Found on Facebook.
Kipling statue in Burwash village, East Sussex, UK.
Churchill By Pousada and Historic Hotel, Madeira, Portuguese island.
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Sunday, December 31, 2023
Statues to Sit Beside
Friday, December 29, 2023
Easy Words In Spanish
SPANISH - ENGLISH
banco - bank
flor - flower (just add the letters we)
palacio - palace
rio - river
usted - you
villa - villa/house
vino - wine
ENGLISH - SPANISH
bank- banco
flower - flor (just drop the letters we, think of floral)
palace - palacio
river - rio
villa - villa
wine - vino
you - usted
Useful Websites
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Please share links to your favourite posts.
help when considering renting or buying a home in France or Spain
French - English
locataire - tenant/renter
English - French
tenant - locataire
I wrote to one rental agency. They said they only rented up to 90 days, not a year. It must be some legal thing, do do with being a visitor or a resident.
Useful Websites
FRANCE
https://culturetravel.com/renting-in-france/#:~:text=Basic%20French%20Rental%20Property%20Requirements,heating%20system%2C%20and%20water%20pipes.
SPAIN
Can't sleep? Count Spanish words, A- Z
I woke at seven a.m, having gone to bed well past minight, about 12.45 am. I went to the bathroom. My husband followed me and told me, it's too early to get up. You haven't had enough sleep. go back to bed.
So I lay down, but I was awake. I thought, what can I do to pass the time whilst I keep my eyes shut and rested? I can think of Spanish words, A to Z.
I was losing count, losing my place, so I did them in sets of five, counting on my fingers. Left hand a b c d e. Right hand f g h i j. Every time I got stumped I went back to the start. I kept getting odd words for later on. Por favor would do for the letter P.
I finally decided to give up and get up. Maybe I had dozed off or daydreamed, because by now it was 8.30, time for breakfast, another hour and a half of sleep or at least rest. I was pleased.
Meanwhile, I had another way of recalling and practicing my Spanish words, keeping them fresh in my memory, as well as a regular system for getting to sleep, distracting from churning or streesful thoughts with emotionally neutral and repeititve calming thoughts at bedtime or when waking in the night. Or too early in the monring. here are some of my suggestions for my A to Z of Spanish words. Pick your own, using my first list as inspiration. I start with the common everyday words one might come across on maps, street signs, or in conversation, or want to use, then a specilised word.
flag of Spain
Flag of Mexico
SPANISH - English A - Z
agua - water Angeles, as in Los Aangeles, angels, plural
b for buena as in buena vista Blanco white. B my husband who is a wine educator suggested bodega, which means winery
c cerveza been ciudad dity centro centre calle road, cafe cafe caliente hot
d domingo sunday desayuno breakfast
e el the masculine este this entrada entrance
f feliz happy as in feliz navidad happy Christmas literally happy nativity freddo cold fantastico fantastic
g grande large as in rio grande, or is that Portuguese?
h hacienda inn hola is hello
iIngles with an accent on the e English
j la jirafa - the giraffe
k kiosko is kiosk koala is koala, kayak, kiwi, kimono
l los the plural as in Los Angeles
m mia mine as in Mama Mia madere mother. Menu is menu.
n nada as in de nada for nothing, reply to thank you, equivalent of it's nothing, or don't mention it navidad, nativity as in the song Feliz Navidad, meaning Happy Christmas
o olivas - olives
p por favor for a four, please, equivalent of the English phrase, do me a favour
q quiero I want, useful phrase in a restaurant when ordering food, or poinint in a fast food place with bowls of food on a counter queso is cheese
r rio river roasad rose wine, blush wine
s senor, sir or mister
t tinto, red or tinted wine
u usted you (plural or formal) usar to use uvas grapes uno is one
v vaso - glass villa house, large detached house vino wine
w whisky waffle (wafle?) wifi (no w in Spanish, but borrowed words place namedand personal names such as William)
x xilofon with an accent upwards on thesecond and last o for emphasis
y y means and
z zorro fox zapatos shoes
.svg.png)
ENGLISH - SPANISH A-Z
a apple in Spanish is manzana
b breakfast - desayuno
c city in Spanish is ciudad
d day is dia
e evening in Spanish is noche
f fruit in Spanish is frutas
g giraffe is jirafa
h house is casa but home is hogar
i I is yo but I am is simply the verb soy
j jugar to play
k kiosk is kiosko koala is koala king in Spanish is rey
l large is grande
m menu is menu mapa is map mixed - mixta
n new is nuevo manculine or nueva feminine
o old in Spanish is vieja faminine or viejo masculine
p pay in Spanish is pagar
q nish is reina
r royal in Spanish is real radio is radio
s Spain is Espana and Spanish is espanol. Add the sign over the n by copying the word from another source such as Wikipedia.
t the is la or el or los for plural as in Los Angeles
u up in Spanish is arriba, upstairs is piso superior
v very is muy
w wine is vino water is agua
x x-ray in spanish is radiografia
y you plural is usted
z zoo in Spanish can be the same or zoologico with an upward accent on the third of the four letter o
Useful websites
https://spanish.yabla.com/lesson-20-Spanish-Words-That-Start-With-K-2220
https://www.quora.com/What-are-some-Spanish-words-starting-with-the-letter-U
https://www.fluentu.com/blog/spanish/spanish-words-that-start-with-x/
Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.
Spanish words on your Mexican or Spanish or South American restaurant menu and in the restaurant
I have been religiously learning Spanish words prior to y next trip to a Spanish speaking country, Spain. Spanish is also useful for South America as well as central America, nd is increasingly used in the USA. I practise on Duolingo every day. I also have Berlitz's earworms. Here are some handy words and phrases>
Spanish - English
agua - water
bebidas - drinks
blanco - white
botella - bottle (Double l pronounced like y)
cerveza - beer
cuchara - spoon (starts cu like cup shape)
dua - two (like duo)
menu - menu
mesa - table
por favor - please
rosado - rose wine
sal - salt
te - you singular
tinto - red wine (think of tinted)
vaso - glass (my memory aid is glas vase)
vino - wine
English - Spanish
beer - cerveza
bottle - botella
drink/drinks - la babida (las) bebidas
fork -
glass - vaso
knife - c
menu - menu
my - mi
please - por favor
red wine - vino tinto (adjective second)
rose wine - rosado
salt - sal
Spoon - cuchara
table - mesa
two - dua
white - blanco
wine - vino
waiter -
water - agua
you (singular) - te
Quiz
Questions
Give the Spanish for
1 table
2 knife
3 fork
4 spoon
5 two
6 wine
7 water
8 waiter
9
10
Answers
1 mesa
2
3
4 cuchara
5
6 vino
7 dua
8 agua
9
10
Useful Websites
duolingo.com
Wikivoyage phrasebook
Thursday, December 28, 2023
Spanish words on maps
Flag of Spain
Useful words in Mexico, Spain and South America.
Spanish - English
aguas - waters
casa - house
casita/caseta - little house, cottage
cortijo - farm estate
cuidad - city
espacio publico - public space
la - the
los - the (plural)
villa - house
English Spanish
city - cuidad
cottage - casita
farm estate - cortijo
house - casa/villa
public space - espacio publico
the - la, los (plural)
waters - aguas
Useful Websites
If you are buying or renting a property - check these definitions
https://taha.nl/en/blog-en/cortijo/
Useful Websites
https://www.spanish.academy/blog/list-of-spanish-words-a-z-beginner-spanish-for-kids-free-flashcards/
Please share links to my blog post
Spanish words on maps, signs and photos - 21 handy words
Spanish is handy in Europe in Spain, and all over South America.
Spanish Word Meanings
Spanish is easy. Many words have Latin roots, like English.
Spanish - English
1 Buena - good
2 cerro - hill/mountain
3 con - with
4 cristo - Christ
5 de - of (the same word as in French)
6 del - of the
7 desde / desde de - for, from, since
8 en - in
9 estatua - statue
10 iglesia - church
11 mapa - map
12 Olimpico - Olympic
13 nocturna - nocturnal/at night
14 rey - king
15 santa - saint
16 teatro - theatre
17 torre - tower
18 universidad - university
19 valle - valley
20 ventura - fortune
21 vista - view
English - Spanish
Christ - Cristo
church - iglesia
good - buena
hill/mountain - cerro
in - en
king - rey
map - mapa
nacturnal/at night - nocturna
of - de
of the - del
Olympic - Olimpico
saint - santa (as in Santa Claus which means Saint Charles)
statue - estatua
theatre - teatro
tower - torre
university - universidad
valley - valle
view - vista
with - con
English - Spanish
Colombia - My Wishlist Sights
Colombia is a country in the north west of South America, sharing borders with Venezuela, and Ecuador,
Bogota - the capital
The capital is in the centre.
1 The Botero Museum
Sculpture by Botero in Bogota, capital of Coloumbia.
Has lots of sculptures by Botero, known for his contented curby ladies, people, aniamls and birds. I first saw his horse in a Singapore subub by a railway station exit. Then a big baby bird on the waterfornt in the commercial city centre.
2 Bogota, a big city and culutral capital, has other art, culture and history museums. My second must see is the gold museum.
3 The free museum about Falc and other terrorist organizations tamed worldwide and now at peace. Maybe a glimmer of hope.
Useful Websites
Please share links to your favourite blog posts.
Let's look at Colombia, the country which is the birthplace of Shakira, successful singer songwriter
.svg.png)
The flag of Colombia.
Colombia is in South America and the language is Spanish. As you might guess, it is named after Christopher Coumbus. Colombia has several neighbouring countries.
Famous Landmarks - statues
Statue of Shakira with Guitar from 2028
Statue By Sculptor Fernando Botero
Statue of Shakira installed 2023
Other famous Colombians
Gabriel Garcia Marquez 1927- 2014 was awarded the Nobel prize for literature in 1982. His well known movels include Love in the time of cholera, based on the courtship of his mother by his father, despite her parets' opposition.
Statues of him are in the capital, Bogota, and in the gardens of Havana, Cuba.
Capital
Bogota.
Useful Websites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Index_of_Colombia-related_articles
Wikivoyage Colombia
https://wineinternationalassociation.org/top-3-wineries-in-colombia/
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Wednesday, December 27, 2023
New, Second Statue of Singer-Songwriter Shakira in Barranquilla, Colombia
In December 2023 Shakira, the Grammy award winning singer-songwriter, was honoured by a huge statue of herself dancing, in her home town of Barranquilla, in Colombia. The statue is 21 feet high. Shakira also has a Shakira Day, September 29th. The statue echoes her song, hips don't lie.
The city already had a statue of Shakira with a guitar. This has been there since 2018.
Her home town is known for its four day carnival.
Picture credit
Shakira in 2011.
She is now, in 2023, aged 46 years.
back in 2007 Shakira said,
I’ve always lived through my mouth. I am fixated on chocolate, the spoken word, things I’ve said and the things I should never have said.
- On what she considers her oral fixations in “Shakira” in Outlook India Magazine (2007 Apr 9) in da club w ma twin
On her official website you can buy teeshirt tote bags a mug at 27 not cheap, and a bucket hat. She also has perfume.
Useful Websites
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-67826941
https://people.com/shakira-receives-statue-in-her-colombian-hometown-of-barranquilla-8420265
Tuesday, December 26, 2023
How to be a Polyglot (meaning multilingual) - learn Chinese, Dutch, Hebrew, Spanish, Swedish
I am learning several languages on Duolingo. When I get tired or bored, I open another language. I read the introductory page, why I should learn it, a couple of grammar rules.
Why should you take advice from me? Because, according to Duolingo's end of the year summary, I am one of the top 4% of learners of several languages, maybe all.
Where do I get the time? I am retired, although very busy with Toastmasters International, often grammarian or language evaluator at meeting. (Plus managing inherited property, seeing friends and family, tidying, writing poetry, writing blogs, writing books, travelling.)
I spend a minimum of just 5 minutes a day. We all take breaks from other activities. Over coffee. After coffee. If I get up early. If I can't sleep. If I want a break from upsetting news, to de-stress, clear my mind, bore myself with repetition. Instead of reciting mantras, I practise vocabulary.
A few words from each language. 5 minutes a day on each language? At least five minutes a week on each language. And five minutes a day on one language. Usually two. Here's what I learned today.
CHINESE - ENGLISH
gong xi (she) fa tai (tie) - Happy (Chinese) new year
hau (how) - good (reply to how are you)
ma - (question word) really? / is that right / is that so?
ni (pronounced knee) - you
Ni hau + literally you good = how are you ? / hello
shan - hill / mountain
ENGLISH - CHINESE
happy (Chinese) new year - gong xi (she) fa tai (tie)
Hill / mountain - shan
hello / how are you - ni hau
good - hau
really? is that right? / is that so? - ma?
you - ni
Flag of the Netherlands.
DUTCHboterham - sandwich, not necessarily ham
brod - bread
.svg.png)
Flag of Israel.
de - the
en - and
een - a/an (just change the vowel and it is almost the same as English)
het - the or it
ik - I
jullie - you
krant - newspaper
melk - milk
menu - menu (the same word, how easy is that!)
of - or
rijst - rice
vrouwen - women
water - water
we - we
Words which are the same in both Dutch and English, menu, water, we. However, like German, the written w is pronounced v.
Confusion Cleared
Je is not I but you, prnounced more like yay. Jullie is not Julie but you. I remember, Jullie, it's you. The month of July is juli. Een is a but en is and.
.svg.png)
Flag of Finland
FINNISH - ENGLISH
ja - and
kiitos - thank you
kippis - cheers
no - well
paljon onnea - congratulations
tervetuloa - welcome
ENGLISH - FINNISH
and - ja
cheers - kippis
congratulations - paljon onnea
thank you - kiitos
welcome - tervetuloa
well - no
FRENCH - ENGLISH
(un) accord - an agreement
aire de joux pour enfants - childen's playground/ play area
acheter - buy
acompte - deposit
agent immobilier - property agent (US) estate agent (UK) (property - something immobile)
(un) bail - a lease
bilan - survey
caution - gurantee/security deposit
flcons de neige - snowflake
frais - fees
locataire - tenant
logement - accommodation
(le) loyer - the rent
mensuel - monthly
moulin rouge - red windmill (note that the adjective is second place)
non - no
oui - yes
piscine - swimming pool
ENGLISH - FRENCH
accommodation - logement
activities - activités
buy - acheter
children's playground
children's swimming pool / paddling pool
condo - co-ownership - co-propriete
family friendly - conviviale et familiale
a lease - un bail
fees - frais
Jacuzzi ' spa bath - baignoir/bain balnéo
monthly - mensuel
red windmill - moulin rouge
the rent - le loyer
rent - louer
security deposit - caution
serviced apartment - appartement avec services
shop - magasin
shop on site - boutique sure place
swimming pool - piscine
swimming pool for children - children's pool - piscine pour enfants
survey- bilan
HEBREW - ENGLISH
baruch - bless(ed)
ben is son, as in the name Benjamin.
Beth lehem, means house of bread, or bakery.
ha - the
Shalom, meaning peace, is hello and goodbye, as in the city name Jerusalem, city of peace.
ma? - what
ma zeh - what is this?
sheve/shiva - seven (as in 7 nights of mourning for post-funeral prayers, and Beer Sheva the town, probably originally an oasis of seven wells)
tov - good
ENGLISH - HEBREW
bless(ed) - baruch
bread - lehem
good - tov
hello/goodbye/peace - shalom
house - beit (beth)
son - ben
the - ha
this - zeh
what? - ma?
what's this - ma zeh?
In Duolingo, you don't have to worry about clicking on the wrong word becuase nothing happens until you click on submit. When you clock on the forign language word, either it automatically pronounces it for you, and you can repear it aloud, or you can click on the microphone or loudspaker symbol. So you can click on the four alternatives offered and learn four words, four vowels or consonants, per question, instead of just one.
SPANISH - ENGLISH
angeles - angels, plural. Note the letter s for plurals, like in English. As in the Californian city, Los Angeles, meaning the angels.
camarero(s)- waiter(s)
dos - two
el - the (masculine, singular)
ensalada - salad
feliz navidad - happy Christmas
Los - the, plural, as in Los Angeles, the city in California, USA
mes - table
una - a/one
para - for
pescado - fish
por favor - please
ENGLISH - SPANISH
chicken - pollo
for - para
Happy Christmas - feliz navidad
please - por favor
salad - ensalada
table - mesa
Flag of Sweden. From Wikipedia.
Swedish looks like simplified, shortened English.
SWEDISH - ENGLISH
April - April
dag - today
det - it
eftermiddag - afternoon
i - in
Ja - yes
juni - June
jag - I
kall - cold
November - november
somrarna - summer
vi - we
vintern - winter
ENGLISH - SWEDISH
afternoon - eftermiddag
April - april
cold - kall
I - jag
June - juni
in - i
it - det
November - november
summer - somrarna
today - dag (very similar to the English word day)
we - vi
winter - vintern
yes - ja (same as German)
Useful Websites
duolingo.com (Languages include Dutch, Finnish, French, Hebrew, Spanish, Swedish
wikivoyage phrasebook
https://swissfrenchschool.ch/blog/en/french-vocabulary/real-estate-vocabulary
Please bookmark and share links to your favourite blog posts.
Xmas trees and decorations - the countries they came from
Santa in Thailand, entrance hall at Sunwing Hotel, Kamala beach, December 2023. TUI is the low cost airline. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
It may surprise you to see real or more usually artificial Xmas trees in India, thailand and other parts of the world. Where did this custom start and when?
1 Trees in Germany/Europe in winter with candles supported on branches provided light and warmth.
2 King George's III's wife, Charlotte, brought one to the UK in.
3 An engraving, not a photo, of Queen Victoria and Albert (who was German) with their tree in 1848, makes trees popular in the UK
Later additions were glass baubles. Recent imports from Germany at Xmas time include gingerbread biscuits and stollen cake.
Christmas cards
Christmas crackers
Dickens writes about Scrooge in the Christmas Carol.
Grinch, an anti-Xmas character is created by Dr Seuss. The character is voiced by Danny Kaye and Wlter Matthau and others.
Ladybird Books
I have an ol Ladybird book (for children - but conveniently succinct for adults) which tells the story of the Xmas tree and Xmas customs.
New (to me) in 2023, the book Christmas tree.
If you have only one book, and don't mind folding the pages, you can create a tree decoration for the dining table. This makes a cone shape tree.
Useful Websites
Daily Mail
Wikipedia
How to make a book Xmas tree
Pages taken from books (or old printed paper from your printer wastebin). Tthis makes the cone shape tree.
Sunday, December 24, 2023
Christmas & New Year Quiz
I watched the movie Home Alone on Singapore Airlines. Here is a quiz about Christmas.
QUESTIONS
EASY
ANIMALS 1 Which animal draws Santa's Sleigh?
BIRDS 2 Which bird features on Xmas cards
COUNTRY 2 Name a country where Santa Claus can be visited.
DATE 3 Which day of the year is Xmas Day in the UK?
DATE /COUNTRY 4 Name two more countries using the same date.
DATE 5 Which day is Xmas eve?
DATE 6 Which day is Boxing day?
FOOD 7 What is the name of the fruit cake roll with a marzipan centre?
COUNTRY 8 Which country does a fruit cake with mazipan come from
SONG/DATE 9 How many days of Xmas are there?
10 Which king looked out in the snow?
11 In which capital andcountry was the king and where is his statue?
12 What colour are holly and mistletoe berries?
13 Which countries provide the Xmas flower Poisettia
14 The fir tree in Trafalgar Square is from which Country?
15 Name 2 ingredients of a British Xmas dinner?
16 What is the meaning of the name of the little town of Beth-lehem?
17 What does Feliz navidad mean, and which language?
18 Who wrote Auld Lang Syne? Shakespeare? Keats? Robbie Burns?
19 What is the Russian equivalent of Father Xmas?
20 Who wrote A Christmas Carol? Shakespeare. Jane Austen. Charles Dickens.
ANSWERS
1 Reindeer.
2 Robin Redbreast
3 Dec 25
4 USA and Canada
5 Dec 24
6 Dec 26
7 Stollen
8 Germany
9 How many days of Xmas are there? 12.
10 Good King Wenceslas
11 Prague, Czech republic
12 red and white
13 Poisettias are from the USA and Guatemala, and South Africa
14 The fir tree in Trafalgar Square is from which Country? Norway (Oslo)
15 Name 2 ingredients of a British xmas dinner? Turkey. Stuffing. Cranberry sauce. Xmas pudding. Custard.
16 House (of) Bread (bakery).
17 Happy Christmas in Spanish - name of a song.
18 Who wrote Auld Lang Syne? Robbie Burns.
19 What is the Russian equivalent of Father Xmas? Grandfather Frost.
20 Who wrote A Chritmas Carol? Charles Dickens.
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Singapore Airlines Champagne Label Explained
On a Singapore Airlines flight in December 2023 I saw on the back of the top of the trolley a tall bottle with a waisted cork covered in foil. The heavy corks, normally covered in a wire net like a tennis net, are to stop the expanding gassy bubbles blowing the cork out. I was sitting in Economy, so I thought it must be a cheap Prosecco or sparkling wine, even a non alcholic drink imitating Champagne.
It was good enough to please me. Although it was slightly too warm, and not very bubbly. I don't know how long it had been opened.
Later, I went to the galley and asked to see the bottle. To my surprise, it was real Champagne, that is to say, from the Champagne region of France. Champange is a protected name. You cannot legally call your drink Champagne unless it comes from the place in France called Champagne (or in recent times, from the USA, run by a French Champagne company). You can say Champagne method, which is not the same as coming from Champagne, with their soil, water, grapes, and centuries of expertise. (And probably payment to some collective marketing company and lawyers fighting to remove fakes pretending to be from your region when they are not.)
I do not know Charles de Casenove. I am more familiar with Moet et Chandon and Veuve Cliquot.
Here's a quick reminder of what the French words mean. Et is French for and. Veuve is French for widow.
On the label on the bottle in the photo I took you can read these words:
Champagne - the region of France
Cazanove is from the Occitan for new house.
Occitan (English: /ˈɒksɪtən, -tæn, -tɑːn/;[10][11] Occitan: occitan [utsiˈta, uksiˈta]),[a] also known as lenga d'òc (Occitan: [ˈleŋɡɔ ˈðɔ(k)] ⓘ; French: langue d'oc) by its native speakers, sometimes also referred to as Provençal, is a Romance language spoken in Southern France, Monaco, Italy's Occitan Valleys, as well as Spain's Val d'Aran in Catalonia; collectively, these regions are sometimes referred to as Occitania. It is also spoken in Calabria (Southern Italy) in a linguistic enclave of Cosenza area (mostly Guardia Piemontese). Some include Catalan in Occitan, as the distance between this language and some Occitan dialects (such as the Gascon language) is similar to the distance between different Occitan dialects. Catalan was considered a dialect of Occitan until the end of the 19th century[12] and still today remains its closest relative.[13]
Occitan is an official language of Catalonia, Spain.
de means of in French. (Charles de Cazanove, Charles of Cazanove)
Maison fondée ) à Reims en ... means in English - house (business) founded at Reims in
acute accent (l'accent aigu) é
pere is French for father
fils is French for son
tete de cuvee
Useful Websites
Fun-filled Family Hotel, at Sunwing, Kamala Beach, Thailand, More magical memories
Elephant design in entrance hall, Sunwing Hotel, Kamala Beach, Thailand. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
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Thailand's Child-friendly, Romantic Sunwing Hotel, Kamala Beach, Thailand - Swans On The Bed!
Our son had researched child-friendly hotels with play areas indoors and outside, abundant high chairs, kiddie menus in restaurants.
We first stayed at Katthani Hotel, Phuket, which was more spacious and more expensive.
Then moved to the better for the budge Sunwing hotel which was nearer the airport, 30 minutes way instead of 40 minutes away, we thought.
The Sunwing bedroom was delightful. Two members of my family were celebrating their wedding anniversary. The hotel had made a pair of swans on the bed from white towels with interlocking necks to make a heart shape.
The toilet paper edge was fanned like a concertina fan.
The ground floor room had a sunken patio in the front with seating semi outdoor. (Open on the front.) A dining table and chairs were provided.
This was their second wedding anniversary and they now have a toddler. They chose this hotel because it is child friendly. It has indoor play areas. Outdoor play areas. Swimming pool slides. A ballgame area for the older children to play football inside what looks like an outdoor tennis court.
Beach
The public beach is well equipped with parasols and chairs to hire. My only objection is that they were piled up blocking my view of the sea from the area by the bar of the hotel's poolside bar which was near the beach.
Price
Considerably cheaper than the gorgeous and glamorous Katathani (see my other post) in Phuket.
Side trip from here was to a huge magical restaurant with colourful ceiling, kiosks around it serving all kinds of food, and light shows.
My family moved to this hotel from the Katathani to be nearer the airport for the return flight. Even so, the traffic was so slow that it took up the spare half hour we had allowed.
The Sunwing entrance is huge but a bit disappointing. A bit like an airport.
No grand restaurant. Fast service in the cafe style restaurant which served good food in what felt like a school hall.
The indoor kiddie area was great for the toddler.
Elephant statue
Elephant statue, Sunwing Hotel, Kamala Beach, Thailand. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Reach from Beach bar Restaurant
Pool at Sunwing Hotel, Kamala Beach, Thailand. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Guests in Thai hotels included Russians. Signs were in the Russian language. In 2023 Russians have a restricted number of destinations where they can go, so Thailand is a good option for them.
Useful websites
https://www.sunwingkamala.com/
How to fold a swan and heart from rolled up white towels.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5_8esWTrwA
How to fold toilet paper into a fan - toilet paper origami.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXBrbDlnmHs
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Paradise in Phuket - Idyllic Thai Hotel in Phuket, Katathani Phuket Beach Resort
The spacious, luurious, perfect hotel in Phuket was wonderful. What was the name of the hotel?
Katathani was a word I found hard to remember. Then I was told that thani is Thai for town. Think of it at cat town, starting with a K. Kata thani. Kat-a-thani.
Why is it called a resort and not a hotel? Because it is a resort, like a long beach with more than one hotel. It has two lobbies where you sign in for different bedroom buildings. It has half a dozen pools, one outside every building set in the wide grassy area in front of the low three level buildings. there are lifts at the end of each block, but you can walk up the stairs.
Double height open front lockers outside the bedroom door allow you to leave your sandy or dirty shoes outside on the shelf so they are tidy and do not trip up others or get trodden on. Above go your wet towels, or beach toys equipment..
Location
Behind the hotel is the road and across the road are shops selling souvenirs, including a pharmacy, the ubiquitous thai massage parlours, and restaurants separate from those run by the hotel
Restaurants serve coconut juice or milk in coconuts, with a straw. (You also get these elsewhere in Asia, such as in Singapore.).
Paradise.
Reception
Your taxi driver will ask you which lobby, A or B. Have your details handy or memorised.Our taxi driver was a woman.
Our son and daughter in law checked in midweek when the hotel was quiet. They checked in straight away. The hotel was not full so they could change bedrooms. They complained that their room smelled musty (mouldy) and were transferred from a ground floor room to a third floor room.
We arrived on Saturday and had to stand around waiting for our turn to sit at the check in desk. (They need more seats and a ticket system for busy times.) When you check in you are given a small glass of juice. This is a welcome way to cool down and perk up after the 30 minute drive from the airport. We wanted to change to a room in the same block as the rest of the family, instead of a five minute walk away, but the receptionists, on day one and day two of our three day stay, told us that the giant hotel was fully booked.
Rooms vary.
I recommend a seaview room overlooking public areas, though the garden rooms at the back are quiet and offer privacy. Our room at the far end was a long walk from the lobby, two shop, and breakfast bugget restaurants, which was a nuisance.
You can get a lift from the lobby on an electric cart, with a uniformed driver called by the receptionist. But might have to wait for it at busy times.
Oddly, our son's room had power sockets for phones. But our room, which was marginally larger and more expensive, had no plug in point for charging a phone. When I phoned down, the receptionist told me,"You can buy a connector from our shop." (At our bedtime,which was closed in the late evening, the shop was closed. It was a ten minute walk. And one should not have to pay.) Most hotels worlwide, from one star to five star, will have a box of adapters, their own or items left behind by guests, and helpfully lend you one. (I have had help from hotel receptions in the USA and in Albania.)
Otherwise, just wonderful. I liked the see views. The varied swimming pools. The fairy lights on the trees at night.
Restaurant Choices
The Thai restaurant was full on Friday but we were able to book for the next day, Saturday. The decor was elaborate, exotic, colourful, original.
The dishes were a dlight to behold. The flavours were original, distinctive, different to the usual, tasty.
Fisherman's Wharf restaurant is huge and we had no trouble getting a table. We had wonderful main courses, super views.
Any downside? Disappointing dessert. Thai restaurant super and surprising.
Onsite shop had great clothes and gifts.
Phuket
The hotel in famous Phuket is luxurious and has everything for families as well as romantic couples.
The location is half an hour by taxi south of the airport. You can save money by not taking a taxi from the booths but phoning for a car.
You can see sunset over the sea if you book a se view room, which I recommend. My family was in two rooms. The sea view room was better, and nearer the centre of the resort.
My room was a long walk to the end after dinner and a long walk back after breakfast. my husband was glad to get the exercise. I was not. On a couple of occasions I took the electric golf buggy from reception, which is free. On a third occasion they said it would be a five minute wait, so I walked.
The Pools
The pools are amazing. Half a dozen of them, one by each building. One has lots of kiddie slides and so on and a tipping bucket of water overhead. Another is the peace pool, no children, but too deep for me to stand.
The beach
The shops
The bedrooms
Katathani Resort hotel, Phuket, Thailand. Balcony at sunset on bedroom overlooking sea view. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
The restaurants
Night
Breakfast Buffet
Food Carving and Buffet Food. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Seaside breakfast restaurant. Katathni Phuket Beach Resort, Thailand. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
Thai Restaurant
Fisherman's Wharf
Outings
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Thursday, December 21, 2023
Warm and safe when walking, my scarf sewn onto a hat
Angela Lansbury in DIY hood from combined scarf and hat.
I looked in my cupboard for a hood. I did not find one. I found several sets of scarves and hats to match, and some near matches.
You can buy lots of outfits of hats and matching scarves, sometimes a set of three items with matching gloves. I find the hats tend to ride up and fall off. So do the scarves. One day I looked at the pair and thoought, what a shame they didn't sew the two together. Then I thought, I could do that. I did. It worked well. I spent an afternoon sewing together several sets.
How To Make A White Hood
I sewed a white scarf onto a matching of similar beanie style white hat. This serves several purposes.
1 Safety
The white is for safety at night to be seen by motorists when I am crossing a road. A UK pedestrian safety campaign had the rhyming slogan, wear white at night.
2 Preventing Loss of Accessories
Sewing the two items together reduces the chances of leaving one of them behind. It means the two parts of the pair are always together.
3 Warmth
The scarf sewn on keeps the back of my neck warm, with no gaps. Sewing on the scarf enables me to keep the two sides even. The combination of hat and scarf keeps my ears covered and warm.
Convient and Elegant
I am not constantly clutching the scarf to stop it slipping off my shoulders.
Unique
My hat is totally unique.
Useful Websites
Amazon
Ebay
Etsy
Shein
Xmas clothes for an Xmas theme Toastmasters International club meeting
Harrovians Toastmasters Club in Harrow, London.
Years ago I would not have bought a season outfit. Waste of money as you only wear it once to a party. Too twee.
Might offend non-Christian friends.
Then, one year I saw one in a sale. When asked to dress in Xmas theme, I can oblige.
In theory I should keep it in a suitcase up in the attic or an outroom such as a store room, maid's room, scullery/utility room. The suitcase would be labelled Xmas with a all the decorations.
However, I tend to keep most things out. This works well if you want to find it in a hurry. I did. iwent to my cupborad of thick woolly jumpers and found it immeditely on the top of the pile.
Red skirt
A black skirt would do, but a red skirt is jolly. Luckily I have several. I pulled out a red skirt. EWM Pure Classics Size 14. 49% linen. 45% viscose. 6% cotton. Keep away from fire. It looks thick, but isn't. It is lightweight, which is comfortable to wear, but not very warm in winter.
So, for extra warmth, I am wearing a black underslip, and orange stretch velvet look tracksuit bottoms.
Remove belt before washing.
White Blouse
100 % polyester. Wash at 30 degrees C. It has 8 front buttons plus one on each cuff, total ten.
Xmas Pattern Jumper
Label F & F. That's the Tesco label.
Useful Websites
My blog on labels.
Amazon xmas tops.
How to get and keep the aircraft seat you want - When you should and should not swap seats
To get the seat you want, first check the season (month) day of the week, times of day of your flight and the prices. An early flight might require an early checkin and getting up early to leave home or check out of your hotel.
Breakfast
You might be missing breakfast. One year in the USA I had four breakfasts, one at home and three on flights, and was offered another on arriving at my hotel.
Check seat availability. The window seat alows you to see the scenery, take photos, sleep against the wall. The aisle seat is good for jumping up when the toilets are free, hailing the passing steward for food or a query.
I like the aisel because I have a mild claustrophobia and fear of flying at heights, seeing down the aisle, watching other screens and crew looking calm, not seeing the ground far below. It is easier for my husband to find me, check up, chat, help me with overhead luggage, and surrptitiously pass me chocolates. I would be happy to change an window or middle seat for the aisle.
The middle doubles your chances of chats with a new friend. You can hop out to the toilet when the person in the aisle gets up.
If you are in the aisle, when you get up for a restroom break, you might ask the others if they wish to go. If you are not in a hurry, if you let them go first, you don't have to stand up again when they return.
You can lift the armrest of the aisle seat to let yourself and the others out more easily.
Should you swap seats? If the other seat is an advantage. If you don't care. If you are not obliged to abandon the goods in your overhead locker.
On a cheap flight with non assigned seats, sometimes the crew ask you if you would mind changing seats.
On a large aircraft with assigned seating, sometimes the crew ask you not to swap seats until after takeoff, and to resume the correct seat during landing. That is so that in the event of an accident, the right family is informed of your injury, death, transfer to hospital, whatever.
You also want to consider your speed in exiting the plane, if you are in transit, or being met by a taxi or family. A seat nearer the front exit might suit you better.
In flight Special Meals
During the flight, staying in the correct seat is helpful if you have ordered a special meal. It saves the staff from having to hunt for you. No risk of your meal being given to the wrong person or not getting any meal.
Losing the aisle seat during takeooff and landing could mean that you don't get to see the view and take photos. However, mostly if the person by the window has their eyes open, or their own camera taking pictures, they will gladly take a photo or two for you using your camera or mobile phone.
Useful websites
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-12886815/Never-switch-seats-man-plane-spot-moving.html#comments
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