and found that they were running an exhibition featuring the work of Aardman Animations I w…

I’m on the V&A mailing list. Normally it’s only of passing interest but when I opened one and found that they were running an exhibition featuring the work of Aardman Animations I was there and booked tickets. Hold on a Minute...…

Time Travel Tunnel (Katesgrove Murals), Reading The underpass to Katesgrove, specifically the stretch beneath the IDR near County Lock, has had a series of murals installed in it, and I was keen to see it. What apparently used to be a somewhat g…

The underpass to Katesgrove, specifically the stretch beneath the IDR near County Lock, has had a series of murals installed in it, and I was keen to see it. What apparently used to be a somewhat grim, graffiti-prone passage has been turned into the Time …

Seeing as you asked so nicely I’ve unblocked you.

Ok so I run/am williamsdb and have no memory of blocking you which suggests it might be a mistake but then again your over the top response might be a clue!😂

It’s a Disease! I guess you could say that I am somewhat late to the party with this post, given that all those annoying Spotify Wrapped posts were flooding social media late last year. I don’t use Spotify, …

I guess you could say that I am somewhat late to the party with this post, given that all those annoying Spotify Wrapped posts were flooding social media late last year. I don’t use Spotify, having a) a roll-your-own version in the form of Plex and b) m…

If you liked this post then you maybe interested in this. Reading has lots to offer and this guide takes you through my highlights - all of which are free.

www.neilthompson.co.uk/the-reading-...

It's well worth a visit and, as I say in the post, changes regularly.

lol, yes that area is notorious for flooding.

In Reading? If so do you know where?

Street Art, Loddon Bridge, Woodley, Reading I’ve been driving under the A329M flyover on Loddon Bridge Road for years, admiring the street art there and meaning to take a closer look. Today I finally did. The graffiti art under the A32…

I’ve been driving under the A329M flyover on Loddon Bridge Road for years, admiring the street art there and meaning to take a closer look. Today I finally did. The graffiti art under the A329M flyover near the Showcase Cinema and The George pub in Earl…

2025, a Year in Review It’s time for my annual round-up of the year just gone (you can read the previous year’s reports here). This was my first full year of retirement so it will be interesting to see what, …

It’s time for my annual round-up of the year just gone (you can read the previous year’s reports here). This was my first full year of retirement so it will be interesting to see what, if any , impact that has had on the figures. I have worked from ho…

Oxford – Radiohead, Le Carre and Treister This is an awful thing to say, but Reading is really easy to get away from! It is incredibly well served with transport links to the M4 to the south and rail links which lead pretty much anywhere. …

This is an awful thing to say, but Reading is really easy to get away from! It is incredibly well served with transport links to the M4 to the south and rail links which lead pretty much anywhere. One such destination is Oxford, which is only a cheap 20-m…

Knaresbourgh is beautiful any time of year.

Our Story with David Attenborough, Natural History Museum, London In the middle of last year I visited Lightroom in Kings Cross to see The Moonwalkers. I loved it so much that I went back for a second helping and bought the soundtrack that accompanied it. When I …

In the middle of last year I visited Lightroom in Kings Cross to see The Moonwalkers. I loved it so much that I went back for a second helping and bought the soundtrack that accompanied it. When I saw that The Natural History Museum were offering a simila…

USA ’25 – Day Eight – Eastern Market & Navy Yard Last day in Washington DC and we needed to avoid last-day syndrome, particularly as we had the whole day to kill as the flight wasn’t until 22:45. We had done all the major sites and places t…

Last day in Washington DC and we needed to avoid last-day syndrome, particularly as we had the whole day to kill as the flight wasn’t until 22:45. We had done all the major sites and places that we wanted to visit but there were a couple more outposts t…

USA ’25 – Day Seven – National Air and Space Museum I posed a question on our Alexandria day asking “How do the blind of America cross the road?” as there didn’t seem to be any audio feedback. Our eyes and ears on the ground (👋Ange…

I posed a question on our Alexandria day asking “How do the blind of America cross the road?” as there didn’t seem to be any audio feedback. Our eyes and ears on the ground (👋Angela) got in touch to say that if you hold the crosswalk button long …

USA ’25 – Day Six – The Sights (Part II) We were sat in Starbucks this morning having breakfast and watching a little tableau unfold on the pavement (“sidewalk”) opposite where five police officers were arresting one guy. I&#8…

We were sat in Starbucks this morning having breakfast and watching a little tableau unfold on the pavement (“sidewalk”) opposite where five police officers were arresting one guy. I’m not sure why five officers were necessary given that the man off…

USA ’25 – Day Five – National Zoo I must admit that of all the places I expected to find myself on holiday, the zoo wasn’t one of them— at least not without children. Don’t Panda to Them Like many of the museums on the …

I must admit that of all the places I expected to find myself on holiday, the zoo wasn’t one of them— at least not without children. Don’t Panda to Them Like many of the museums on the National Mall, the zoo is also part of the Smithsonian Institute…

USA ’25 – Day Four – Georgetown When we came to Washington last time, we stayed in Georgetown, a beautiful and affluent suburb of Washington. It was a nice area but probably a bit too far from the action. Foggy Bottom This trip w…

When we came to Washington last time, we stayed in Georgetown, a beautiful and affluent suburb of Washington. It was a nice area but probably a bit too far from the action. Foggy Bottom This trip we are staying downtown so we had to get the Metro over to …