Thursday, November 29, 2012
Testimonials and gains from Harrovian Speakers Club
On Linkedin somebody asked if anybody had specific gains from going to Toastmasters speakers clubs and workshops. Yes. Several people have specific gains from my club, Harrovian Speakers. For example, a former president who rehearsed his sales presentations at Harrovians and as target speaker at a contest and started a successful new business. I asked our webmaster Warren Sheng to add a page of testimonials to Harrovian Speakers' website. (harrovians.org.uk) At a committee meeting (open to all members guests) in B & K restaurant, Hatch End, one of our committee members, Gosbert, said he'd been asked to be a governor of a local school as a result of his speech. I wrote his comment in my diary, read it back to him, and have sent it to Warren, and Gosbert for approval, to be added to our website.
(Angela Lansbury. President Harrovian Speakers. Meets Stanmore, Greater London, first, third and fifth Mondays each month 7 for 7.30 Glebe Hall, Stanmore. If you are in London, come along. Dec 3 2012 Freddie Danniells head of UK and Ireland is running a workshop on winning an international speech contest.)
(Angela Lansbury. President Harrovian Speakers. Meets Stanmore, Greater London, first, third and fifth Mondays each month 7 for 7.30 Glebe Hall, Stanmore. If you are in London, come along. Dec 3 2012 Freddie Danniells head of UK and Ireland is running a workshop on winning an international speech contest.)
Hospitals worldwide
I am haunted by the idea that when I left my t mother in (Watford General) hospital they deliberately killed her. The nurse who phoned me was in tears and said, "I was there when she died". I now regret leaving my mother alone when I took my father home to eat lunch. I feel that family should be both informed and consulted daily about the patient's intake of food and drugs.
Bring UK hospitals up to date with the rest of the world's population. Daily reports on patients to family could be done on progress online reports shared with the family like businesses. Or text messages to and from mobile phones which most people now use all day for both business and social purposes.
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Travel and laws on smoking, age of consent and dangerous dogs
Laws vary from country to country and in different states in the USA and in different towns. For example, smoking in public places. The age of consent and marriage vary. Age of consent and age at which you can marry, with or without parental agreement - are not the same. (The first time I looked the lowest age varied from 12 in Alabama to 21 in California.) Today I looked at the ownership of 'dangerous' animals.
I read about an event in the USA. We have a problem, three 'loving' dogs kill their 'loving' owner. The dogs are pit bulls and mastiffs. So look down all the dog owners' comments for causes and solutions.
'My dog is ok,' like 'my dad smoked and lived to 100' might be useful information on your situation but cannot be transferred to another individual or a group of 1000 or more until we have statistics. However, if we do want to take individual experiences and see if they form a pattern or group, from a small sample of perhaps 100-300 comments:
These are: dogs are territorial, new dogs establish a pecking order and fight; don't try to break up a dog fight; get big or dangerous dogs neutered; take dogs for training; don't adopt an adult dog when you don't know it's history; don't have dogs in a pack when you are home alone because you could overcome one but not a pack; and my favourite, quoted as law of success 3 - 'don't have any pet which can eat you'.
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
No Tobacco Day
World No Tobacco Day is May. Sorry you have to wait. You can't stop smoking today. No you can't!
(This is aimed at people who have an inbuilt fight mechanism and always want to do what they are told not to do.)
(This is aimed at people who have an inbuilt fight mechanism and always want to do what they are told not to do.)
Responsibility starts today - with your next meal
You are responsible for your day and your life. I read an article about the life of Duke, who promoted cigarettes by using a machine to cut them to size, sealing the ends, and marketing them to the USA and Britain and the world. The carefully researched article, succinct and in easy to read popular style, is inspired by a biography of Duke which has been published. The article also looks at Kalashnikov and Nobel. The article ends with Kalashnikov saying that what is done with his invention depends on action by governments. I was amused to read that a premature obituary of Nobel which described him as an agent of death upset him so that he donated money for the Nobel peace prize. I shall go back to the question of cigarettes because it is simpler. You can choose whether to smoke a cigarette. You can choose whether to buy cigarettes. You can choose whether to buy them for others. You can choose whether to sit in smoky places and smoke over others.
I admit it is easier for me because I am a lifelong non-smoker and am not addicted. But my parents both smoked. When my father was told by a doctor to give up smoking, my father did so immediately. (Admittedly I now know from personality typing in Myers Briggs that my father was that personality type.)
Let's continue to look at the way we blame others. My uncle on his deathbed in hospital c 2005 was still blaming his parents who had died two decades earlier in the 1950s and/or 1960s. My son who was taking an exam for his MA in psycho-sometric studies was aghast and amused that his great-uncle was still blaming parents who had died years earlier. (My son still blames me for what I did when he was a child ten or more years ago, but I'm alive, but uncle's parents had been dead for two decades.)
Look around you at people who are dying of smoking or cancer or overweight (all those people with paunches) and won't change their smoking habits or diet or do exercise. Yet they, and we, blame the inventors of the food, drink, or cigarettes. Or the distributors.
I find it easy to condemn the cigarette smokers who are living OK, starting to get ill, trying to give up, or saying what's the use it's now too late. My problem is eating. But you can give up smoking altogether. You cannot giving up eating altogether. You have to make choices at every meal.
Well, I must go off and eat fruit and do some exercise. Because I know that I cannot change the past. I can condemn the people of the past. But the only thing I can control is my thoughts, attitudes and actions today.
You can sometimes indulge. You can have a day off, or a week off. I can overeat, trying new foods at the World Travel Market, when visiting countries on business or holiday. But your life must form a sensible pattern. Like a sea-saw, bad habits which lead down to death must be balanced by those which lead up to good health.
Maybe you can drink for five days and give up for one or two days a week. I think that's just starting the habit of giving up.
What about giving up food. Traditionally, long before the modern knowledge about diets, Jews fasted for one day a year. (The orthodox have other fasting days.) Moslems fast during daylight hours for a month.
The latest drink reduction idea is two non-drinking days. I have one friend who goes without drinking after the indulgence of the Christmas holidays for the months of January to March. You can look at your lifetime, your year, your week, your day, and plan your healthy lifestyle. That is your responsibility, your control, your pain and your gain.
I admit it is easier for me because I am a lifelong non-smoker and am not addicted. But my parents both smoked. When my father was told by a doctor to give up smoking, my father did so immediately. (Admittedly I now know from personality typing in Myers Briggs that my father was that personality type.)
Let's continue to look at the way we blame others. My uncle on his deathbed in hospital c 2005 was still blaming his parents who had died two decades earlier in the 1950s and/or 1960s. My son who was taking an exam for his MA in psycho-sometric studies was aghast and amused that his great-uncle was still blaming parents who had died years earlier. (My son still blames me for what I did when he was a child ten or more years ago, but I'm alive, but uncle's parents had been dead for two decades.)
Look around you at people who are dying of smoking or cancer or overweight (all those people with paunches) and won't change their smoking habits or diet or do exercise. Yet they, and we, blame the inventors of the food, drink, or cigarettes. Or the distributors.
I find it easy to condemn the cigarette smokers who are living OK, starting to get ill, trying to give up, or saying what's the use it's now too late. My problem is eating. But you can give up smoking altogether. You cannot giving up eating altogether. You have to make choices at every meal.
Well, I must go off and eat fruit and do some exercise. Because I know that I cannot change the past. I can condemn the people of the past. But the only thing I can control is my thoughts, attitudes and actions today.
You can sometimes indulge. You can have a day off, or a week off. I can overeat, trying new foods at the World Travel Market, when visiting countries on business or holiday. But your life must form a sensible pattern. Like a sea-saw, bad habits which lead down to death must be balanced by those which lead up to good health.
Maybe you can drink for five days and give up for one or two days a week. I think that's just starting the habit of giving up.
What about giving up food. Traditionally, long before the modern knowledge about diets, Jews fasted for one day a year. (The orthodox have other fasting days.) Moslems fast during daylight hours for a month.
The latest drink reduction idea is two non-drinking days. I have one friend who goes without drinking after the indulgence of the Christmas holidays for the months of January to March. You can look at your lifetime, your year, your week, your day, and plan your healthy lifestyle. That is your responsibility, your control, your pain and your gain.
Impartiality is what I expect of the BBC
The answer is so simple - I teach it to children. How to pass an exam with an essay on any subject. Impartiality was taught to me every time I did a course on journalism, by a secretarial college which taught me typing and by a National Union of Journalists course. Your audience of readers or listeners is unknown and includes people of all ages and opinions and beliefs. To be fair to the subject of your programme and the audience you must be like a court of law and answerable to a court of law. It must be impartial, not screaming praise or condemnation. If an accusation is made, you must hear both sides of the case, the allegation of the victim, and the defence of the accused. An offence which has not been proved by a jury of 12 or 3 magistrates or a high court judge is merely 'alleged'.
This applies whether you are dealing with an individual or a country or a continent. When I pay the BBC my money I expect them to be impartial and fair to both sides by giving equal space and time to both sides. Before a story goes out it must be checked and both sides must be quoted.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
River, Rowing, Henley & Mr Toad
'River and Rowing Museum has three galleries dedicated to Rowing, Rivers and the history of Henley on Thames. The Museum is also home to the magical Wind in the Willows exhibition, which brings to life the much-loved story with 3D models, lighting and music.'
The River & Rowing Museum, Mill Meadows, Henley on Thames, Oxfordshire, RG9 1BF. Tel. 01491 415600.
The Museum, terrace café and shop are open every day from 10am - 5.30pm in summer and 10am - 5pm in the winter
Tickets give FREE admission for a whole year!
Admission is just £8 for adults, £6 for children, students and seniors.
Friday, November 9, 2012
Which Wines Should I Serve At My Home Dinner Party?
file://localhost/Users/angelasharot/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Modified/2012/8%20Nov%202012/IMG_4150.jpg
Champagne Quotations -
'In victory you deserve it, in defeat you need it.' Napoleon. (I used to worry about quoting quotations accurately. Then I found that famous people who found a witty line went down well would repeat it many times, differently each time. Misquotations are usually more succinct and sound better than the original.
Many famous quotations are translated from the original French in different English words.
I am a happy drinker and a happy wine writer.
Best quotations on drinks and Champagne? I dream of champagne. And making witty remarks about champagne. After a glass of champagne I have sweet dreams and think I have made witty remarks. I have to write down witty remarks, otherwise next day I just have a forgotten dream and big smile. See my book at the end. Now onto a beginner's guide to which wine to serve at your dinner party.
Wine Expert's Advice On Which Wine To Serve
Travelling Trevor is fast becoming a wine expert as a result of the wine tasting lunches, dinners, and evenings, at Berry Brothers near Piccadilly, where he is often sat (I mean that correctly in the passive sense - seated by others) beside the vineyard owner. The vineyard owner often challenges you to guess the grape ('hm - not too sweet, a little dry, only been in the vat xx years, slightly acidic' - so the year? ('wine going brown - may be older'). Trevor often identifies the grape and country and gets the year right or almost right within a year.
Trevor also visits to the Wine Society tastings, consults the wine guidebooks, reads the history of the vineyards, google maps show which bank of the river has the slope getting sun or rain. After years of tours around wine areas of Champagne, Germany, USA, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, now this year he visited Burgundy vineyards and stayed overnight taking photos for them and was rewarded by tastings of unusual wines. (He's an award-winning photographer - in the shortlist for a National Geographic stills competition and and outright winner for a video Boris in London competitions). We have also bought the 'bargain' (reduced price but still a luxury - but including wines you could never normally afford) at Petrus restaurant in London - Petrus being the name of a wine.
When we manage to gather friends from all corners of the globe in Singapore, or the family all meet up in London, we try to have two wines of the same type, but usually a cheap wine and an expensive wine, to compare. We all do a blind tasting and make notes on which wine we prefer, and guess which is the expensive one and which is the cheap one. Then Trevor reveals the labels and prices.
Alas, I'm only just learning to like the tanniny reds and acidic whites. I'm still willing to drink Portuguese Mateus Rose, though German Liebraumilch and Italian Asti Spumante (town of Asti, spumante meaning sparkling) are starting to taste like lemonade and make me wonder whether I am heading for diabetes with too much wine and sugar. So I try to limit myself to one glass with a meal, maximum two.
However, on special occasions I still look for a glass of French Champagne or Italian Prosecco or Californian sparkling rose, a zinfandel, plus a teeny tumbler of an after dinner Muscat. My eyes light up at really sweet wines, German Auslese, Spatlese (spat - late, like me, late but sweet) or a New World Icewine from the USA or even New Zealand.
But when Trevor is emailed by another younger member of the family for advice on which wine to serve at home-cooked dinner party, Trevor says with more authority:
Dinner Party Pairings
3 St James's Street
London SW1A 1EG
Tel:+44 (0)800 280 2440
Bin end shop Basingstoke (frequent tasting mornings with tutoring sessions for a small price about £5-10)
thewinesociety.com (Wine tastings for members - you can join - it's a public co-op, and they sell wines, bargain bin ends, and glasses, books on wine and wine theme tea towels.)
Angela's Wine Glass Etiquette and After Dinner Quotations:
Watch Angela Lansbury on restaurant etiquette on you tube
Champagne Quotations -
'In victory you deserve it, in defeat you need it.' Napoleon. (I used to worry about quoting quotations accurately. Then I found that famous people who found a witty line went down well would repeat it many times, differently each time. Misquotations are usually more succinct and sound better than the original.
Many famous quotations are translated from the original French in different English words.
I am a happy drinker and a happy wine writer.
Best quotations on drinks and Champagne? I dream of champagne. And making witty remarks about champagne. After a glass of champagne I have sweet dreams and think I have made witty remarks. I have to write down witty remarks, otherwise next day I just have a forgotten dream and big smile. See my book at the end. Now onto a beginner's guide to which wine to serve at your dinner party.
Wine Expert's Advice On Which Wine To Serve
Travelling Trevor is fast becoming a wine expert as a result of the wine tasting lunches, dinners, and evenings, at Berry Brothers near Piccadilly, where he is often sat (I mean that correctly in the passive sense - seated by others) beside the vineyard owner. The vineyard owner often challenges you to guess the grape ('hm - not too sweet, a little dry, only been in the vat xx years, slightly acidic' - so the year? ('wine going brown - may be older'). Trevor often identifies the grape and country and gets the year right or almost right within a year.
Trevor also visits to the Wine Society tastings, consults the wine guidebooks, reads the history of the vineyards, google maps show which bank of the river has the slope getting sun or rain. After years of tours around wine areas of Champagne, Germany, USA, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, now this year he visited Burgundy vineyards and stayed overnight taking photos for them and was rewarded by tastings of unusual wines. (He's an award-winning photographer - in the shortlist for a National Geographic stills competition and and outright winner for a video Boris in London competitions). We have also bought the 'bargain' (reduced price but still a luxury - but including wines you could never normally afford) at Petrus restaurant in London - Petrus being the name of a wine.
When we manage to gather friends from all corners of the globe in Singapore, or the family all meet up in London, we try to have two wines of the same type, but usually a cheap wine and an expensive wine, to compare. We all do a blind tasting and make notes on which wine we prefer, and guess which is the expensive one and which is the cheap one. Then Trevor reveals the labels and prices.
Alas, I'm only just learning to like the tanniny reds and acidic whites. I'm still willing to drink Portuguese Mateus Rose, though German Liebraumilch and Italian Asti Spumante (town of Asti, spumante meaning sparkling) are starting to taste like lemonade and make me wonder whether I am heading for diabetes with too much wine and sugar. So I try to limit myself to one glass with a meal, maximum two.
However, on special occasions I still look for a glass of French Champagne or Italian Prosecco or Californian sparkling rose, a zinfandel, plus a teeny tumbler of an after dinner Muscat. My eyes light up at really sweet wines, German Auslese, Spatlese (spat - late, like me, late but sweet) or a New World Icewine from the USA or even New Zealand.
But when Trevor is emailed by another younger member of the family for advice on which wine to serve at home-cooked dinner party, Trevor says with more authority:
Dinner Party Pairings
Re your dinner, any red wine goes fine with any red meat. The matches we’ve been trying (mustard with Burgundy, pepper steak with Syrah etc) seem to me no more than interesting experiments. My preference would be to match lighter meat (lamb) with lighter, fruitier wine (Beaujolais, Burgundy, Rioja or Chateau Musar). Hold the Bordeaux, Syrah and Italian for steak.
No need for wine with desert (it would have to be a sweet wine though – sweet white if fruit-based, sweet red with chocolate).
Cheese is fussier. Soft white cheeses, including goat, go very well with well-chilled Sauvignon Blanc. For waxy yellow cheese like Dutch or Emmental I have yet to find a wine that works. Hard, crumbly, yellow cheeses like cheddar, manchego and pecorino need a red wine and mature examples can soften any amount of tannin. Blue cheese like Stilton is famously paired with port (salt vs sweet) but I think it’s too much richness altogether, would just enjoy the cheese.
Love These Links:
Berry Brothers and Rudd Shop, 3 St James's Street, London
Berrys Bros & Rudd3 St James's Street
London SW1A 1EG
Tel:+44 (0)800 280 2440
Email: bbr@bbr.com
Frequent seated lunches and dinners can be very pricey but you still need to book early because they sell out fast.
Bin end shop Basingstoke (frequent tasting mornings with tutoring sessions for a small price about £5-10)
| Berry Bros. & Rudd Hamilton Close Houndmills Basingstoke Hampshire RG21 6YB |
www.bbr.com
thewinesociety.com (Wine tastings for members - you can join - it's a public co-op, and they sell wines, bargain bin ends, and glasses, books on wine and wine theme tea towels.)
Angela's Wine Glass Etiquette and After Dinner Quotations:
Watch Angela Lansbury on restaurant etiquette on you tube
Buy books by Angela Lansbury on speeches and Quick Quotations For Successful Speeches, for after dinner speeches on lulu.com
'When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.' (Henry Youngman, 1906-1998.)
'If this is tea, bring me coffee, if this is coffee, bring me tea.' Abraham Lincoln.
Send offers of free dinners and news of wine tastings (press, public or personal).
'When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading.' (Henry Youngman, 1906-1998.)
'If this is tea, bring me coffee, if this is coffee, bring me tea.' Abraham Lincoln.
Send offers of free dinners and news of wine tastings (press, public or personal).
Invitations to free dinners and wine tastings are accepted with blushes or gratifying (to you) and embarrassing (to me) eagerness!
My email is annalondon8@gmail.com (I am not Anna but Angela. tried to get 'Angela London and a number but several others already had the same idea. However, I managed to snap up the Chinese 'lucky number' 8.)
My email is annalondon8@gmail.com (I am not Anna but Angela. tried to get 'Angela London and a number but several others already had the same idea. However, I managed to snap up the Chinese 'lucky number' 8.)
Amazing Animal Destinations - Cameroon to Falklands
The Cameroon (Nigeria's Neighbour) has dinosaur footprints, wonderful waterfalls, and every kind of living animal, reptile and bird, such as crocodiles, lions and hippos which you might wish to meet, or not meet.
If the Cameroons offers wildlife, the Falklands offers tame life. Penguins and others.
www.falklandislandsholidays.com
Paraguay offers birdwatching.
www.paraguay.gov.py
If the Cameroons offers wildlife, the Falklands offers tame life. Penguins and others.
www.falklandislandsholidays.com
Paraguay offers birdwatching.
www.paraguay.gov.py
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Travel Must See and Wishlists - Salt Mine Wedding Hall
On my lists:
Europe:
In Poland's lovely former medieval capital of Krakow I've seen the country's most visited site, Auschwitz and the happier tale of rescue at Schindler's Museum. Still to see for me is the Wieliczka Salt Mine. A fine brochure shows the caverns with chandeliers used for banquets and weddings.
Europe:
In Poland's lovely former medieval capital of Krakow I've seen the country's most visited site, Auschwitz and the happier tale of rescue at Schindler's Museum. Still to see for me is the Wieliczka Salt Mine. A fine brochure shows the caverns with chandeliers used for banquets and weddings.
Blogging is big business for Travel, Destinations and Hotels
Technology and social media are sweeping the scene at this year's World Travel Market. I used to feel apologetic about the fact that I was blogging more than writing magazine articles. But the top bloggers now have huge followings.
Some travel bloggs and travel bloggers to watch out for:
Visit the Velvet Escape travel blog:
Keith Jenkins, founder and publisher.
www.velvetescape.com
I also met Janice Leith Waugh, 'The Solo Traveller's Handbook (2nd edition), for those who love and those who long to go solo'. She blogs four times a week, inclduing her own blog, a destination chosen by her group, and featured photo of the week.
thetravellershandbooks.com
Another is Melvin Bocher of traveldudes.org 'for travellers, by travellers'.
www.traveldudes.org
twiter.com/traveldudes
facebook.com/traveldudes
Sites such as Tripadvisor are consulted by a high proportion of consumers of all ages.
I went to a seminar on crisis management.
1 I was at World Travel Market. Staying a third night at Ibis City airport for £75. I got on the waiting list and they texted me lunch time to say they'd a cancellation.
I could not get a discount. they were fully booked. But they had a room so I stayed until the last night, Wednesday. I found them through their sister hotel on the internet. They sent me a follow-up questionnaire through email. Now I'm blogging about them.
2 SEO One afternoon I went to a session on blogging. Hotels and destinations sell huge amounts as a result of social networking.
You can read about it on the World Travel Market website.
They mentioned: travel blogger association, travel blogger unite TBU book of travel bloggers;
tbex US conference;
speed-dating at ITB;
Professional travel blogger association.com
iambassador;
navigate media group.
Rihanna has 90 milion followers and half a million likes and several million comments - she is PR for an island;
livingsocial is amazon backed;
the average age worldwide is 26 and this affects use of the internet and internet for travel;
Pinterest is the second most popular site;
shopping uses zappos.com
Starbucks sold 1.5m gift cards thru livingsocial
the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco sold 114 really expensive suites
AIRBNB Fieldtrip Hoteltonight
A customer does 26 searches for a holiday
I asked a question and said I blogged on wine trails.
But I need to get more links on my blogs to increase readers.
Afterwards a lady came up and said she does personalised tours
She is Mary E Dardenne marydardenne@decantertours.com wwwdecantertours.com skype twitter and fb Decanter tours
she does individual upmarket press tours.
Some travel bloggs and travel bloggers to watch out for:
Visit the Velvet Escape travel blog:
Keith Jenkins, founder and publisher.
www.velvetescape.com
I also met Janice Leith Waugh, 'The Solo Traveller's Handbook (2nd edition), for those who love and those who long to go solo'. She blogs four times a week, inclduing her own blog, a destination chosen by her group, and featured photo of the week.
thetravellershandbooks.com
Another is Melvin Bocher of traveldudes.org 'for travellers, by travellers'.
www.traveldudes.org
twiter.com/traveldudes
facebook.com/traveldudes
Sites such as Tripadvisor are consulted by a high proportion of consumers of all ages.
I went to a seminar on crisis management.
Russia's Golden Ring of Astronauts, mice and More Entrancing Stories
The Golden Ring of Russian towns starts in the capital, Moscow, or at the Golden Gate in the town of Vladimir. Or Yaroslavl, 'space capital of Russia', birthplace of the first woman astronaut, Valentina Tereshkova (1963). See the Planetarium.
The little town of Myshkin (meaning little house - mysh is Russian for mouse) has Myshniye Palatye (Mouse chambers) whre King Mouse and Queen Mouse greet visitors and in the underground zoo are exotic mice and rodents.
More sites and stories involve The Snow Maiden palace in Kostroma, Alexander Nevsky and Pushkin's characters, plus vodka at, a jam libeary www.cgr.su
The little town of Myshkin (meaning little house - mysh is Russian for mouse) has Myshniye Palatye (Mouse chambers) whre King Mouse and Queen Mouse greet visitors and in the underground zoo are exotic mice and rodents.
More sites and stories involve The Snow Maiden palace in Kostroma, Alexander Nevsky and Pushkin's characters, plus vodka at, a jam libeary www.cgr.su
Famous People - Past, Present, Future by bus
Three bus tours of London were operating stands at World Travel Market. Big Bus Tours London hop-on hop-off sightseeing charges adults £29 but when I raised eyebrows at the price they pointed out that you also get free river boat trips and free walking tours. You get discount vouchers givingsavings from £1.50 to £5 on attractions such as London Aquarium and Madame Tussauds.
Big bus tours are also in Abus Dhabi, budapest, dubai, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Miiami, Muscat, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington DC.
www.bigbustours.com
City Sightseeing tour buses issue an amusing calendar with facts on different countries. Cities covered include Bath, Berlin, Brussels, Belfast, Cape Town, Colchester, Glasgow, Moscow, New York, Panama and more.
www.city-sightseeing.com
Big bus tours are also in Abus Dhabi, budapest, dubai, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Miiami, Muscat, Paris, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Shanghai and Washington DC.
www.bigbustours.com
City Sightseeing tour buses issue an amusing calendar with facts on different countries. Cities covered include Bath, Berlin, Brussels, Belfast, Cape Town, Colchester, Glasgow, Moscow, New York, Panama and more.
www.city-sightseeing.com
Famous People In London - Footballers, Michael Jackson and more
Michael Jackson's statue is at Fulham football club grounds because Mohamed Al Fayed of Harrods fame was a huge Jackson fan. Also see the Johnny Haynes statue and restaurant of World Cup winner George Cohen.
Fulhamfc.com/cottagetrours
You can also do tours of Wembley stadium.
wembleystadium.com/tours
chelseafc.com/tours
Fulhamfc.com/cottagetrours
You can also do tours of Wembley stadium.
wembleystadium.com/tours
chelseafc.com/tours
Famous People In St Paul's Cathedral - no man is an island
St Paul's statue is on the front of the building and architect Wren is buried inside. Wren's son wrote the motto (in Latin), to see my monument, look around. The inscription is repeated under the dome.
Nelson, whose column you may have passed on the column in Trafalgar square, is buried in St Paul's. So is Wellington. Donne, who wrote 'no man is an island' became Dean of St Pauls. His memorial was here before the cathedral was rebuilt by Wren after the great fire of London. Donne dressed himself in a shroud to be prepared and a drawing of him when alive wearing the shroud was used to create his memorial after he died.
See more poets and artists (William Blake memorial, John Everett Millais, JMW Turner), architects, scientists (Alexander Fleming, Henry Wellcome,) musicians (Arthur Sullivan) and the military and politicians Winston Churchill Memorial gates..
The entry price of £15.50 per adult (concessions students and senior 60+ years £14) includes guided tours of the cathedral and crypt, a film, and access to the whispering gallery - where whispers echo, the Stone Gallery and the top Golden Gallery giving views over London.
From the Golden Gallery you can see The Monument (to the Great Fire of London), The Gherkin, and The Shard. The two and a half hour visit is cheaper than Westminster Abbey, they say.
The Multimedia guide included is in 11 languages plus a British Sign Lansguage version and audio-only for blind and partially sighted visitors.
See my other blogs, and Angela Lansbury author / travel / poem/ restaurant etiqeuetter on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn.
My articles on travel are also on my old websites. My latest books are available on lulu.com as paperbacks which you can have posted (mailed) and as downloads.
Next spring (they predict March) you'll be able to go up the Shard for a view over London. Meanwhile you can climb St Paul's and view the Shard.
www.stpauls.co.uk
Nelson, whose column you may have passed on the column in Trafalgar square, is buried in St Paul's. So is Wellington. Donne, who wrote 'no man is an island' became Dean of St Pauls. His memorial was here before the cathedral was rebuilt by Wren after the great fire of London. Donne dressed himself in a shroud to be prepared and a drawing of him when alive wearing the shroud was used to create his memorial after he died.
See more poets and artists (William Blake memorial, John Everett Millais, JMW Turner), architects, scientists (Alexander Fleming, Henry Wellcome,) musicians (Arthur Sullivan) and the military and politicians Winston Churchill Memorial gates..
The entry price of £15.50 per adult (concessions students and senior 60+ years £14) includes guided tours of the cathedral and crypt, a film, and access to the whispering gallery - where whispers echo, the Stone Gallery and the top Golden Gallery giving views over London.
From the Golden Gallery you can see The Monument (to the Great Fire of London), The Gherkin, and The Shard. The two and a half hour visit is cheaper than Westminster Abbey, they say.
The Multimedia guide included is in 11 languages plus a British Sign Lansguage version and audio-only for blind and partially sighted visitors.
See my other blogs, and Angela Lansbury author / travel / poem/ restaurant etiqeuetter on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn.
My articles on travel are also on my old websites. My latest books are available on lulu.com as paperbacks which you can have posted (mailed) and as downloads.
Next spring (they predict March) you'll be able to go up the Shard for a view over London. Meanwhile you can climb St Paul's and view the Shard.
www.stpauls.co.uk
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
World Travel Market news don't Knock Knock in Ireland
Don't knock a visit to Knock knock who's there in Ireland. Seriously, after a visit to the Guinness shop in Dublin, the most visited venue in Ireland is the town and shrine of Knock, yes, that's how you spell it. After Lourdes, it's one of the most popular places for pilgrimages and stories of cures. Mother Teresa went there and so did Pope Paul. A million people a year visit Knock.
Knock is also a town which wins awards for being Tidy Town.
I met an Irishman called Michael who is the hotel manager of Westport Woods Hotel which has a spa and runs lots of activities such as 'dancing for pleasure' (why else do you dance? - I suppose to win competitions). If you are less physically active but more mentally active the hotel also runs Bridge weekends. Guaranteed to cure boredom.
You will forgive me if I knock off now
Angela Lansbury
www.westportwoodshotel.com
www.knock-shrine.ie
Knock is also a town which wins awards for being Tidy Town.
I met an Irishman called Michael who is the hotel manager of Westport Woods Hotel which has a spa and runs lots of activities such as 'dancing for pleasure' (why else do you dance? - I suppose to win competitions). If you are less physically active but more mentally active the hotel also runs Bridge weekends. Guaranteed to cure boredom.
You will forgive me if I knock off now
Angela Lansbury
www.westportwoodshotel.com
www.knock-shrine.ie
Animals, Fire Temples and Country tales
FLANDERS & THE GREAT WAR REVISITED
Flanders will be running a huge tourist and visitor welcome programme 2014-18 to recall the Great War or First World War.
|They gave away packets of poppy seeds with the poem by Canadian John McCrae - In Flanders Fields.
Although it includes as well as the words Flanders and poppies the request 'Take up our quarrel with the foe' it was written in a time and place when that seemed suitable. However, Flanders is welcoming visitors from 50 countries including Germany and will be recalling the Christmas truce when the allies and German soldiers played sang carols together, played games and shook hands - and had to be forced by powers above to resume fighting.
www.visitflanders.com
FIRE TEMPLE, ZOROASTRIANS
Azerbaijan has a temple of fire built on a natural gas plain in 1700s for the Zoroastrians. Their country is full of amazing buildings of all ages including Gobustan petroglyphs, rock carvings of men and animals.
www.gobustan-rockart.az
TRIPS and RESEARCH
More useful contacts:
wtmlondon.com
famtripsandinspectionvisits.com
Flanders will be running a huge tourist and visitor welcome programme 2014-18 to recall the Great War or First World War.
|They gave away packets of poppy seeds with the poem by Canadian John McCrae - In Flanders Fields.
Although it includes as well as the words Flanders and poppies the request 'Take up our quarrel with the foe' it was written in a time and place when that seemed suitable. However, Flanders is welcoming visitors from 50 countries including Germany and will be recalling the Christmas truce when the allies and German soldiers played sang carols together, played games and shook hands - and had to be forced by powers above to resume fighting.
www.visitflanders.com
FIRE TEMPLE, ZOROASTRIANS
Azerbaijan has a temple of fire built on a natural gas plain in 1700s for the Zoroastrians. Their country is full of amazing buildings of all ages including Gobustan petroglyphs, rock carvings of men and animals.
www.gobustan-rockart.az
TRIPS and RESEARCH
More useful contacts:
wtmlondon.com
famtripsandinspectionvisits.com
HELP! LOST BAG WTM Blonde blogger wearing red Virgin socks (me|) has lost (my) silver grey wheelie bag at ExCel World Travel Market.
My favourite much-bashed bag has a Singapore Airlines frequent flyer tag with Angela Sharot on it and an orange ribbon tied to the handle. The bag looks battered and the handle won't retract but it contains all sorts of valuables - like my socks. And my fishnet tights. Luckily I did not put my laptop and my mobile phone cum camera in the wheelie bag.
I tried telling two sympathetic security offices and filed a loss report. I went to the press office. If you find my bag take it to the press office - whose reception girls by now know me very well. They are still smiling. I should have photographed myself with my bag. I suggested that Virgin should sponsor tags next year for all one's valuables, bags and cameras and coats. Offers of a replacement bag, tags etc gratefully received. I headed to the Virgin stand for red socks and tried their new wide seats in Economy Premium with wider armrests. The Show Security say that lots of lost items turn up when stands are dismantled.Wish me luck.
ExCel security suite for lost property tel:020 7069 4445
annalondon8@gmail.com
My favourite much-bashed bag has a Singapore Airlines frequent flyer tag with Angela Sharot on it and an orange ribbon tied to the handle. The bag looks battered and the handle won't retract but it contains all sorts of valuables - like my socks. And my fishnet tights. Luckily I did not put my laptop and my mobile phone cum camera in the wheelie bag.
I tried telling two sympathetic security offices and filed a loss report. I went to the press office. If you find my bag take it to the press office - whose reception girls by now know me very well. They are still smiling. I should have photographed myself with my bag. I suggested that Virgin should sponsor tags next year for all one's valuables, bags and cameras and coats. Offers of a replacement bag, tags etc gratefully received. I headed to the Virgin stand for red socks and tried their new wide seats in Economy Premium with wider armrests. The Show Security say that lots of lost items turn up when stands are dismantled.Wish me luck.
ExCel security suite for lost property tel:020 7069 4445
annalondon8@gmail.com
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Travel Snippets - Looking at Larnaka, Latvia, Lithuania
Larnaka
On the southern coast of Cyprus, Larnak is associated with Lazarus, who went to Cyprus after being raised from the dead by Jesus. You can visit the Museum of St Lazarus and St Lazarus church. Also Archaeological and Paleontology museums. Lazarus was an incoming or immigrating resident. Another famous man, an outgoing or emigrating person was Larnaka-born stoic philosopher Zenon who went to Athens.
You can marry on the island of love. Walk along the Palm Tree Parade and if your budget is exhausted there's free entry to the Pieredes Museum.
High street bakeries make honey pastries for Xmas markets and gifts. You can make your own olive oil and carob syrup and cook savouries and sweets on a day in November, organised by the owner of the olive oil factory and olive restaurant in Skarinou village for £53 for residents at Palm Beach Hotel and Bungalows at 4 star hotel, seven night holidays from £557 per person (sharing) in November.
www.planet-holidays.co.uk Planet holidays 0871 871 2234
www.palmbeachhotel.com
wwwlarnakaregion.com
press visits contact Marlen Taffarello 01780 481689 marlen@fcdcom.co.uk
www.visitcyprus.com
Latvia
Latvia - all roads lead to Riga, the capita, European Capital of Culture 2014. The widest waterfall, called Venta at Kuldiga; wooden toy construction kits for houses, Ligatne underground bunker, latvia.travel/sight/secret-soviet-bunker-ligatne. Museum of fateful objects. riga2014.org
see www.latvia.travel
London
Pestana Chelsea Bridge
Chelsea Bridge Wharf
Sat nav SW8 4PP www.pestana-chelseabridge.co.uk
Marketing and PR priscilla.nascimento@pestana.com
Lithuania
See Vilnius Old town, Grutas Park in the top ten of the world's weirdest museums.
Rye bread and herring and all kinds of potato: sausages, amber processing Amber Road. What's not to like!
www.Lithuania.travel
www.tourism.lt
On the southern coast of Cyprus, Larnak is associated with Lazarus, who went to Cyprus after being raised from the dead by Jesus. You can visit the Museum of St Lazarus and St Lazarus church. Also Archaeological and Paleontology museums. Lazarus was an incoming or immigrating resident. Another famous man, an outgoing or emigrating person was Larnaka-born stoic philosopher Zenon who went to Athens.
You can marry on the island of love. Walk along the Palm Tree Parade and if your budget is exhausted there's free entry to the Pieredes Museum.
High street bakeries make honey pastries for Xmas markets and gifts. You can make your own olive oil and carob syrup and cook savouries and sweets on a day in November, organised by the owner of the olive oil factory and olive restaurant in Skarinou village for £53 for residents at Palm Beach Hotel and Bungalows at 4 star hotel, seven night holidays from £557 per person (sharing) in November.
www.planet-holidays.co.uk Planet holidays 0871 871 2234
www.palmbeachhotel.com
wwwlarnakaregion.com
press visits contact Marlen Taffarello 01780 481689 marlen@fcdcom.co.uk
www.visitcyprus.com
Latvia
Latvia - all roads lead to Riga, the capita, European Capital of Culture 2014. The widest waterfall, called Venta at Kuldiga; wooden toy construction kits for houses, Ligatne underground bunker, latvia.travel/sight/secret-soviet-bunker-ligatne. Museum of fateful objects. riga2014.org
see www.latvia.travel
London
Pestana Chelsea Bridge
Chelsea Bridge Wharf
Sat nav SW8 4PP www.pestana-chelseabridge.co.uk
Marketing and PR priscilla.nascimento@pestana.com
Lithuania
See Vilnius Old town, Grutas Park in the top ten of the world's weirdest museums.
Rye bread and herring and all kinds of potato: sausages, amber processing Amber Road. What's not to like!
www.Lithuania.travel
www.tourism.lt
Monday, November 5, 2012
World Travel Market 2012 Delights of London From Budget Hotels
World Travel Market 2012 Delights of London From Budget Hotels
The main Ibis by the ExCel centre (above) is fully booked and cost well over £100 but I found another Ibis Budget City Airport hotel was within walking distance of ExCel where the world's tourist boards and attractions gather in what is now a remodelled area of East London.
Why did the show move from Olympia/Earls Court (closing down) to here - miles from Heathrow? ExCel was chosen because it's London's biggest conference centre, they told me. I was chilled from cold wind blowing up skirts Marilyn Monroe style through East London docklands from the sea. But I was entranced by the overhead aerial pod (cable car) carrying tourists across the river.
Helpful hotel staff had suggested a quieter room over the car park. Both the hotel and (Whitbread's) Costa next door offered breakfast of a takeaway almond slice at £1.50. A bedroom cost a modest £75, had a lovely soothing lime green colour scheme, and the dinkiest little light over the bed - just reach up and tap and lights go off - and on again next morning after my helpful wake up call.
I was born late (Caesarian) but try harder by booking a hotel the day before at my destination. No time to wait for a taxi. The hotel staff give me a call by knocking on my door. Either because there is no phone in the room or the see thru hem dress I wore yesterday is even sexier than I thought.
So, already wearing my pre-printed badge, I'm soon running after others also dragging carry-on airline bags. The nearest DLR to the IBIS City Airport was Pontoon bridge and I was excited to find that I was walking across a pontoon (moving) bridge where signs warned pedestrians to stand back and get off when the bridge was moving
I ran along the huge centre to the press office for the press networking breakfast. Networking would have been faster if it had been like Speed-dating with everybody having half a minute to exchange business cards. Leith breakfasts had tasty almond pastries and they kept running to refill the run out coffee.
The Ramada reception had asked a hotelier for £300 but he found an offer of £150 on the net.
My Budget Ibis at £75 was starting to look like a bargain.
Israel's Attractions
At the Israeli tourist board promotion I've perfected my introduction, 'My name is Angela Lansbury, I'm a freelance travel writer and I'm researching my forthcoming book on Jewish travel. I already know about Abraham and Moses, and Jesus, but I and my readers would like to know about modern figures, pop starts like Amy Winehouse, or the Beatles, and why and when they visited Israel, or if you are buying souvenires of them, and your plans for more people of interest to the younger generation.' Madonna is mentioned, a barmitzvah, and the fact that the Beatles were discouraged by a prime minister who thought they'd be a bad influence on Israeli youth. Also an Israeli opera festivfal featuring operas such as Nabucco, famous for the music of the Hebrews.
In the press office outside the conference room I've just met my friend, freelance travel writer, Louise Cahill, who I met at Swanwick Writers' Summer School. She's still thanking me for introducing her the Toastmasters speakers' clubs. Toastmasters' teaches you to give impromptu speeches in 2 minutes. I don't know whether it's the training or her natural brightness but she has a good question for the ministers of tourism, more succinct than my question, 'What can I as a freelancer offer to editors which will make them think: I must run this story" ?'
We learn that Israel that Tel Aviv was voted the most innovative city (yet actually it's all art deco), Israel has four seas, the Red sea, the Dead Sea. the Sad sea of Galilee (aside losing money and water) and Israel's successful Facebook page has 1007,000 people.The Israelis calim to have invested money in historical sites connected with all religions and Palestinian tourist boards are taking the first steps towards joint marketing. Just time for a quick half bagel and I'm off to the next show. Tell you more later.
London's Latest Attractions and Travel
1 km cable car goes to Greenwich peninsular.
thecrystal.org
createlondon.org
ssrobin.org
industri-us.org
wakeupdocklands.com
gasworksdock.org.uk
wbstudiotour.co.uk (Harry Potter studio Warner Bros tours)
stratfordlondon.app.com
emiratesairline.co.uk
wtmlondon.com
The main Ibis by the ExCel centre (above) is fully booked and cost well over £100 but I found another Ibis Budget City Airport hotel was within walking distance of ExCel where the world's tourist boards and attractions gather in what is now a remodelled area of East London.
Why did the show move from Olympia/Earls Court (closing down) to here - miles from Heathrow? ExCel was chosen because it's London's biggest conference centre, they told me. I was chilled from cold wind blowing up skirts Marilyn Monroe style through East London docklands from the sea. But I was entranced by the overhead aerial pod (cable car) carrying tourists across the river.
Helpful hotel staff had suggested a quieter room over the car park. Both the hotel and (Whitbread's) Costa next door offered breakfast of a takeaway almond slice at £1.50. A bedroom cost a modest £75, had a lovely soothing lime green colour scheme, and the dinkiest little light over the bed - just reach up and tap and lights go off - and on again next morning after my helpful wake up call.
I was born late (Caesarian) but try harder by booking a hotel the day before at my destination. No time to wait for a taxi. The hotel staff give me a call by knocking on my door. Either because there is no phone in the room or the see thru hem dress I wore yesterday is even sexier than I thought.
So, already wearing my pre-printed badge, I'm soon running after others also dragging carry-on airline bags. The nearest DLR to the IBIS City Airport was Pontoon bridge and I was excited to find that I was walking across a pontoon (moving) bridge where signs warned pedestrians to stand back and get off when the bridge was moving
I ran along the huge centre to the press office for the press networking breakfast. Networking would have been faster if it had been like Speed-dating with everybody having half a minute to exchange business cards. Leith breakfasts had tasty almond pastries and they kept running to refill the run out coffee.
The Ramada reception had asked a hotelier for £300 but he found an offer of £150 on the net.
My Budget Ibis at £75 was starting to look like a bargain.
Israel's Attractions
At the Israeli tourist board promotion I've perfected my introduction, 'My name is Angela Lansbury, I'm a freelance travel writer and I'm researching my forthcoming book on Jewish travel. I already know about Abraham and Moses, and Jesus, but I and my readers would like to know about modern figures, pop starts like Amy Winehouse, or the Beatles, and why and when they visited Israel, or if you are buying souvenires of them, and your plans for more people of interest to the younger generation.' Madonna is mentioned, a barmitzvah, and the fact that the Beatles were discouraged by a prime minister who thought they'd be a bad influence on Israeli youth. Also an Israeli opera festivfal featuring operas such as Nabucco, famous for the music of the Hebrews.
In the press office outside the conference room I've just met my friend, freelance travel writer, Louise Cahill, who I met at Swanwick Writers' Summer School. She's still thanking me for introducing her the Toastmasters speakers' clubs. Toastmasters' teaches you to give impromptu speeches in 2 minutes. I don't know whether it's the training or her natural brightness but she has a good question for the ministers of tourism, more succinct than my question, 'What can I as a freelancer offer to editors which will make them think: I must run this story" ?'
We learn that Israel that Tel Aviv was voted the most innovative city (yet actually it's all art deco), Israel has four seas, the Red sea, the Dead Sea. the Sad sea of Galilee (aside losing money and water) and Israel's successful Facebook page has 1007,000 people.The Israelis calim to have invested money in historical sites connected with all religions and Palestinian tourist boards are taking the first steps towards joint marketing. Just time for a quick half bagel and I'm off to the next show. Tell you more later.
London's Latest Attractions and Travel
1 km cable car goes to Greenwich peninsular.
thecrystal.org
createlondon.org
ssrobin.org
industri-us.org
wakeupdocklands.com
gasworksdock.org.uk
wbstudiotour.co.uk (Harry Potter studio Warner Bros tours)
stratfordlondon.app.com
emiratesairline.co.uk
wtmlondon.com
Friday, November 2, 2012
World Travel Market News From South America
Amy Winehouse's polkadot dress, borrowed from the designer for the cover of Back to Black, was bought and will be displayed at the Museo de la Moda in Santiago, Chile.
wtmlondon.com
wtmlondon.com
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Etiquette worldwide
If you are going to the World Travel Market in London, here's the website.
http://www.wtmlondon.com/
If you are interested in etiquette, here's my video on you tube.
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlQsmG_dSxE&feature=relmfu
Angela on restaurant table etiquette
http://www.wtmlondon.com/
If you are interested in etiquette, here's my video on you tube.
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlQsmG_dSxE&feature=relmfu
Angela on restaurant table etiquette
Harry Potter Tours Worldwide and Good Hobbits
Driving north of Watford, Hertfordshire you pass the signs to the Harry Potter Tour opened earlier in 2012. I was keen to go and thought I'd get a dinner date to take me and treat me - until I saw the adult entry price is £28. Maybe I can wave a magic wand and get a trip. The first step in any trip is to do research on deals. Either find a reduced price off season deal or get something else thrown in free.
From central London you can book a tour with tea or lunch or dinner at a de Vere Hotel (which has a swimming pool - might stay there one day). A hunt around the net shows pictures of the studio sets - at first sight it's a great day out for a family, with a family ticket for four (2 adults 2 children) costing about £83. What about a little souvenir from the shop as you leave? Add about £25 for a wand. I might treat myself to a stage prop, but I can see that if you've two or three children, it's a bit pricey, even if they share. ('Play nicely, childen!')
(What does the wand do? Light up? I presume something flashy, literally. With batteries? It's fourteen inches long and you wave it and it goes on. Wave it again and it goes off. Type in Harry Potter wand on the internet and you'll find them at all prices, literally more or less.
You can buy a broom in Tesco Express for halloween. Prices should be down on Nov 1st. By next week you won't get one for money or love. I bought a broom for 24p. I shall only use it once a year in a speech and I need to store it all year but I could not resist the temptation of a bargain. Would a Harry Potter wand be a better investment?)
(What does the wand do? Light up? I presume something flashy, literally. With batteries? It's fourteen inches long and you wave it and it goes on. Wave it again and it goes off. Type in Harry Potter wand on the internet and you'll find them at all prices, literally more or less.
You can buy a broom in Tesco Express for halloween. Prices should be down on Nov 1st. By next week you won't get one for money or love. I bought a broom for 24p. I shall only use it once a year in a speech and I need to store it all year but I could not resist the temptation of a bargain. Would a Harry Potter wand be a better investment?)
If you are a tourist or want a holiday treat you might as well add a wand to the cost to the price of your flight and accommodation and meals if it makes your trip. For a day out with children, it compares well with similarly priced Madame Tussauds and theme parks like Thorpe Park and Alton Towers.
Adults would probably think it's no more than a football ticket - as for the tickets for the Olympics- people were paying hundreds of pounds.
Is the Harry Potter trip worth the money. Yes. Especially as you learn about film production as well as seeing sets of this film.
The latest I learned at WTM is that in November 2012 they added the ability to walk across the bridge you could previously only view from afar. What bridge? The one which Harry stands on at the end of the film as everything explodes around him.
The latest I learned at WTM is that in November 2012 they added the ability to walk across the bridge you could previously only view from afar. What bridge? The one which Harry stands on at the end of the film as everything explodes around him.
Trusty wiki reveals that you could also visit the Harry Potter theme park in Florida; and they are building one in west coast USA near Hollwood.
On one of the forums an adult said you can visit The Hobbit pub in Southampton for free. (Then buy a cocktail or tee-shirt - according to the pub's website.) The pub had a dispute about copyright which despite their arguing that the word Hobbit predates its use by the company. But they seem to have settled amicably on a fee of £65 a year. Last time I looked you paid a fee of about £25 for an amateur company or school to perform a copyright play or musical.
If you want me to jump around on stage in my wig it's £50 an hour for a family of four - or any number. See me at Harrovian Speakers in NW London (I'm President and open and close the meetings). I also appear for at other toastmasters clubs in the UK and Singapore.
Most years I'm at the World Travel Market in Edexcel in London.
HARRY POTTER and HOBBIT and HAZEL NUTTER websites
www.thehobbitpub.co.uk.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2114972/Harry-Potter-studio-tour-review
booking.deverevenues.co.uk
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The-Wizarding-World-of-Harry-Potter
wbstudiotour.co.uk
www.harrovians.org.uk
https://sites.google.com/site/annalondon8/jewishtravelguideandquotations
http://www.wtmlondon.com/ (World Travel Market 2012 at Edexcel)
HARRY POTTER and HOBBIT and HAZEL NUTTER websites
www.thehobbitpub.co.uk.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2114972/Harry-Potter-studio-tour-review
booking.deverevenues.co.uk
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The-Wizarding-World-of-Harry-Potter
wbstudiotour.co.uk
www.harrovians.org.uk
https://sites.google.com/site/annalondon8/jewishtravelguideandquotations
http://www.wtmlondon.com/ (World Travel Market 2012 at Edexcel)
A bilingual club is not the same as a foreign language club.
I was told by somebody in Singapore that going to a Mandarin speaking club helped them learn Mandarin. So I went to one. But I hardly understood a word all evening. I assumed that somebody would speak English or translate. I should have got hold of a manual in that language first and got some basic phrases translated.