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Tuesday, February 28, 2023

Bubble tea - what is it? Good or bad? An experience - and a souvenir!

 I tried bubble tea for the first time. I'd heard of it, but never tried it. I don't drink tea I am a coffee drinker. But bubble tea is something else. Bubble tea is more like a cocktail, like a milkshake.

The tea itself is coloured and comes in a transparent container so you can see the colour. At the bottom are the bubbles, which are globules of tapioca. Chewy.

Angela holding the transparent cup with the globules in the base and the wide red straw. Photo by Angela Lansbury.


You drink it though a wide straw.

It would be easy to become hooked. If you have any sort of weight problem, don't start, don't continue.

Bubble tea is big in Taiwan, Singapore, all over Asia, but also increasingly in the UK and USA and worldwide. 

I had bubble tea for the first time in February 2023 at the Toastmasters International speech contest for Division S areas, at the interval. The tall transparent 'glasses' were different colours. However, the names of the contents were written in labels stuck on the sides. 

I chose something which seemed to have a fruity flavour. A faint fruity taste. Then something chewy, like gum, like jelly, like gelatine. I wasn't sure if I liked it. 

You cannot eat or drink on the Singapore MRT. So I hid it away in a secure padded bag. I always carry a padded bag for such an event where I might carry something such as a bottle of water or drink. I don't want to spill on my papers, nor my dress, nor the ground, nor somebody else's property. 

When I got home, I finished it. By now I was used to it. I quite liked it. I could easily get to really like it.




I saved the straw. Use it again. To save filling up landfill. To bypass your white teeth with staining liquids. To reach the bottom of a long glass without tipping the drink down your front and wetting or staining your clothes, or getting your nose in the drink nor o the container which spreads germs. To add fun. To add colour.

Useful Websites

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_tea

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Third set of Albanian words - simple spelling. Five easy words for hotel, restaurant, museum, tourist, visitor


Post under construction. come back soon

THE SAME WORD!

1 The word hotel is the same in both languages. 


SMALL CHANGES In Spelling

Simplest Change  - S to Z

2 Museum, change the s to z and drop the um end. Muze.

3 Visitor, change the s to Z. Vizitor.


SLIGHTLY HARDER CHANGES in spelling

Change by dropping o or inserting o

4 Tourist - simplify the spelling by dropping the o, turist

5 Restaurant in Albanian is spelled similarly to the English, but with simplified spelling. Change the au to o. Restorant.

We can now read and recognize 5 words.


English - Albanian

boat/plane varkë/aeroplan

cheap/expensive e lire e shtrenjte

hotel/restaurant hotel/restorant

How much Sa shumë

museum/shop muze/dyqan

one, two, many një, dy, shumë

tourist/visitor turist/vizitor


Albanian - English

varkë/aeroplan boat/plane hotel/restorant hotel/restaurant muze/dyqan museum/shop turist/vizitor tourist/visitor një, dy, shumë one, two, many Sa shumë How much e lire e shtrenjte cheap/expensive


Short phrases paired

I want it/I don't want it

I like it/I don't like it

too hot/too cold

I am/You are

I am worried/tired

I am relieved/grateful

I am well/happy/fine/good

how are you?/that's good


let's go

let\s start

that's all

it's done/finished

is that okay?

is that enough?

How do I pay?/Here is the money/

Questions

are you

where is

shkojme

le të fillojmë

kjo eshte e gjitha

është bërë/mbaruar

A eshte ne rregull?

mjafton kaq?

Si të paguaj?/Këtu janë paratë/

Pyetje

jeni ju

ku është



e dua/nuk e dua

më pëlqen/nuk më pëlqen

shumë nxehtë/shumë ftohtë

Unë jam/Ti je

jam i shqetësuar/i lodhur

Unë jam i lehtësuar/mirënjohës

Unë jam mirë / i lumtur / mirë / mirë

si jeni?/kjo është mirë




e dua/nuk e dua

më pëlqen/nuk më pëlqen

shumë nxehtë/shumë ftohtë

Unë jam/Ti je

jam i shqetësuar/i lodhur

Unë jam i lehtësuar/mirënjohës

Unë jam mirë / i lumtur / mirë / mirë

si jeni?/kjo është mirë



shkojme

le të fillojmë

kjo eshte e gjitha

është bërë/mbaruar

A eshte ne rregull?

mjafton kaq?

Si të paguaj?/Këtu janë paratë/

Pyetje

jeni ju

ku është

Useful Websites

Translate Google

Wikipedia

Wikivoyage

More Albanian - needs on arrival and getting about

 

Flag of Albania.

I made lists of words I thought I would need to use or recognize when travelling, common words and useful words.

Words which are the same or nearly the same are hotel and farmaci.

Common words
and - dhe
danger - rreziku
the -
or - ose
you - ju
warning -paralajmërim 


dhe - and të - the ju - you
ose - or paralajmërim - warning
rreziku- danger

You may need 

Linking words English - Albanian


at/beside - në/përkrah

from - nga

to - te

right/left - djathtas /majtas

yes/no po/jo

please/thank you - ju lutem/faleminderit

hello/goodbye - përshëndetje / mirupafshim

boy/girl - djale vajze

man/women - burrë/grua


Albanian - English (alphabetically) 

burrë/grua - man/woman
djale vajze - boy/girl
djathtas majtas - right/left
ju lutem/faleminderit - please/thank you
në/përkrah - at/beside
nga - from
përshëndetje / mirupafshim - hello/goodbye
po/jo - yes/no
te - to


Countries

Albania/Albanian

England/English

America/American

London/Londoner

Germany/German

Shqipëri/shqiptar
Angli/Anglisht
Amerikë/Amerikane
Londër/Londër
Gjermani/gjerman

Albanian - English

ajo - she

ju - you ( similar to the French tu, two letters, but more like d'you, to remember the j, I think you juvenile)

bar/snack bar/coffee shop/bistro/cheap restaurant/fine restaurant/local style restaurant/national food


From Maps

bridge - urë

cafe - kafene

car park - parkim makinash

city - qytet

drinking water

drug store - farmaci

entrance - hyrje

exit - dalje

free - falas

hotel - hotel

urë - BRIDGE
kafene- CAFE
parkim makinash - CAR PARK
qytet - CITY
ujë i pijshëm - DRINKING WATER
farmaci - pharmacy (UK) drug store (USA)
hyrje - entrance
dalje - exit
falas - free
hotel - hotel


Useful websites

wikivoyage

How To Conquer Fear Of Flying

Delay due to lightning risk. Photo by Trevor Sharot. Copyright.

I used to be terrified of flying. I was upset by the clanking if the landing gear being pulled up. I felt sick when the plane tipped sideways as it did a U turn in the air our t of the airport.

Now, all that is over. I have more trivial things to worry about. When can I go to the toilet? Will I get food to which I am allergic?  

Glossary

aerophobia - fear of flying

 Useful Websites

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-11789499/Im-British-Airways-captain-facts-help-cure-fear-flying.html

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22431-aerophobia-fear-of-flying#:~:text=Aerophobia%20is%20a%20fear%20of,Request%20an%20Appointment

Monday, February 27, 2023

Would you swap seats? Aisle, middle, window seat? Together or separate?

Window seat view at night. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Booking Seats

If you want to sit together on a plane, choose seats as early as you can.

I used to like window seats. I liked to see the view, and take photos. But I was claustrophobic. One day I was forced to take an aisle seat. I discovered that the long view up the aisle was more to my liking and left me calmer.


Changing Seats

 At the check-in you are often asked if you want to move if you are sitting separately. If you are not asked, that is the time to ask.

Once on the plane, you might ask the airline staff. 

Third choice would be to ask passengers.

Advantages of the Window Seat

Seeing the ground as you leave and arrive. Getting good photos. You can lean towards the window to sleep.

Advantages of the middle seat

Two chances of chatting to somebody interesting or meeting the man or woman of your dreams.

Advantages of the Aisle Seat

Advantages of the aisle.are that if you are claustrophobic you can focus on the long view down the aisle. One arm is free. You only have albows and bodies and legs of another passenger on one side. 

Useful Website

 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11797491/Debate-rages-airplane-etiquette-Virgin-passenger-refuses-swap-seats-Jay-Kloss.html#comments

Noah's Ark Reproduced In a Kentucky theme Park and Noah's pudding





 

If you can't get to Kentucky, day or night, there are others worldwide. If you are staying at home, you could make yourself Noah's ark pudding, known as Ashure.

I have several posts about Noah's ark, other biblical replicas and Noah's ark pudding.

https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2021/07/noahs-pudding-new-dish-fromturkey.html

Useful Information

https://www.heraldweekly.com/scientists-believe-that-may-have-discovered-2000-year-old-remains-of-noahs-ark/27?xcmg=1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah%27s_Ark_replicas_and_derivatives

Noah\s Ark pudding (ashure)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashure

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Saturday, February 25, 2023

Bhutan and Butter Tea at NATAS at Expo Singapore

 I went to the NATAS national travel agents show at Expo in Singapore. I saw a man wearing the attractive Bhutan costume.

The show's dates are Friday to Sunday.
I stopped at the stand of a company offering package tour trips to Bhutan. More about that tomorrow. Their leaflet mentioned butter tea.

Useful websites
Expo, Singapore

Contest Season For Toastmasters Worldwide - where to watch and what to wear

 


Angela Lansbury in red Be Jealous jacket, and folding brim baseball cap, and red flowers. Photo taken using Angela's Samsun, by friend Josie with Josie's riotous red flowers.

I initially wanted to perform on Zoom to save the travel time and travel stress. Then I realised I could visit a show at Ewxpo at the same time, and use more dramatic gestures, and not have to worry about poor sound quality on zoom, losing the connection, or having the top of my head missing, or losing the drama of waving my hands.

I dressed in red for dramatic effect and to keep myself awake.

On my way out I passed this great plant and my friend Josie rushed out to greet me and helped take a photo of me alongside the plant.

 593 Dress of the day for a speaking contest


Angela before the speech contest for Area S5. 

Looking at this photo, I realise that my red jacket is falling off my right shoulder, because of a longstanding problem of a broken collar bone from a car accident. My standing with my arm on a shelf helps, but not enough. 

I should also have combed my hair, which I did later. If you don't look good in photos, don't retreat and say, I don't look good in photos. The photo is telling you the truth. A reminder of what you need to do to improve your appearance. I must go off and add some king of brooch or tie to the jacket.



Angela speaking on stage. I forgot to take photos on stage before the contest. I was busy rehearsing the words of my speech and sorting out the props.



Angela on stage with Division S banner, Div S5 director, and fellow contestants, Angeline far right, and Ryan far left.



Div S speech contests.

Div S speech contests.


Angela Lansbury in red, white and black. On second thoughts, or looks, the dress has brown disc patterns on the left of the central column.

Hat
New Year's Even paper hat saved from a New Year's Eve event.
It needs elastic to stop it falling off.

Black, Red and White Print dress
Second hand from Refash.

White Sleeves
White sleeves attached to a small size bodice. I cut the elastic around the top of the arms.

Red sandals. 

Free-step. Size 4.

Useful Websites

Lots of pretty sandals are on Amazon at all prices, with delivery prices and availability varying by country. 


Please save and share links to your favourite posts.
More photos and comments on this event on the BHA Facebook page.
Red jacket
Be Jealous

Useful Websites

Friday, February 24, 2023

Easy languages Italian

 Italian, like Spanish and Swedish, is an easy language if your first or second language is English or you learned Latin at school. Yesterday I went to an Italian restaurant, so I looked at their menu, started translating and listing the Italian words, then decided to switch from learning Spanish on Duolingo back to learning Italian, for the day. This morning on my way to exercise (swimming) I turned on the mobile phone whilst waiting for the lift and up popped the Italian, so I did another exercise. Back at my desk, after breakfast, I was too tired and lazy to start work, so I did another Italian exercise. Here are the good and confusing words I round.



Easy Italian - English

cavallo - horse (like the English word cavalry)

con - with (the same as Latin)

cugino - cousin - both Italian and English words contain the letters c, o, u, i, n. Just swap the g for an s)

fratello - brother (like fraternal, fraternity, o is masculine)

Io - I

mio - my (The Italian is pronounced like me -oh)

nome - name (the consonants n and me are the same and the last vowel e is the same.  We use no in nomenclature.

o - or (same letter starts both)

nonna - granny - often called nan or nanny in English

sinistra - left (the origin of our English word sinister)

sorella - sister (starts with the letter s, similar to sorority, a is feminine

strada - street (starts with the same three letters)

telefono - telephone

treno - train

verde - green (like the English word verdant)


English - Easy Italian 

brother - fratello (like fraternal, fraternity, o is masculine)

cousin - cugino  -  both Italian and English words contain the letters c, o, u, i, n. Just swap the g for an s)

granny - nonna often called nan or nanny in English

green  - verde (like the English word verdant)

horse - cavallo (like the English word cavalry) - cavallo  

I - Io

left - sinistra

my - mio (The Italian is pronounced like me -oh)

name - nome - (the consonants n and me are the same and the last vowel e is the same.  We use no in nomenclature.

or - o (same letter starts both)

sister - sorella  (starts with the letter s, similar to sorority, a is feminine

street - strada

telephone - telefono

train - treno

with - con (the same as Latin)

Useful Websites

duolingo.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_language

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Italian_phrasebook

Goodbye and thank you = arrivederci e grazie

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Aggiungi segnalibri e condividi i link ai tuoi post preferiti con i tuoi amici preferiti

Thursday, February 23, 2023

Great food and good wine at the new Gotti Italian restaurant in Singapore, Singapore

 


Gotti restaurant mural puts you in the mood for good wine, good food and good company.

I went to a set meal where the wines and food were matched, starting with Prosecco at Gotti restaurant in Singapore. 

Amoy Street
From the nearby MRT underground railway station was a short pleasant walk along Amoy Alley which has a large mural.  

Amoy Alley mural. Photo by Angela Lansbury

Amoy Street
Amoy Alley to Amoy street full of intriguing restaurants. One restaurant  has a Michelin star, probably pricey.

Despite all the other alternatives and distractions we were immediately impressed by the atmosphere of the relatively new, open about three months, Gotti restaurant.

Table Lamps
The table lamps are touch sensitive with two standards of light or shade. It is fun, but if you reach for something and hit the light you and your plate are plunged into darkness! 

Seating
The layout offers a choice of seating. Just incise the entrance door is a bar with illuminated alcoves.
Bar seating. Photo by Angela Lansbury.


Beyond the bar are big table for three or four with banquettes and smaller tables for two with one person on the banquette and another on the upright chair, and in the middle of the room, tables for two, with lower armchairs, which offers cosiness, as well as not blocking the line of sight to the large jolly coloured mural at the end of the room.

The mural
The mural is modern style. 

Toilets
Beyond it are the modern toilets with playing card themes.



Prosecco
We started with a glass of Prosecco. And warm bread with oil, Italian style. I asked for butter, and got it.

The first course was flavoursome and a surprise. Bread topped with teeny cubes of tomato, smaller than my smallest fingernail, like juliennes cut in both directions.


Gotti Salad


Gotti salad. Cheese with tomatoes. Table lamp which alters when you touch it.  Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.


Gotti Restaurant pasta.  Pasta with duck. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

The surname Gotti could be derived from Gothic or army ruler.  The restaurant is named after  famous American mob boss John Gotti, made famous in a film of the same name.




Gotti Chocolate Dessert

Full marks for a touch of fruit.

Gotti restaurant, chocolate lava cake dessert. Photo by Angela Lansbury


Useful Websites

Gotti Restaurant

Italian Restaurant

Gotti Italiano

78 Amoy Street

Tanjong Pagar

Singapore

tel

website

https://www.gotti.sg/

email

MRT, Telok Ayer

Telok Ayer means bay water in Malay.

Modern mural in Telok Ayer MRT station.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Telok Ayer MRT with barrell like structures.

Italian wines, Italian restaurants, learning more about Italian wines at an Italian restaurant called Gotti in Singapore


The Flag of Italy, called the tricolore or three colours.

 In the Sixties the well known Italian white wine was Asti Spumante, Asti being the place name, spumante meaning sparkling; but Prosecco has become well-known worldwide, fun for special days, any day, with a little sparkle or a lot. I tend to order any prosecco. But my visit to ProWine in Singapore in autumn 2022 and a meeting of the producers or prosecco wines enlightened me to the fact that all proseccos are not the same. 

If you want to taste wines at other times of year, there are several things you can do. 

1 The simplest and quickest is to buy a couple of bottles of different labels from your nearest supermarket or wine shop and do a comparison. 

2 You can visit an Italian restaurant and ask the advice of a sommerlier. Check out the wine tastings during the year.

3 Go to a large wine and food show. You will find most countries with a large tourist industry will have a wine of food show for the public, as well as others for the trade.

4 Take a course on wine or spirits, such as the ones run by WSET, which stands for Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

5 Visit wineries for wine tastings when on holiday, or business, in your home country or overseas.

I went to a set meal where the wines and food were matched, starting with Prosecco at Gotti restaurant in Singapore.

Gotti Restaurant

The surname Gotti could be derived from Gothic or army ruler. A famous gotti was an American mob boss John Gotti, made famous in a film of the same name.

Greetings and phrases


Italian Menu translations - English

con - with

del - of the

di - of

dolce - sweets (desserts)

e - and

filetto - filet

forno - oven

funghi - mushroom

giorno - day (as in dish of the day)

insalata - salad

limoni - lemon

mare - sea

patate - potatoes

pollo - chicken

primi - first (course)

salmone - salmon

secondi - second (course)

tartare - uncooked (meat) or raw

zuppe - soup



Useful Websites

WSET

ProWine


Italian Restaurant

Gotti Italiano

78 Amoy Street

Tanjong Pagar

Singapore

tel

website

https://www.gotti.sg/

email

MRT, Telok Ayer

Telok Ayer means bay water in Malay.


Exhibitions

Oct 22-25 2023 Singapore Expo

https://www.fhahoreca.com/

https://www.singaporeexpo.com.sg/events-calendar


Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Safe Hiking

 Are there any hikes suitable for groups with splendid views and safety barriers all the way? If so, we need a book listing them. If not, some millionaire or tourist board should ensure that every country has one foolproof beginners' hiking trail.

PACKING LIST

hat

visor /baseball cap

Neck protector / scarf

a large triangular scarf can be used as a sling

gloves

sunglasses

Spare glasses / prescription

reading glasses for menus and maps and shopping

lip salve

mosquito and insect repellent

Suncream

sunbrn ointment

bite relief

blister pads / 

elastoplast (UK brand) (USA sticking plaster)

first aid kit

swimsuit for waterfalls, and towel for changing and drying

swimhat

jacket with sleeves

shirt with fold back tab sleeves

shirt with no-sew snaps instead of buttons

sewing kit

water bottle

enough water for a day and a night

GPS / watch

phone and charger

jacket with exterior and interior pockets

food such as 

directions and map

route left with person back at hotel (in case search is needed)

fill up car with petrol

maps of locality

maps on mobile phone

address of restaurant or hotel for later (in case you lose the guide or the last car and need a taxi)

alternative route in case you are tired or the route is blocked by rock fall or wild animals

guide on phone to edible and poisonous plants

vitamin pills in case restaurant is shut because of weather or wedding or national holiday or staff illness

address of nearest doctor or hospital

spare socks in case yours get wet or your shoes break

small tie in case you end up in a hotel restaurant, can also be used as tourniquet

torch for evening walks, campsite toilets

check under car and inside for animals or insects or humans or bombs or leaks

before accepting a lift, get the identity of the driver and photograph the numberplate and send it off

do not reveal your route on the media if you are likely to be followed, endangered or if you do not want people to know that your house is empty - put up your travel story a couple of days later and/or after you have returned to base

umbrella or parasol

something to sit on for resting or on walls which might have prickles or dirty or insects

watch water in Florida for sleeping crocodiles

keep away from cliff edges which might be slippery or crumble 


Leave only footprints.

Useful Websites

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11779419/Second-17-year-old-10-days-falls-death-hiking-friends-Utah.html#newcomment

https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/national-forests-grasslands/access-for-all/short-hikes

The start of a hike in Cyprus. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

The Ivy Restaurant in St Johns Wood, London

 There's the famous Ivy restaurant in central London, very expensive and hard to book. Then, there's the Ivy Restaurant in St John's Wood, NW London. Famous locally.

A favourite of my family. They went there to celebrate an anniversary. the restaurant can supply fancy desserts. No age restriction. They welcome children and toddlers.

The Ivy Restaurant, St John's Wood, London. Photo from Sharot family. Copyright.

In addition to the two in London, you will find Ivy restaurants in ABCD and M - Los Angeles, Birmingham, Cambridge, Manchester. There are many more spinoffs, some restaurants for fine dining and others called brasseries and cafes with slightly different branding.

Historic Pictures


Useful Websites


Please share links to your favourite posts.

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Visit A German Winery to Buy Wine, or from Wine Connection Bistro, Singapore, German Riesling and Portuguese Port

 I went to a wine tasting, a German and Port Wine Masterclass, at Wine Connection in Singapore, where I met Johannes Selbach who had come from Selbach-Oster in Germany to do a tour of Asia, showing his bottles of  medium dry and sweet mostly white Rieslings and Jorge Nunes from the Symington Estates showing his delectable red Ports.


Johannes in the centre with Angela on the left and another guest at the table.

The German vineyard has a wine shop you can visit and pay for a tasting of the wines. Reisling and others.



Jorge Numes of the Symington family in Portugal, with Angela Lansbury at the Reisling and port tasting at Wine Cnnection. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.



The Wine Connection has premises all over Singapore selling wines and serving restaurant food with wines, as well as putting on events. I have been to Wine Connection for dinner in Hillvy2 near Hillview MRT underground railway station, but the central branch by Orchard Boulevard MRT station is different again. The Wine Connection in Tanglin Mall has huge premises, a cosy, but open on one side, indoor restaurant on the ground floor, plus a large, spacious courtyard area.



At this branch we had a choice of the wine tasting with talks by the two VIP, but casual and chatty visitors throughout the tasting and generous and attractive shared between two plates of cheese, with hot bread and butter, a little green salad with a tiny tomato each, and a teeny pot of quince jam to go with the various small dices of cheese (plus one small piece of pate. 
Later that evening there was a full dinner paired with the wines at a higher price.



When I finished off my bread I got a refill of hot bread which melted the butter. Delicious.

My water was refilled promptly from a tall metal water jug.


I also loved the wines. I am a sweet wine person. (I like Italian Prosecco, too. I am a cheap date. 

Riesling is often slightly too sour for me. Our host/visitor/expert, Johannes, (German for John) explained that Rieslings from other countries often have the distinctive petrol taste, but his wines do not. 

Getting to Tanglin Mall

Wine connection has about 13 restaurants and cheese bars all over Singapore. They have a large selection of cheeses.

Useful websites

Tanglin Mall
Orchard Boulevard MRT station
Singapore tourism
Germany tourism
Portugal tourism

Wine Connection


More photos and text shortly

New Orchard Boulevard MRT, Orchard Mall and Wine connection

 


Walking back to Orchard Boulevard from the Tanglin Mall. Photo by Angela Lansbury.



Orchard Boulevard is a new station on the Singapore MRT underground railway. It opened in late 2023.

New, pale colours, cream and clean. 


 It is two stops away from Orchard, (which is at the centre of the city and shopping), at the East end of the Orchard Road.

This is the station for visiting the almost adjacent Tanglin Mall. The Tanglin Mall is a smart, multi-storey, modern shopping mall. 

(Not to be confused with the old Tanglin Shopping Centre which has a few steps up to an outside walkway. A recent, 2023 article on the mall with lots of pictures is from Eisen Teo.)

We visited the Orchard Mall for a wine event at the Wine Connection.
Wine Connection, Tanglin Mall, Singapore, photo by Angela Lansbury.

For pictures and information on Wine Connection, see the next post.

Useful Websites
https://www.historybyeisen.com/post/50-years-of-tanglin-shopping-centre

Friday, February 17, 2023

Start Albanian with ling app

Flag of Albania. Wikipedia.


The Ling app course on Albanian started with the alphabet, not too difficult. Then it progressed to pictures of a man, women, boy and girl. You matched them up with pictures and written words.

English - Albanian

you - ju

boy - djalë

he - ai

girl - vajze

man - njeri

she - ajo

Woman -- gruaja

please - ju letem (my memory aid is it is two words like por favor, in Spanish, ju is you, think if you let me,  or do you let me ju letem)

Now you can use translate google

and - dhe

thank you -faleminderit 

hello - Përshëndetje - (more challenging)

goodbye - mirupafshim


Albanian - English

you - ju ( similar to the French tu, but more like d'you, to remember the j, I think you juvenile)


Well, folks, that's all. faleminderit, dhe mirupafshim.

Useful Websites

 https://play.ling-app.com/learn/unit/1/lesson/1

https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Albanian_phrasebook

Spanish made simple



 I have been learning Spanish on Duolingo. 

Here are some easy words:


Spanish - English (Easy to recognize and remember)

come (verb) - eat (like the Enlish word, noun, comestible)

contento (m adjective) contenta (F adjective) - contented/happy

en - in

hombre - man (think of human, or homo sapiens, or the French word which is written the same but pronounced differently)

mucho - much

no - don't

oficina - office

siete - seven

usted - you (formal)

Yo - I


English - Spanish

contented/happy - contento/a

desk - escritorio (place where scribes sit to inscribe)

don't - no

eat (verb) - come (like the English word, noun, comestible)

I - yo

in - en

man - hombre

much - mucho

office - oficina

seven - siete

you - usted (formal)


Useful but harder or confusing words

Spanish - English

abrigo - coat

ella - she (not a girl's name, but you could think, 'Ella, she ....'

English - Spanish

coat - abrigo


Useful Websites

Duolingo

Wikipedia

translate google

Wednesday, February 15, 2023

29 rooms and Klook discounts

 29 rooms offers you photo opportunities in 29 rooms, some of which have smells. One contains a bar where you get a cocktail.

Useful Websites

https://www.klook.com/en-SG/activity/76931-29rooms-asia-admission-singapore/

Religious Festivals, Buddhist, Chinese/Lunar, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Muslim



Useful Websites

Buddhist

Christian

Hindu

Jewish

Muslim


By Month

JAN

Jan 1 New Year's Day

Jan 22-23 CNY 


God of prosperity


FEB

Feb 14 Christian St Valentine's Day



MAR

APR

Apr 7 Good Friday

Apr 10 Easter Monday 

Apr 22 Hari Raya Puasa

MAY

JUN

JUL

AUG

SEPT

OCT

NOV

DEC


Jewish

https://www.jewishillini.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/3673924/jewish/Jewish-Holidays-2022-2026.htm