The Museum of Honey and Trying Honey & Jam Pots in Hotels, not just Marks, Helios, Bon Maman but many more to try

 At breakfast in hotels you often have the opportunity to try out new brands of honey and jam and marmalade.

Some people immediately discover their old or new favourite brand. I often find that if I go to two or three hotels on a tour, by hotel three I have forgotten the name of the brand from day one. All I can remember is that the last one was better, or this one is better.

Now I have started a new system. I photograph the small pot. Then I Whatsapp it to myself with my description of the good or bad features. I give it marks out of ten. 5 is good enough. 6, ok buy if no alternative. 7 Yes, buy some if you see it. 8 is go and hunt for some. 9 and 10 I stock up, buy in bulk, hunt for it to eat regularly at home.

Bonne Maman

Great blackcurrant jam.

In addition to the lovely jam, the jars have a ten sides shape at the lower half, and a tartan lid.

Notice the picture of cassis, French for blackcurrant.

Now, my honey, let's move on to honey. (Americans say honey to people, the Brits say, sweetie, sweetheart, darling, love, dear.)

Honey

I like solid honey. My husband likes runny honey. My preferred honey is more expensive.

Helios

Helios mniature honey pot lid. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Notice the little honey bee on the label.

I recently tried Helios runny honey. I found it a bit gluey. Good enough. But even better was the next one.

Colmenar De Las Donas

I loved colmenar de las Donas.I had a lovely flavour. Not over sweet, 

I tried it on brown seed bread which was a waste as you could not taste it of suck it and get the taste and that sugar strike at the bck of your throat.

Here is a list of where to see bees by country.

SPAIN

Colmenar in Andalucia, near Malaga in Spain, has a museum of honey. 

UK

You can also see live bees behind glass in several museums in the UK. For example, 

The Horniman museum in south London, 

The Oxford University Museum of Natural History, 

LITHUANIA

The Ancient Beekeeping Museum of Lithuania.

Useful Websites

https://en.andalucia.org/listing/museo-de-la-miel/

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

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Lithuania, Land of Catholics, Crosses, Pagan Symbols and a Jewish Genius

The Lithuanian flag is tricolour (three colours). The green and red are the colours traditionally used in folk costumes. Yellow was added to symbolize the dawn. 

 Lithuania may have a difficult language, but it has people who speak Russian or English, in some places German. 

The country offers all sorts of great things to eat, and something for everybody of al sort of cultures to enjoy.

First, what is it and what it is not. The Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia make a great set of close places to vist with contrasts. The Estonian language is nearer to Finnish. The Latvians and Lithuanians have a pair of different overlapping languages. 

The Estonisans have mostly no religion. The Latvians are more than half Protestants. The Luthuanians are Catholic with lots of Catholic places to see.

Let's start with the capitl of Lithuania, Vilnius. Historic.

Wikivoyage has some interesting comments and insights into attitudes amongst different sections of the population. 

Vilnius, colourful capital of Lithuania.

Chapel over the Gate of Dawn, in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.

Jewish cemetery of Vilnius. . Monument created from gravestones destroyed during the wars.

The white interor or St Peter and St Paul church in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania. Wikivoyage article on Vilnius

Vilnius. Open Air Museum of the Centre of Europe.

Hill of Crosses. Vilnius. Lithuania.

Iron fox sculpture. Lithuania.

Wikivoyage makes brief mention of the vilna Gaon museum, the Jewish vilna genius, who is buried in a Vilnius cemetery, as is mentioned, but he has a longer article elsewhere in Wikipedia.  Wikiquote has two quotations from him which I found quite negative. One was about telling his wife to stay home and avoid gossipping.

It was explained that women in those days were not obliged to attend synagogue at all. Why? Because women were fully busy looking after the home and family, children. (In that era married women went from one pregnancy to the next throughout their childbearing years).

 However, another website produced lovely timeless sayings that his wife and mother should get along, and woman should be good to their neighbours.

'I ask my wife to honor my mother, (as it is written in the Torah), especially a widow, because it is a great sin to cause her sadness, even with a small gesture. I also ask my mother that there be peace between you two. A woman should make her neighbor happy with good things'. 

What a lovely thought, well expressed, even though we are reading it in translation. 

The Vilna Gaon Museum has a page on him, and a shop selling publications, books, bookmarks, magnets and postcards.

Also see the street named after the Vilna Gaon with a statue of the Vilna Gaon.

For fun, around Vilnius are a statue of Frank Zappa, no connection with Vilnius except fans who wanted his statue, a Toy Msueum, and a Museum of Illusions.

Useful Websites

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

https://www.jmuseum.lt/en/vilna-gaon-elijah-ben-solomon-zalman-2/i/156/vilna-gaon-elijah-ben-solomon-zalman-1720-1797/

vilna Gaon Quotations

https://www.torah-box.net/jewish-ethics-and-learning/jewish-thinking/10-quotes-and-tips-from-the-vilna-gaon_1354.html

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Hill of Crosses, Lithuania.

Ukrainian Yiddish Song from the Shtetl - and a shetl in a Jewish Museum

The Yiddish word shtetl means town, little town, or market town. I thought it meant village. It has nostalgic and romantic associations, unlike ghetto, which was an area of forced confinement, like the ghetto or ironworks area in Venice which was the origin of the word ghetto. Shtetl evaokes nostalgia, like the work kampong in Malay. 

You may have see reproductions of a Shtetl in the film Fiddler On the Roof, written by Shalom Aleichem. (Shalom Aleichem a nickname or penmame meaning peace to you in Yiddish. Shalom, or salaam in Arabic, means peace, as in the name of the city, Jerusalem, meaning city or place of peace. You might also remember the words Shalom Aleichem from the song, Havenu shalom aleichem, we bring you or wish you peace, which is the chorus endlessly repeated until you know it by heart.

South Africa and Lithuania

You can see reproductions of a shetetl street and the one room living dining room of a shtetl house in Cape Town's Jewish museum in South Africa, which reproduces a shtetl in Lithuania, and which you can see in Wikipedia. (I went to the Cape Town Jewish museum and was agreeably surprised to see that the Jews of South Africa had supported the later hero Nelson Mandela, even buying a farm where he could hide out before he was eventualy captured.

I am sorry that the Ukrainian song does not have the word in transliteration. If I find it later I shall add it. If you know it, please add a link in a comment and/or send it to me. I hope you enjoyed the songs and catchy music.

Regarding Lithuania, the capital is Vilnius, and it has monuments and a trail to the famous Vina Gaon,  meaning Vilna guru, genius, leader.

Useful Websites

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

https://www.rutgers.edu/news/shtetl-word-holds-special-place-hearts-and-minds

Lithuania, the great Vilna Gaon and Extraordinary Synagogues With Paintings or Birds and Animals

 Lithuania has an extraordinary past, present and future.

Napoleon admired it.

The old cobbled streets have a heritage status from Unesco. 

There is also a new town with stunning skyscrapers. 

But the old synagogues are extraordinary. Here is a synagogue with paintings showing animals such as a lion and a humped camel or dromedary. Birds fly across the ceiling.

Synagogue in Lithuania with blue walls and ceiling and paintings

Synagogue in Lithuania. A stork perches on the top of a tree. The predominant colour is blue.

Lithuania. Statue.

Postage stamp of lithuano showing Vilnius synagogue. 

Synagogue in Lithuania.

Synagogue in Lithuania.

Useful Websites

About the Author of this blog, Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books, including  Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

I  also have a blog on comic poems.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

Where to see statues of Zamenhof, creator of Esperanto, international language

Bust of Zamenhof on a plinth in the Esperanto Park in Vienna, Austria. Photo from Wikipedia article. Photo author 

The text reads in Esperanto

Dr Luwig Zamenhof

autoro (author)

de (of)

la (the)

internacia (international)

lingvo (language)

Esperanto (name of the language, meaning I hope).

LIST OF MONUMENTS & MUSEUMS BY COUNTRY

ARGENTINA

Monument at Mar del Plata (the second city) in Argentina.

BRAZIL

Zamenhof monument in Belo Horizonte, sixth city in Brazil.

AUSTRIA

Monument in Vienna, capital of Austria

FRANCE

Monument, 21 Rue du Sergeant Bernes Cambot, Pau 64000, France.

LITHUANIA

Statue of Liudwik in Veisiejai, Lithuania

PORTUGAL

Portugal Square (Praca Portugal), Portugal. Statue on pedestal, facing the direction of Rua Dr Zamenhof.

SPAIN

Moment with picture of Zamenof's face on a plaque, Sabadell, Spain.

UKRAINE

Odessa, Ukraine.

Marching music for Zamenhof's poem hope.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCXUfgNJSxs

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer. Please share links to your favourite posts.

How to remember and match countries and capitals: Albania, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia

Problem
How do you match up capital and countries? I used to muddle up Lithuania and Latvia. Now I've got them all clear. How?

Answers
I imagine a figure of eight. The big base is Lithuania, a long word, longer than Latvia with is north of it. The capital of Lithuania is Vilnius. Both contain the letter U.

Latvia and Riga and shorter words. Both contain an I and an A. Country Latvia. Capital Riga.

North or Top of the three countries is a different first letter, Estonia. T for top, T for Talinn.  Letters T I and N. (N and t also in North.)

Finally, the country Albania and its capital Tirana. Tirana ends ANA. Albania includes ANA.   Anna from Tirana, capital of Albania.

Let's look at them again as a reminder:

EstoNIa - TalINn. Talinn is in Estonia.
LatviA - RigA - shorter words.
LithUania  - VilniUs - longer words. Tell us about Vilnius in Lithuania.

AlbANia - TirANa.

Tip
I have been learning capitals of the world on Duolingo TinyCards. With my Letter Links as memory aids, I fly through.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker, learner and teacher of English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and other languages.
I have several other posts on languages and memory aids. Please share links to your favourite posts.

World Tourism Day - Sept 27 - Vilnius and Lithuania

Today is World Tourism Day. Gosh - I'd forgotten. What reminded me? An email from Vilnius.

Vilnius is in, um, where? Remind me. It's the capital of Lithuania.

What can you see?
Palace.
Tower.
Museums covering:
Art.
Pushkin.
Poet Adam Mickewicz.
Pilgrim route - ap.
Jewish heritage sights - ap.
Holocaust museum.
Genocide Museum (KGB).
War and tanks museum.

What's new?
Design hotels - but not until 2018. An ap for tourists. Film and music festivals.

http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/en/what-to-see/museums/adam-mickiewicz-museum/
http://www.vilnius-tourism.lt/en/2016/08/boutique-hotel-chain-design-hotels-comes-to-vilnius-old-town/?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilnius

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

Vilnius Talking statues - The Mermaid, Queen, Frank Zappa, poet, doctor, and more. But where's the Vilna Gaon or Vilna genius?

Flag of Lithuania. From Wikipedia.

Lithuania's prominent town of Vilnius has produced a great idea, a map and a trail of talking statues from all periods of history, taking you around the city. So you don't walk aimlessly but have a destination, a sense of achievement, learn along the route. A city gets you the visitor (or resident) to pass landmarks, historic quarters and as you go the shops and restaurants or open spaces. Well done, Vilna tourist board.

The Statues
But who are the statues of other famous citizens of Vilnius? Frank Zappa; a Jewish doctor; The Mermaid; Barbara, Duchess and Queen of Poland; Adam Mickiewicz national poet of Lithuania and Poland, and more.
It's something for you to do, even with the map, which you can start any time of day.

The Vilna Genius
When I was researching for a novel featuring one of my ancestors from Ukraine, and trying to include several countries and cities in Europe and worldwide to interest the widest possible audience for my book, I came across the Vilna Gaon or genius. (I am not saying that the map of talking statues is a stroke of genius, I am just saying it is excellent.)

The Vilna Gaon was the intellectual, rival, and enemy, of the illiterate Hasids who were singing and dancing in the streets and forests in their warm coats in winter and big hats. The Hasids were communing directly with God through nature, instead of sitting sensibly in synagogue listening to the learned Gaon who presided with wise words over funerals.

The saintly Gaon, however, on learning that his rival was dead, forbade his own followers from dancing on the grave. He wisely said that the dead should be respected. Past rivalry should be forgotten. (Forgotten - I am still talking about it centuries later. Forgiven, but not forgotten.)

I think this is a great story. It explains a lot about why groups of people don't get on. If you look at the psychological systems such as Briggs Meyers, it's simply the introvert versus the extravert, the intellectual book reader living in the past and future versus the sensor living in the here and now.

The Gaon lives on a literature. The Hasids live on in their headgear. (For years I was afraid to approach Hasids. When I did, I found that they won't shake hands with a woman, however, they will speak to you and they are a very jolly crowd.)

The Vilna Gaon is the sort of character you can promote in conferences and long, learned magazine articles. The Hasids are a group who can dance in the streets at festivals.

Back to the Gaon. Mention Vilna to anybody who has studied Jewish history for any reason and they will immediately associate Vilna with the Vilna Gaon. I looked to see where is the Vilna Gaon. A character of interest to the American Jewish visitor. Wikipedia comes up with the instant answer.

Attracting Tourists
Anybody connected with the travel trade will remember that when the Americans stopped visiting London the hotels were suddenly in trouble. Why? Because a hundred room hotel with two bedroom suites occupied by the rich and retired, suddenly found that a ten per cent drop in takings was the difference between profit and loss.

Maybe nobody in a group of 20 visitors or a hundred visitors is interested. But the owner of the travel agency had a granny from a European city. Your Jewish owned or staffed travel company can also send dozens of people to a city, or nobody.

If you visit Vilnius, and know about the Vilna Gaon, you will have no trouble finding where he was and then seeing the other statues.

http://www.mmcentras.lt/uploads/files/dir551/dir27/dir1/0_0.php
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilna_Gaon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vilna_Gaon_Jewish_State_Museum

Adam Mickiewicz is the national poet of more than one country (because borders have changed through history). Adam was and is national poet of Lithuania and Poland. Was Adam Mickiewicz also Jewish? If not, was he ever Jewish, or of Jewish descent? It seems he was a staunch Catholic, rumoured to have a Jewish mother so possibly of Jewish origin with Jewish sympathies or connections and definitely a political alliance.

If you are trying to write a historical novel, and work out the sympathies of your real life or imaginary hero, or a minor or famous character of the era, here's a site which summarises the issues neatly.
http://www.jewornotjew.com/profile.jsp?ID=1143

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, researcher, speaker.