English, Spanish and Portuguese On Menus In Latin America

Countries with Spanish as an official language. From Wikipedia.

1 Spanish - English Menu Words

I started my search for menu terms by going back to one of my early blog posts which told me this: 

Spanish-English Hotel Menus

adobado - pickled

ajo - garlic

anguila - eel

agua - water

arroz - rice

calamares - squid

caldo - broth / soup

cálida/o - warm

caliente - hot

cerdo - pig

charasko - steak

chuleta - chop

churrasco - steak (churrasco de ternera - beef steak)

combinados - combinations

con - with

croquetas - croquettes

del - of the

empanada - pie

ensalada - salad

entremeses - appetisers

espanola (note sign over the n) - Spanish (style of cooking)

especial - special

filete - fillet / steak

frita - fried

galeras - 

gallego - Galician (in Spanish and Italian you do not have capital letters at the start of a country or country style

hamburguesas - burgers

huevos - eggs

lomo - back

lubina - sea bass

marisco - seafood

menu - menu

merluza - hake

Meso 

meson (accent on the on for emphasis) - house (like the French word maison)

mixta - mixed

o - or

pan - bread

parillada - barbecue

pasteles - pastries / cakes

patatas - potatoes

pechuga - poultry breast

plancha - griddle, iron, plate

plato - plate or dish

platos - plates / dishes

pollo - chicken

postre - dessert

Primer - first / starter

pudin - pudding

quesadilla - tortilla (omelette or wrap) covered in cheese

queso - cheese

rusa - Russian

Segundo - second

spaguetis - spagetthi

tartas - tarts

ternera - veal / beef 

tomate - tomatoes

tortilla - thin omelette containing slided potatoes and onions cooked in olive oil

ternera - veal

variados - varied

vino - wine

y - and

I asked Gemini for some Spanish and Portuguese menu terms and got this

2 Spanish Menu Terms

Cooking Style & Preparation

• A la plancha: Grilled on a flat metal griddle.

• Al ajillo: Cooked with garlic and olive oil.

• Asado / A la parrilla: Grilled or barbecued over open flames.

• Frito / Empanado: Fried / Breaded.

• Al horno: Baked or roasted in an oven.

Popular Dishes & Specialties

• Tapas: Small, shareable savory dishes or appetizers.

• Empanada: Baked or fried pastry dough filled with meat, cheese, or vegetables.

• Ceviche: Raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices, seasoned with chili peppers and onions.

• Tortilla Española: A thick Spanish omelet made with eggs, potatoes, and onions.

• Gazpacho: Cold, blended tomato and vegetable soup.

Meats, Seafood & Extras

• Mariscos / Pescado: Seafood / Fish.

• Jamón: Cured ham (e.g., Jamón Ibérico or Serrano).

• Carne de res / Ternera: Beef / Veal.

• Pollo / Cerdo: Chicken / Pork.

• Salsa / Queso: Sauce / Cheese.

Countries with Portuguese as an official language.

The Portuguese island of Madeira is a popular destination for people from the UK and Europe. You can visit the Madeira wine wineries, which we did, my husband and I and we took members of our walking/hiking holiday to D'Oliveira winery in the centre of the capital city. 

3 Portuguese Menu Terms

Cooking Style & Preparation

• Grelhado: Grilled.

• Assado: Roasted or baked.

• Refogado: Sautéed with an aromatic base (usually garlic, onions, and olive oil).

• Frito / Apressado: Fried.

• Ao molho: Served in a sauce or gravy.

Popular Dishes & Specialties

• Bacalhau: Salt cod—a staple ingredient in Portuguese cuisine prepared in dozens of ways (e.g., Bacalhau à Brás).

• Francesinha: A rich sandwich from Porto made with bread, meats, melted cheese, and a thick beer/tomato sauce.

• Feijoada: A rich stew of black (or red) beans, pork, and beef.

• Pastel de Nata: Classic warm egg custard tart dusted with cinnamon.

• Petiscos: Small shareable plates or finger foods (the Portuguese counterpart to tapas).

Meats, Seafood & Extras

• Frutos do mar / Peixe: Seafood / Fish.

• Camarão / Chouriço: Shrimp / Spiced pork sausage.

• Carne de vaca / Porco: Beef / Pork.

• Frango: Chicken.

• Queijo / Arroz: Cheese / Rice.

I asked Gemini about the similarities and differences regarding Uruguayan food and Argentinian food and got this answer:

3 Summary Spanish and Portuguese Menu terms

You find nearly identical menus at traditional steakhouses (parrillas) in both Montevideo and Buenos Aires,

Uruguay's cuisine stands out with dishes like the 

Chivito, 

Pamplona, and wood-fired grilling methods, whereas 

Argentina features greater regional diversity in dishes like 

empanadas and 

stew (locro).

4 Useful Websites For Translating Spanish and Portuguese Menus & Learning Words

translate google

duolingo.com

Useful Books With Spanish and Portuguese Words

Portuguese and Spanish sections on eating out and menus are in

European Phrase Book Dorling Kingdersley Eyewitness Travel Guides

Glass Bottom Bridges And balconies

 Madeira

I went to the glass floor lookout point in Madeira. It was at the end of an interesting shopping and snack complex and we stopped there on an island tour. 

Our stop was brief. Just time to step out and take a quick hoto. It was hard to get the perspectiveof the balcony and the area below, especially with others trying to cross or take a photo.

Other Glass base Bridges and Balconies by Country (alhabetically)

China

r

Sunyiming

The Chinese versions of the glass floor are not just balconies, viewpoints, but long bridges. 

My friend Samantha from Toastmters Internaitonal in Singapore put a series of stunning photo on Facebook showing hersssssself in assorted dramatic poses. Some looked like she wassidewayor upside down. What a great photo opportunity. I thought I would check were was the bridge, then found China had several of them. Here are some picures of the best.

Photo of bridge in China from Samantha's page.

America has one over the Grand Canyon, Madeira has one, Spain has one. Chine has several. 

Singapore

An overhead crosswalk on Orchand Road near Smerset station MRT has a partially visible glass floor.

Madrid, Spain

USA

Grand Canyon Skywalk

Lookout point, USA. Grand Canyon. According to one account, you have to leave your cameras behind and buy photos. 

If you cannot get near these exciting views, many glass sided lifts on the outides of buildings such as shopping malls and hotels offer a thrill.

Useful Websites

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Statues to Sit Beside

 Found on Facebook.

Kipling statue in Burwash village, East Sussex, UK. 

Churchill By Pousada and Historic Hotel, Madeira, Portuguese island.

Seated statues of Oscar Wilde and Estonian writer Edouard Vilde, outside restaurant, in Estonia.

English Football Museum, Singapore, opened but temporarily closed? But more football to see on the web

 Whilst dining at Warehouse restaurant in Clarke Quay, Singapore I saw the sign in Singapore, English Football Museum.

England has a football museum in Manchester. 

FIFA has a football museum in Zurich, Switzerland.

Madeira has Ronaldo's museum.

Singapore has the English Football Museum, a sports bar, like Hard Rock Cafe, a place where you can eat and drink and admire souvenirs from the famous.

5.30 to 10.30 pm.

02-02 block D.

Tel:+65 6259 4229.

Grand opening was Nov 2020 according to their Facebook page.

Closed Sunday.

Useful Websites

https://www.capitaland.com/sg/malls/clarkequay/en/stores/english-football-museum-opening-soon.html

https://www.facebook.com/EFMbar/

No connection from their website.

I messaged them on their Facebook page and somebody replied, Due to Covid restrictions we are not accepting any online reservations.

 https://www.tripadvisor.com.sg/Attraction_Review-g188113-d9716522-Reviews-FIFA_World_Football_Museum-Zurich.html

About the Author

About the 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.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

Where To See Favourite Football Statues of the World Cup, Moore, Renaldo, & other Sports and Literary Heroes For Holiday, Honeymoon & Wedding Photos

 

World Cup statue. London. England.

The World Cup Sculpture, or simply The Champions, is a bronze statue of the 1966 World Cup Final located near the site of West Ham United Football Club's former Boleyn Ground (Upton Park) stadium in the London Borough of Newham, England. It depicts a famous victory scene photographed after the final, held at the old Wembley Stadium in London, featuring Bobby Moore, Geoff Hurst, Martin Peters and Ray Wilson. It remains the only time the England national football team have won the World Cup, and England captain Moore is pictured held shoulder high by his colleagues, holding the Jules Rimet Trophy aloft.

Jointly commissioned by Newham Council and West Ham United, the statue stands at the junction of Barking Road and Green Street, near the former location of the Boleyn Ground. It commemorates West Ham's contribution to the victory, with Moore, Hurst and Peters having all been West Ham players at the time of the 1966 World Cup. Sculpted by the Royal Sculptor Philip Jackson, it was unveiled in 2003 by Prince Andrew, president of the Football Association. Jackson went on to also sculpt the statue of Bobby Moore unveiled at the new Wembley when it opened in 2007.

The statue is a good place for selfies, holiday snaps, wedding photos.

Wembley Stadium, London. Statue of Bobby Moore with foot on football. 

Statue of Bobby Moore showing plinth.

Statue of Cristiano Ronaldo in Madeira.

In case you want photos of a wedding or holiday to interest those of the family not interested in sports, you can find many statues of famous writers.

 

Useful Websites

The Story of the Statue

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

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Statues_of_writers

New Zealand

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

Madeira

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

More Photos

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:The_Champions_statue,_Upton_Park

About the 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.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

Canada's Signpost Forest, the Birthplace of Banoffi Pie, Dates, Facts, Figures, Fun and Memorials On Buildings, Bridges and Tunnels Worldwide

Canada has a signpost forest on the Alaskan highway in the Yukon area.

Sign Post Forest in Canada.

Canada's Signposts

Canada's roadside attractions include the Sign on Magnetic Hill in Quebec, in French, and if you want more signs, in English, there's an entire Signpost Forest.

Canada's Statues

 If you cannot be bothered to read the small print, Canada also has giant self-explanatory statues such as Winnie The Pooh, Joe's Scarecrow Village, and the World Largest Dinosaur.

Winnie the Pooh, in Canada.

 If you are feeling peckish, you might appreciate seeing The World's Largest Lobster, The World's largest Coffee Pot, and a huge potato outside the Potato Museum.

 The world's largest fiddle is in Sydney, not Sydney, Australia, but Sydney, Nova Scotia (Latin for New Scotland - not in Scotland), in Canada.

Americans are good at signposting turn off points to attractions along the motorways.

Going down under, Australia rivals Texas with big things.

Big Boots

'Mortels Sheepskin Factory is home to The Big Ugg Boots. These big ugg boots are 13 times the size of a women's US size 8 ugg boot. The Big Ugg Boots are located in the Hunter Region of NSW.'

Animals are also featured. Koalas.

The big koala family at Billabong Zoo, Port McQuairie, Australia.

Are you hungry?

Green and black olives outside the visitor centre, Tailem Bend, which means bend in the river, on the Murray river near Adelaide, in South Australia, Australia. Picture by Bilby in Wikipedia.

Next, maybe some fruit, such as the big banana.

Up in Europe, there's plenty more to see.

French cities tell you the major landmarks and attractions as you approach on the motorway to lure, or persuade you to turn off and visit them.

In the UK, some of the most popular wall plaques are the attractive  blue heritage plaques found in many buildings in the streets of London, England. 

Authors such as Enid Blyton, 

writers such as Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond,  plaque in Ebury Street, London

film stars (movie stars) such as Charlie Chaplin, 

politicians and political figures such as Karl Marx, 

musicians such as Mozart, 

and painters are remembered. 

You pass the plaques in the busy central streets as you walk about, and at seasides and cities around the UK.

Several plaques commemorate humorists such as Hancock and Spike Milligan. (Oops - I typed spoke Milligan, who spoke amusingly and often put a spoke in it. 

As for humour, there's a plaque to the site of the birthplace of Banoffi Pie. (Also spelled banoffee.) The restaurant owner and chef claim to have invented the pie on the restaurant premises.

 MEMORIALS

More serious memorials are also abundant.

WWII

At Baker Street station in London you pass a memorial plaque to WW2 workers who lost their lives.

Construction Workers and Eras

Nowadays plaques will tell you about how many lost their lives during construction. I recall at least three.

THE USA

One on a bridge across the sea off East coast USA, another on the Golden Gate bridge in California.

Europe and Islands

One on the Channel tunnel, another on a road tunnel in Europe. 

A swinging statue on a roundabout n Madeira is described and photographed in Tripadvisor.

The sculptor is  ... ... who made the sculpture of footballer Crstiano Ronaldo (displayed at the airport, then moved to the footballer's museum alongside)

Australia

A two second search on google instantly brings up plaques to Westgate bridge workers and others.

Useful Websites

Australia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia%27s_big_things

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia%27s_big_things#/media/File:Big_Olive.jpg

CANADA

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

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Roadside_attractions_in_Canada

UK

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

About the 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 on bha.learncool.sg  

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.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

The Portuguese flag and Portuguese words for colours

Lockdown is lifting. Get ready for your next trip to Portugal, Madeira, Brazil, or to reading about trips to these places and more news on Praia da Luz and Madeleine McCann.


Portuguese flag

Portuguese - English

English - Portuguese

Do you have
a Portuguese flag

Português - inglês
Inglês - português
Você tem
uma bandeira portuguesa

red
orange
yellow
green
blue

vermelho - red (like vermilion)
laranja (like orange)
amarelo
verde (like verdant)
azul

navy blue/dark blue
violet
purple
pink
black - white

Português - inglês Inglês - português Você tem azul marinho / azul escuro (like marine, like obscure) tolet (violet and tolet both end with et) roxa Rosa (like rose pink) Preto - black; branco - white (like blank white paper)

grey
not grey

striped
patterned

no striped
polka dots

coloured
multi coloured

bright colours
pale colours

cinzento
não cinza
listrado (striped like lines crossing out a shopping list)
estampado (pattern stamped on it)
não listrado
bolinhas
colori - coloured
multi colorido - multi coloured
cores brilhantes - brilliant colours

cores pálidas - pale colours

I like
I want
small
bigger

how much
cheaper

Perfect
I'll buy it

Thank you
Goodbye

Eu gosto
eu quero
pequeno
Maior (big or major)

quanto
mais barato (m for much or more)
Perfeito - perfect PERFE .T in both words
Vou comprar
Obrigado - obliged/much obliged/ thanks
Adeus - like mixing Spanish adios with French adieu

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

I and my family have lived in the UK, Spain, the USA and Singapore. I am a trave writer and phtographer and teacher of English A level and English as a foreign language.
Please come to a Toastmasters International Club where the English clubs have a langauge evaluator or grammarian.  We also have French, German, Mandarin Chinese, Tamil and other language clubs based in Singapore and many more online around the world which because of Covid-19 are now meeting online.

I am President of Braddell Heights Advanced, meeting every Wednesday, on zoom the first Wednesday of the month but the other Wednesdays are workshops on app learncool.sg
Or quicker to type and easier to remember:  tinyurl.com/BHACOOL

Useful Websites
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogs
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/04/how-to-say-thank-you-in-several.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/05/introducing-yourself-in-english-spanish.html
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2020/01/second-set-of-portuguese-words.html Please share links to your favourite posts
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8384769/Major-breakthrough-hunt-Madeleine-McCann-police-identify-German-suspect.html
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lista_de_patrim%C3%B3nio_edificado_no_distrito_de_Faro
translate.google.com
duolingo.com

Cristiano Ronaldo Footballer's Statue and My Favourite Sites in Portugal, Madeira and Portuguese Speaking Brazil

Portugal
First stop
is Lisbon.


Lisbon's Belem tower, a symbol of the city.

Monument to Henry the Navigator
At a distance the figures are very small. You need a zoom lens. You may prefer to read up about the statue people shown in advance of your visit, using Wikipedia or a guidebook.

The Algarve sandy beaches and rock formations.
See the Punta da Piedade (Point of mercy).

On one occasion we flew direct to Faro airport and did fly-drive, picking up a hire car.
On another holiday we enjoyed the drive south through cork trees down the west coast of Portugal.

Portugal Travel Highlights -
Lisbon, the capital city

Port and Douro Wine Route, Portugal
Algarve beaches via Faro airport

Madeira
In the capital Funchal you will find two or more Madeira wine locations. We booked from home in advance for all of our hiking group. A centrally located shop where you can book a Madeira tasting and talk for a group is Pereiro D'Oliveriras. We had previously met their rep when they were giving a tasting of Madeira wines in a wine shop in Eton in the UK.

Company Pereira D`Oliveiras, Funchal

Karelj - Own work. Wikipedia.

MADEIRA
Known for Madeira wine, switchback road, walks along the levadas, and the visual appeal of the little triangular houses, one of which we saw was a flower shop where I bought fruit seeds.

Cristiano Ronaldo, football player, statue by Madeiran sculptor Ricardo Velosa in Funchal, Madeira. Photo by TeWeBs in Wikipedia.
The airport was renamed Cristiano Ronaldo. A bust of the player was controversial as some people did not think it was a likeness or that it was not flattering. So the full size sculpture was commissioned.

You can also visit a museum all about the football player and an adjacent hotel.

Vineyard growing among other cultures in the tropical influenced climate near Santana, Madeira.

Karel Vízner, GEUM - Self-photographed

wine fields near town Santana, Madeira.

BRAZIL
Brazilian Tourist Board
https://www.visitbrasil.com/
See Rio, the beach, and the modern city of Brasilia.




Useful Websites

Travel

Portuguese Tourist Board

https://www.visitportugal.com/en

Pousadas

https://www.pousadasportugal.com/

Language

http://duolingo.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portuguese_language
https://translate.google.com/

earwormslearning.com

Madeira
https://www.visitportugal.com/en/destinos/madeira
Story of vintage Madeira wind discovered in the USA
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/madeira-wine-two-hundred-year-old-found-fortified-cellar-new-jersey-liberty-hall-union-a7835881.html
http://www.kean.edu/libertyhall/about/history
Football Museum
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Museu_CR7
duolingo.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeira

TOURIST BOARDS GROUPED TOGETHER

visitportugal.com

visitbrasil.com

http://www.visitmadeira.pt/en-gb/homepage

ANGELA LANSBURY BLOG POSTS

http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/port-and-portuguese-wine-labels-and.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/how-to-ask-for-food-and-drink-in.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/learn-your-first-ten-words-in.
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/01/how-do-you-say-please-in-portuguese-is.

http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2017/03/madeira-madeira-wine-portugal-and.html

About The Author
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer and photographer, blogger, author of 20 books including an ebook on Improve Your English, from Amazon, and teacher of English and Business English and other languages to individuals, colleges and companies. For more information on learning languages see the previous posts. For information on sites to see in Spain and Portugal see the next post. Please bookmark your favourite posts and share the links with your family, friends and colleagues.

Fashion For Travel: Mail Order Holiday Clothes: Cape Blazers and white and pink or black blouses

I saw a girl on the Easyjet plane from the UK to Madeira. She was wearing a white cape blazer. Glamorous. Elegant. She was good enough to tell me where it came from. It was sold in white or black.

A cape blazer has a very strange construction. It's like a sleeveless jacket with a cape on top, fitted across the shoulders, with a large gap under the arms, and the cape extending the length of the arms.

Who do I rate tops
1 MANGO
White Cape Blazer
The Mango shop had only the white. I bought a Mango cape blazer in white in the sale at Funchal, capital of Madeira. When I got home I phoned their customer relations department to ask who had the black version. I eventually found the item available online in the UK, supposedly on sale but dearer than in the sale in Madeira - plus the postage.

I now knew the magic words to find what I wanted, cape blazer.

So I started hunting online on Amazon, eBay, Google, all over.

My verdict: Ten out of ten for style by Mango. Not so good on price, even in the sale. If travelling out of the UK, look for reduced prices in other countries.

Now that I have had other cape blazers, what can I say about Mango? Lined with a satin look lining. All stitching concealed. Hangs neatly, uncreased. Light yet thick. I went back and inspected it again. The reason it hands so well is that cape part is lined, as well as the body fitted sleeveless under jacket.

***

2 LAVISH ALICE
Burgundy Wine Cape Blazer
They also sell a cape blazer dress and split-front trousers (Americans say pants) and a cape blazer trouser suit.

I bought a second-hand Lavish Alice cape blazer from eBay in a huge size in wine colour. It was wonderful. I am now a fan of Lavish Alice Clothes.
A Lavish Alice cape Blazer was advertised at £27 by Asos Aug 30 2018 but out of stock.

It is lined.

It buttoned across the front so it stayed on. It hangs well.


The shoulders are not rounded but an angular design, but with the lining softening the shoulders, it seems to hang okay.
The label says the silky lining is polyester elastane like the main fabric. Do not iron. Do not dry clean. That'll save some people a bit of money.
Wash dark colours separately. Reshape whilst damp.

***

3 MISSGUIDED
White Cape Blazer
Note the name is miss as in Miss not misguided as in the adjective.
I bought a white cape blazer, very inexpensive, from ebay. It was a size 8 and I thought, that's much too small. But the price was cheap. I might be able to alter it.

I bid. I won.

The garment had a matching belt with a buckle. I eventually located the two slots for the buckle, not protruding tabs, slots. This holds the jacket in place, No flopping about. The belt creates a sleeker line - if you are slim. (If you are overweight you just emphasize your large booms. The metal-edged belt holes were generous enough in number to allow me to do up the belt even though the garment is size 8 and I am size 16.

The bodice part is lined, but not the cape. The shoulder is properly inset with curves and pintucks.

***

4 WHITEBIRD
White cape blazer. Large. Unlined. Shoulders with proper curved inset. I cannot find a website. I bought from ebay.


5 RUIYIGE
Pink cape blazer with red flower applique and button at neck.
Also comes in black and white.
The black would probably show the creases less, especially at night.This is sold on eBay by Twenga, Shopper.com and Shoptart.

On my screen the photo looks a slightly blueish pale pink. It's actually a more bright salmon colour.


RUIYIGE
Cape (rather than cape blazer).

I had expected a cape blazer and was initally disappointed with the cut and quality. It kept slipping off my shoulders, so I tied it up. Then I was much happier. Like a cape blazer it leaves your arms free. you might like to wear it with a long sleeve plain white top.

Square or T shape cut on shoulders. Single layer, no lining. You must turn back the two front vertical edges to hide the stitching.

 LILIGAL
Pink and white blouse
I kept typing lilgal, maybe because I am a little (short) girl.

Pink and White Blouse
Pink pintuck colour block blouse, button up.
This has a diagonal line, pink lower half, white sleeves and white pintuck top, pearly pink button with four holes sunk in the middle.
The back is half pink and half white as you can see from the left shoulder, on the right of the picture.

Liligal pink and white blouse with pintucks and pink buttons. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

$31.11 American dollars.
Lovely garment. Plenty room enough, with large sleeves and generous cut.

Not as glamorous on me as on the slim model. A slimmer fitting might have been more flattering. I ordered XXL large because so many garments are too small.

(I've had garments which were too small from China and from Patra in the UK, my favourite. In Singapore I bought satin reversible jackets and had to buy triple X to get them to fit over a sleeved dress or blouse.)

 I tried my Liligal blouse over a sleeveless dress and it still fitted.

The feel was great. Soft and stretchy. I wanted to wear it straight away.
Free returns.

I tried to give a review on their website but kept running into problems so I thought I would review it here.

I am now prepared to order the black version of the blouse, a size smaller.
***
Problems
Will items arrive in time for my holiday? Will they fit and match my other garments? What if I want to send it back?

Answers
These have been some of my recent experiences. Allow time.

Useful websites:
lavishalice.com
liligal.com
mango.com
http://missguided.co.uk
http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2018/08/how-could-ebay-improve-customer.html

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
See my other posts covering eBay and Prolady cape blazer, Mail Order, Madeira. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Cocktails in The Sunset on a hotel balcony

An ex-pat balcony in a condo in Singapore, by daylight. 

There's the sunset. it doesn't last long. Catch it while you can. Catch it with your eyes, your clinking glasses, your camera.

Cocktails In The Sunset

I used to admire the sunsets from the balconies of successive condos where we rented in Singapore.

This year I've made a point of actually sitting on balconies enjoying the view for an evening break.

If you are planning a first night or last night cocktail party or couples drink on the balcony of a hotel, check out the balcony. Tell the reception in advance that you want a room with a good view. See two rooms before allowing your luggage to be sent up.

Check the balcony actually has a table and two chairs. In one hotel, our balcony had no chairs and table. I phoned and asked.

In the Pestana hotel in Madeira, while waiting for family, I wandered along the corridor to see the views from the public areas and take photos. I found the hotel was designed with balconies all along the side. So in areas without bedrooms by the lift (elevators if you are reading in the USA) the hotel has two public balconies - with tables and chairs.

The tables and chairs were to heavy and inconvenient for me to move. But I knew the hotel had spare tables and chairs. (So we could have had a third or fourth chair if we had been entertaining.)

Alternatively, instead of moving more chairs into the bedroom, we could have held our mini-party on the public balcony.

You may find they want to charge more for a better room. You might decide it's worth paying extra. If not, at very least, you can get a photo from a better room's balcony whilst there is still light.

I remember reading a reviewer's comment that the bedrooms of a hotel were kept clean, but nobody had cleaned the chairs or tables on the balcony. You could ring housekeeping on arrival and ask them to do this.

I never thought of that. I just got toilet paper and wiped down the chairs and table.

I thought, next time I'll bring my own tablecloth. An alternative is to make a clean area for setting down glasses by using the cheap coasters from the hotel bar (I'd ask the bar server if I can borrow and bring them back).

If I'd had forethought and space in my luggage, I would have packed a lightweight plastic tablecloth. Two cheap cardboard coasters won't take up much space.

What about making the balcony chairs clean to sit on? Maybe two spare pillowcases from home. (Maybe not a white pillowcase in case a hotel staff think it's theirs. If it vanishes in the wash and they offer to look for it, they'll never find it.) How about the spare pillow in the hotel wardrobe? Either the whole pillow or just the pillowcase.

I would not want my family using that dirtied pillow later on the bed. I would remove the pillowcase and/or hand the pillowcase to the people collecting the bedrooms' dirty linen.

I would not want the next people in the room to receive a dirtied pillowcase either. Even if it didn't look dirty, I'd be worried about whether I'd infected somebody with a low immune system.

So now that we have a clean place for the glasses - did I mention glasses?

Save one from the bar and carry it upstairs. Ask for Champagne or Prosecco in the hotel bedroom on day one and keep the glass.

Ask if you can keep the glass used for the free drink you get at the reception desk on check-in.

Buy a plastic Champagne style glass from the local supermarket.

Maybe buy a bottle for pre-dinner drinks on the hotel balcony. (Although I'm not a fan of drinks without food, nor drinks combined with balconies.)

On the other hand, if you drink in the bedroom or a conference room, and then go down to the restaurant, you can avoid your group crossing roads.

Angela Lansbury with Champagne. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

Madeira
We tried that in Madeira. It can save money if you are eating in a hotel restaurant. Especially if they charge for bottled water and won't give you tap water.

However, it won't save if you get inebriated and order more drinks when you get down to dinner!

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