tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32691016630835382112011-07-30T21:44:15.129+01:00I am Joe Wykes, a master thatcher now retired. I have been awarded a Winston Churchill travelling fellowship to investigate possible causes of premature decay in water reed thatch.Joenoreply@blogger.comBlogger21100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3269101663083538211.post-36553108062990477292010-06-23T07:49:00.002+01:002010-06-23T08:08:13.679+01:00The start of my fellowship began with a flight to Amsterdam on Sunday the 6th June. I have never flew to Holland before and I new there was a lot of water there but I was amazed to see just how much. The guy who I had gone to meet, Henk Horlings, told me that much of Holland is below sea level and if the sea rises too much then Holland will disapear. I hear a lot of people say that Birmingham has more canals that holland, well on this evidence I find that hard to believe. just in case you are wondering, there is a time delay on my postings. I have had difficulty in finding internet connections and because the hospitality, friendship and kindness that I have encountered have been overwhelming I just havn't had time.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3269101663083538211-3655310806299047729?l=joelethatch.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Joenoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3269101663083538211.post-25277622247548117532010-06-01T20:51:00.000+01:002010-06-01T21:04:48.053+01:00<div>This is the first out of the traps</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/3269101663083538211-2527762224754811753?l=joelethatch.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Joenoreply@blogger.com0