Which landmarks are your favourites in each country? The places everybody researches?

Someone has searched for the place we search for on the internet. Not necessarily the same as the places people actually visit.

THE AMERICAS

The places everybody researches are the unsurprising Niagara Falls in Canada. Yes they are also in the USA, but all the excitement of walking behind the falls and the museums is on the Canadian side.  

EUROPE  & UK

In Europe, the Eiffel Tower in France is another place searched for.. 

In the UK Stonehenge was a bit of a surprise. Not so easily accessible. I have been to Stonehenge. (I must admit that blank stones don't inspire me much. 

ASIA

I was more impressed by the faces in Cambodia.Ankor Wat is there most searched for place.

THE MIDDLE EAST

 Petra in Jordan is a firm favourite. Hasn't it been in numerous films!  I took a camel ride to see it. Jordan has lots of Roman ruins too. Column after column. But if you want columns, so do Rome and Greece. And a few other countries. Petra is unique, another culture.

Useful Websites

 https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-12539567/What-world-wants-VISIT-Fascinating-map-shows-popular-landmarks-country-Stonehenge-Statue-Liberty.html#comments

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Christmas Gifts From Travellers To Travellers, from Journals, Maps and Suitcase Covers, to Aprons, Chocolates, Key Rings, Umbrellas and More

My ebook on improve your English with alliteration is available for download from Amazon. 

English dictionaries of all sizes can be bought on line. 

If you are obsessed with Stonehenge or the Loch Ness Monster, or know somebody who is, then, failing a trip to visit the original and/or the museum, a key ring, poster or book is a cheaper alternative to stick inside a Christmas stocking for amusement. Or inside a Christmas cracker, the DIY sort.

I bought towelling bath mit from Primark with a Union Jack.

Gifts From England

Chocolate

Passing through Heathrow airport? We bought Terry's white chocolate  and orange bar. It tastes good. It's different.

Tesco Express in London often has cakes topped with Thornton chocolates.

Also look for Kendal Mint cake.

English Heritage

Union flag (union jack) golf umbrella, twenty five pounds (plus postage?) with navy outside and the Union Jack inside.

The cheapest union Jack tee-shirts are on ebay. Some of them have messy edges to the flag. You can buy tee-shirts with the flag large or small and the normal way up or sideways.

Stonehenge

Spinner key ring; oven glove. Socks. Bottle opener key ring. 

Book: I never knew that about England. Tells you where Wendy and Long John Silver are buried, and where King Alfred burned the cakes.

British food includes:

Bakewell tart, malt loaf. Cadbury's chocolates. Quality Street chocolates. Scones. Mrs Beeton recipe book. Fray Bentos tinned steak and kidney pudding. Marks & Spencers thick cut marmalade. Ginger in syrup in glass jars from supermarkets.

Harrods goods with their symbol. Toby jugs. Wedgwood crockery. (All cheaper in the January sales - which often start online as early as Boxing Day, Dec 26, or even Christmas Day, Dec 25.)

Diabetic and gluten free goods from pharmacies. 

Kosher and halal goods from supermarkets and speciality grocers.

Large numbers of Chinese and Indian (mainly Pakistani and North Indian) restaurants, some vegetarian restaurants. Indian sarees and items from areas such as Southall in London. Bit Chinese mall on the Edgware Road in London.

Numerous art galleries and museums and stately homes have shops. Sherlock Holmes items from their shop near baker street station.

UK flag mask

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/united-kingdom-union-jack-england-britain-flag-vintage-distressed-finish-design-turnpike.html?product=face-mask-flat

Winter Novelties

Paperweights which show falling snow when turned upside down.

Travel Novelties

You can buy a suitcase, a suitcase set, or suitcase cover with pictures of the UK, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, or the words New York.

I bought a cover to cover a scruffy suitcase. The cover prevented me from reaching into the outside pocket which was a nuisance. However, you might find it adds security by preventing things from falling out or to stop petty pilferage.

Gifts From Scotland

Loch Ness Monster

Scottish shortbread biscuits

Tartan hat or kilt, tee-shirt or teddy bear toys or key rings wearing tartan kilts and hats .

Whisky

Gifts From Wales

Welsh cakes

Welsh love spoons

Tee towels with words of Welsh or Welsh recipes

 

Gifts from Ireland

Aran sweaters

Items in green and with four leaf clover motifs

Personalize

Personalized with your surname in the middle, Monopoly, ordered from Selfridges.

Looking for a bargain?

Lidl, the low price German supermarket in London, England, before Xmas sells stollen bites from Germany.

Hanukah theme gifts will be reduced price after the end of hanukah, widely sold in London UK supermarkets, Jewish delis and shops, and the USA bargain stores.

After Christmas you can stock up on Christmas theme items for next year.

Soon to come, more ideas for you. 

Classic companies in the UK include department stores Hamleys, Selfridges, Harrods, Marks & Spencer, Tesco. 

Classic chocolates are Cadbury's, Thorntons, After Eight, Hotel Chocolat, Terry's.

Classic flags are the Union Jack, flags of Scotland, Wales, and Eire, the USA, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, England, Football teams.

Classic US authors include Dickens, the Brontes, Jane Austen.

Classic US authors include Edgar Allen Poe.

Classic Christian gifts are from churches and cathedrals.

Classic Jewish gifts are from synagogues and Jewish gift shops and Jewish museums.

Travel Diaries

Cheap Travel Diary For Children

If you cannot travel, you can cut out or print pictures for a wishlist. Or start collecting stamps. I remember as a child seeing pagodas and Ankor Wat. When I finally reached Ankor Wat, at retirement age, it exceeded my expectations, and it was not the only building in that style but one of many. Also, by then it was not remote and eerie, but surrounded by sellers of postcards and drinks and even restaurants in huts and one storey wooden buildings. 

Finally, there's the KrisFlyer shop.

Useful Websites

Child's union Jack cap

https://www.lazada.sg/products/union-jack-uk-england-flag-united-kingdom-united-kingdom-england-london-kids-baseball-hats-childrens-cap-hip-hop-caps-childrens-cap-hat-hats-for-children-childs-summer-cap-sun-hats-cap-for-boy-

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-10274603/Christmas-gift-ideas-traveller-life-luggage-tags-heated-jackets.html

https://www.english-heritageshop.org.uk/

https://www.english-heritageshop.org.uk/collections/exclusive-collections/stonehenge-medallion-collection

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/stonehenge/things-to-do/shop/

https://www.selfridges.com/GB/en/cat/board-games-monopoly-by-you-silver-tokens-personalised-board-game_R03866787/

https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/

https://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/

https://www.theirishstore.com/irish-gifts

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

Tee shirts with Union Jacks on ebay

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282830021956?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM

https://www.facebook.com/KrisShop/

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/united-kingdom-union-jack-england-britain-flag-vintage-distressed-finish-design-turnpike.html?product=face-mask-flat

About the Author

About the author of this blog

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. 

Salisbury, England - apart from a former spy, and nearby Stonehenge, what is it known for?

Salisbury Cathedral photo by Bellminsterboy from Wikipedia article on Salisbury. 

Salisbury, England
Right now, March 11th  2018, the Zizi restaurant and the large Mill pub are closed by police cordons whilst former spy and his daughter are in hospital with suspected poisoning. So visiting Salisbury is not high on my places to visit, although plenty of journalists rush into places which everybody else is rushing away from.

I have driven through Salisbury many times on my way to Bournemouth or Southampton and when passing Stonehenge.

Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire.
Places to see:

1 Salisbury Cathedral has a tower giving a view (entrance fee) and a copy of the Magna Carta which was signed in 1215 AD. Four copies of the Magna Carta exist and this one is said to be the best.

2 Old Sarum. Hilltop Ruins. Inner part paid for, outer area free.

3 Stonehenge, UNESCO world heritage site, about 8 miles (13 km) NW of Salisbury, a 20-minute drive. Went there years ago. Quite complicated to park one side, buy a ticket, walk to the other side. You need half a day to make the time and cost worthwhile. We decided it was not worth the time and money for a quick visit rushing en route somewhere else. Stick to photos from a distance - tripod and good camera advised if you want a photo large enough to see.

Stonehenge. Photo by Garethwiscombe from Wikipedia article on Stonehenge.

4 Salisbury Museum (with exhibits on Stonehenge), recommended by Bill Bryson, in the close forming part of the Cathedral grounds.

Salisbury Museum. Photo by SalisburyMuseum1 in article on Salisbury Museum in Wikipedia.

5 Arundell House, former home of British PM Ed Heath.

Arundells House, author Mike Searle, from Wikipedia article on the house.

The home of Edward Heath, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from 1985 until his death in 2005.

The house and its extensive garden are open to the public five days a week from late March to late October each year. (It is closed on Thursdays and Fridays).

6 Boscombe Down Aviation Museum.

7 Yew walk, atmospheric twisted old trees, on private land so asking permission is a good idea, a mile or more walk along a muddy path, according to reviewers on TripAdvisor.

Useful Websites
https://www.spirefm.co.uk/news/local-news/2524996/salisbury-spy-poisoning-traces-of-chemical-weapon-found-in-zizzi/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salisbury
https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Salisbury_(England)#Q160642
https://wikitravel.org/en/Salisbury_(England)
https://www.google.co.uk/destination?q=salisbury&client=safari (Good set of photos)
https://www.arundells.org/visitor-information/

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

Temples in Cambodia - East and West

Problem
Which was do temples face? In Cambodia mostly towards the East. (Actually large numbers of religious buildings, ranging from standing stones such as Stonehenge in the UK to church, mosques, synagogues and Buddhist and Hindu temples (and many graves and burial places, as well as monuments and houses and public buildings from the days before electric light and gas light) will be designed to face East. That means they get the sun on certain features such as holy statues. Does it go back to sun worship, or simply the practicality of having the sunlight so you can see?

Another thing we discovered about hot countries, you want to rise at 5 am in order to walk or work in the cool, but rest or stay still in the heat of noon and afternoon. At this time water has heated up and even wooden balustrades in sunlight are too hot to touch.

If your tuk-tuk driver wants to drop you off at the west and collect you at the east, or vice versa, your instinct is to say, no, meet me back here at this spot so I can find you. (He argues and this goes round and round until one of you gives in.) He has a good reason for his decision.

The temple may take an hour to walk through to see everything. If you walked to the middle and back in an hour you would have missed all the carvings and statues and views on the other side.

The arrows all point in one direction. In order to find the exit you have to follow the arrows.

Some of the staircases are one way and at busy times you will be going against the flow.

It is easier to follow the arrows because you know you will eventually get out.

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