Although I was squashed in between my wife and a stranger on this leg of our journey, I managed this sketch. This lady and two others she was travelling with handed us a goody bag when we sat down…containing ear plugs and sweets (candies), with a card headed “warning” and saying “Hi…I might cry or sing out loud” explaining that he is less than one and thanking us for our kindness and patience…very cute. He didn’t cry much anyway but some of my sweets melted making a sticky mess.
Mon-20-Jul-2026
I didn’t have time to sketch at the airport in Manila before we left for our UK-Montenegro holiday, because a strap on my wife’s backpack snapped at the checkin desk. So we wandered around to find an affordable replacement (definitely not Tumi). After the long flight to Istanbul (12 hours) we had a few hours in the massive airport terminal (which makes NAIA and Heathrow look dreadful), so we found a spot for a coffee. My only grumble about the airport terminal?…nowhere to sit unless you buy coffee or food….which maybe deliberate.
Mon-20-Jul-2026
This is the last sketch I did before we left the Philippines for our holiday trip to the UK and Montenegro. I spent a lot of the day packing and was left with this pile of things to try and cram into my hand-carry (which has to be small so that it can fit under a seat on our EasyJet leg to Montenegro). This is also the beginning of a new sketchbook made using CassArt smooth watercolour paper.
Sat-18-Jul-2026
On 16 July I joined Urban Sketchers Manila for a meet up and to join in the Centennial Trails event at the National Museum of the Philippines, which celebrated 100 years of the Old Legislative Building (which is now the museum). My first sketch was done during the introductory talks, which was followed by a guided tour with a researcher who explained the architectural history.
We then went outside and sketched the front of the building from nearby the Gomburza monument – which I sketched back in Feb 2024 (see sketches No.2590-91).
Thu-16-Jul-2026
Here is a sketch of something random from the fridge – fresh ginger. It is inexpensive and plentiful in the Philippines and we always have some. Apart from using it in cooking, I like to have small slices crushed, along with honey and calamansi juice, in a hot drink.
Tue-14-Jul-2026
Somehow I still had the energy to sketch this on the day I got back to the Philippines. As soon as I arrived we went straight to the mall and I picked up my new glasses and bought this too – as my old blue one finally gave up (with the lid not tightening up anymore).
Sat-11-Jul-2026
This is the second sketch I did in Doha at the “Food Park” dining zone (on my way back from Iraq), where I had something to eat. According to Gemini AI (which often gets things wrong), the dining area is designed around the theme pearl diving (which Doha has a history of), and the diver is supposed to look like they are surrounded by a deep blue sea while diving for oysters. I can’t find any pictures of the sculpture online and (as often seems to be the habit) the artist is not credited anywhere I can see.
Fri-10-Jul-2026
Anyone who travels through Doha might recognise this? It’s called ‘Untitled (Lamp/Bear) and is by Swiss artist Urs Fischer. According to the blurb on the notice in front of it, the bear is cast in bronze and rests peacefully against a lamp, “reminding travellers of childhood and precious objects from home”. Hmmm…given that the lamp actually goes through the bears body and intersects with it’s head (kind of like the intersection of Seth Brundle and the teleportation pod in “the fly”)… I am not sure it evokes the same feelings in me!
Tue-7-Jul-2026
I did this sketch at about 3am, having got up at 1am (after a short doze) for my flight leaving at 4:40 am. I was pretty tired but wanted to capture at least one sketch before I left. One person came over and said “nice work” which was very kind of him.
Fri-10-Jul-2026