Useful Spanish for shopping

 I want to buy - Quiero comprar

a gift - un regalo

a souvenir - un recuerdo

I need - Necesito (like the English word necessary)

I want to find - Quiero encontrar (like the English word encounter)

a souvenir shop - una tienda de recuerdos (like the English word records, literally a shop of souvenirs, in the plural)

The o ending for verbs in the first person, I, is like amo. I remember learning amo, amas, amat in Latin at school,, for I love, you love, he, she or it loves.

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Set 6 of handy Albanian words

 English - Albanian

Checkin / security - Regjistrimi / siguria

here is - ketu eshte

where is -  ku është

I need - kam nevoje

Events

what time is it now

what time does it start

What time must I be there

I need a toilet/hotel

I want to buy

.....

Albanian - English  

Regjistrimi / siguria - checkin / Security

ketu eshte - here is

ku është - where is

kam nevoje - I want to buy

Ngjarjet

sa është ora

Ne cfare ore fillon

Në çfarë ore duhet të jem atje

Kam nevoj per nje tualet/hotel - I need a toilet/hotel

Unë dua të blej

....

ku eshte pija ime?

I

ju

të

hengra

dhe

ose

 jo po

me fal

eshte ne rregull

.......................

left

straight on

mountain

sandwich

sea

shop

stop

street

supermarket

toilet

water

Spanish words for shopping and eating out in restaurants, simplified with memory aids

 We checked into a parador, one of those wonderful historic hotels in Spain. Next morning we went down to breakfast. We went to reception. We did not know the Spanish word for breakfast. The receptionist knew no English. I tried asking in French. She did not understand. My husband tried German. She did not understand.

I had to go all the way back to the bedroom and hunt through my suitcase until I found my small Spanish dictionary. Desayuno.

The receptionist then reached under the reception desk. She revealed that she had a four-language booking form which included most of the words one might need in a hotel.

I now know the word for breakfast in Spanish. I also know that the word for restaurant is similar in both languages. I could also mime or draw. However, I try to learn a few words of Spanish every day. Finding a link between the letters or ideas is helpful.

In addition to the word for breakfast, it is handy to understand the words for toilet, or ladies and gentlemen. 

My late father made a mistake when he was in the Spanish restaurant, La Giralda, in Pinner Green, London. He went to the toilets and saw the sign Senoras. He assumed that was plural for senor. So he pushed open the door. The lady inside was washing her hands. She was outraged. She complained to the management. The restaurant owner came over to ask us, "A lady customer has just complained that your father walked into the ladies toilet. Can you please explain why?"

When my father explained, we all rolled around in hysterical laughter. The moral is, a little learning is a dangerous thing. Once you have started, keep on learning.

Spanish - English

amo - I love

aires - airs

barato - cheap - (sounds like bargain)

Buenos - good ones (sounds like beautiful and beneficial) 

caro - expensive (my image is the cost of a car)

centro comercial - shopping mall

comprar - to buy

desayuno - breakfast (sounds like day starts, you know)

hotel - hotel

ir - to go 

me gusta - I like (sounds like I eat with gusto)

para ver - to see 

restaurante - restaurant

sandalias - sandals 

sombrero - hat

vino blanco - white wine (sounds like a blank colour, colourless wine)

vino tinto - red wine (sounds like tinted)

visitar - to visit

English - Spanish

airs - aires

breakfast - desayuno

gentlemen - caballeros 

good ones - buenos

hat - sombrero

hotel - hotel

I like - me gusta

I love - amo (sounds like amorous)

I want - quiero (looks like my quest)

I want to buy - quiero comprar

ladies - señoras

restaurant - restaurante

to visit - visitar

red wine - vino tinto

sandals - sandalias

shopping mall - centro comercial

toilet/bathroom - baño (sounds like 'in the bathroom, you know')

white wine - vino blanco

Useful Websites

duolingo.com

earwormslearning.com

translate.google.com

 

How To Buy Musical Instruments For Less And Enjoy Lessons At Home and Overseas

Problem
First, where do you find a cheap musical instrument for yourself or a child.
You see a bargain price, irresistible flute or ukele or accordion which looks great and sounds great when you see it in the shop. But when you get it home you can't play it.

Solutions
First let me tell you what happened to me recently. I passed a music shop in Colindale and looked in the window.

I went inside. Here's a look at some of the goods and prices. If you are buying something really expensive, such as a professional clarinet, to take overseas, you may be able to take it or ship it and by-pass the VAT charged in the UK.

If you are buying an instrument, it's a good idea to take lessons immediately. You are enthusiastic. You know the venue so no problem finding it. They already see you as a customer who must be kept happy.

Singing Lessons
While you are overseas or on holiday, you might wish to take lessons. I saw singing lessons advertised in Yamaha in Singapore at a reduced rate, or an affordable rate.

They put me in touch with a teacher. She wanted me to sign up for a one-hour once a week lesson for six weeks. I was in Singapore only four weeks so I declined.

She then offered me a lesson immediately, another at the end of the week, and two at the start and end of my last week so I got six lessons. Everybody was happy.

Buying Accessories
If you arrive at a lesson in a store and discover you are missing something, such as a guitar pick, or book of songs, they will probably have something to sell you before your lesson starts.

Buying Gifts
I saw items I wanted. I have added them to my Christmas list.

I went into a music shop in Colindale, NW London and said I needed a stand for a keyboard. They said most keyboards can fit on a universal stand which expands. (I seem to remember reading that my machine took a particular size - there may be two sizes of universal stands for half size and full-size keyboards, the ones you see advertised online at cheap prices only being fixed size or for half size keyboards.

I wanted to know the price of a white piano. To my surprise, it was under a thousand pounds and cheaper than another piano I looked at in the shop. I thought that white would be a speciality item. Since I like furniture and my parents had a white piano, I was curious.


Toy accordion photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Whilst there I noticed a child size accordion. An adult's accordian will cost more than £150, so it wasn't something to be bought as an impulse purchase. But the little one, just for fun. I bought it.

I got it home and no sound came out of it. Oh, dear, Did it need a battery, which I should have bought in the shop? No there's a button for air. The instructions say you must fill it with air by pressing that button before you squeeze it. Otherwise you could cause damage.

Then I could not see from the instructions how you get your hand inside the strap. Most basic thing. I should have spent longer in the shop.

Anyway, it has already served its purpose in being an accessory or prop when I give humorous speeches on the stage at Toastmasters International club meetings. The night I bought the toy size accordion, I told this story:

"I saw the little red toy accordion and thought, I must have that. I went inside to ask the price. I thought, I'll pay £5, £10, even £15. Maybe, even up to £20.

"I asked the price. £25. Ah! Too much.

"I said, 'If you'd said £20, I'd have bought it!'
"He quickly said, '£20'.

"I quickly said, 'Yes!' I thought, 'I should have said £15!"

I am now the proud owner of a little, red toy accordion, which I cannot play, yet.

Music Temptations Galore
On the bus home, I passed another music shop, in Edgware. Fortunately, by the time we had reached my stop I had forgotten about it. Just as well. I had already spent my budget for the day. I find it hard to go past any music shop without just popping in for a look and ending up buying something. The same applies to a supermarket, or any shop.

Practice Needed
It's time to stop buying more musical novelties and learn to play the ones I already have. I think I shall stay home and watch more YouTube videos on how to play a toy accordion.

Small, Easily Transportable Instruments
The nice thing about 'The Busker' toy accordion it is that it's small enough to carry around, unlike the bulk of a guitar.

The smallest instrument is probably a harmonica. I have a friend called Penn at Writers Summer School who plays the harmonica during his poetry readings and storytelling sessions on stage during the Buskers' night.

He says he plays only three notes. You would never know. I thought he was a professional player with a great repertoire.

If you are looking for musical instruments small enough to put in your pocket, Ebony and Ivory's website sells a kazoo; and a Jaw/Jews harp.

Spellings
I just went through my blog post and corrected all the spelling mistakes which were pointed out by Grammarly. How do you remember whether it's accordian or accordion? It's accordion. Like a chord. Or a cord. A - c - cord -  i- on. Play on with the accordion.

The website of the toy accordion maker is:
www.jhs.co.uk

The assistant was Christian.

The shop I visited was:
https://ebonyivory.co.uk
Ebony and Ivory shop also has an eBay store:

http://www.ebaystores.co.uk/ebonyandivoryltd/
Ebony and Ivory Ltd
11 Varley Parade
Edgware Road
Colindale
London NW9
England
UK
Tel: 020 8200 5510
email ebonyandivoryltd@gmail.com

Author
Angela Lansbury

Travellers' Tales: Indonesian property seller died

Problem
You buy a home or business in Asia. What could go wrong?

Answers
A Brit claims he bought a part share in a business from an old man. At first all went well. He gradually built up the business until it was making a profit.

However, ten years on, the old man died. The old man's descendants came back and said, 'This land has been ours for generations. Get off our land.'

The Brit claims: 'I went to court. However, the police and solicitors were the brothers of my adversaries.'

I later questioned him again for an update. He replied:
'I got my money back.  But others lost everything.'

Angela Lansbury

Buying and Renting Property in the USA, UK, Spain and Singapore

Problem
Should you rent or buy? What will it cost? What will it save in terms of money? Any risks? Advantages?

Answers
You have several ways to find out prices:
1 STREET SEARCH
Search the internet for a location such as a street - if the street is purely residential and not known for anything else such as a department store, statue, museum or murder case, up will pop ads for house agent sales.
Street view will show you the type of housing and amenities near by.
Maps will show underground train stations, green parks and tennis courts, hidden behind housing
names searches will bring up: beaches, garages UK term - in the USA and elsewhere petrol stations, or gas stations,
golf clubs, leisure centres, libraries, railway stations, schools, swimming pools, tennis courts, motorways, airport.
2 NEWSPAPER ADS
In Singapore we went through the classified ads in the major newspaper, The Straits Times, to find out rental prices in the central business district and district one where the American live, the Orchard Road shops and the American Club for social life.
3 PROPERTY AGENT
You can sign up online or go into the office. Some agents will run you around in their cars to several properties in a day. You may have to wait two or three days whilst they find somebody not already committed to showing other customers around, and to allow time for them to contact all the properties in your price range and to collect keys from the owners and, for a second viewing, to arrange for you to meet the owners. If you are on a job interview trip for just a week or two, line up the agents on day one as they might take a day to get back to you by phone and then say nothing in your price range or nothing in your area, or they might waste your time showing you unsuitable properties. (However, sometimes they know the owner has asked a higher price in the hope of getting it, but will come down, or that you might be willing to pay more if you see a must have property.
In Singapore we wanted a large property with a swimming pool within walking distance of the main street, Orchard Road, and near an MRT underground railway. The agents and friends all said impossible, at our price limit. However after turning down all the phone calls offering properties miles away or twice our budget, we were offered a 'very old' property, which was not the brand new gleaming sort of property most CEO Americans would want. The property had been on the market and empty, we negotiated a deal which suited both sides, and we rented it.
4 SHOP THE AGENTS' WINDOWS
On holiday in an area you like?
Walk around the area looking for properties in your price range in the agents' windows. Drive around your favourite areas and look for sale boards. Having located a suitable street, a house or shortlist of houses whose exterior you like, go into local agents with your specific enquiry.
5 PERSONAL ENQUIRY
Drop a note through the doors of every house in a street you like. Or walk up and down and give your business card to everybody saying you want to rent. Ask every business in the area if they know anybody. Put an appeal on the club notice board. Ask advice from colleagues at your new place of work, and ask personnel if you can share with another worker, or another family, to reduce cost.

Story
UK
In London a friend of man drew the location of his new job and a circle of five miles around it. He then picked out the railway stations and bus routes direct to his place of work within the circle. He went to an estate agent to ask about rental properties where he could live in the area. He already had the streets of interest marked.

USA
In Boston, USA, the company which took us to the USA had a house which had enough rooms for two or thee employees and the their families to live on different floors for a few weeks or months until they could rent a flat for a year. It worked very well. You could always buy kitchenware and bedding on sale. You might be able to buy small essentials on expenses. If not, you just bought cheaply. When you left you offered your kettle or toaster to the new people coming in at a cheap price, or a box of kitchenware (and mops etc) and bathroom goods (shower curtain) and bedding.

SINGAPORE
In Singapore a chat to local people soon reveals what you need to know. A bought condo flat with three or four bedrooms might be one and a half million Singapore dollars to buy, if you watch and wait for a good deal, up to two million.

Sounds a lot? One couple got a mortgage. How much is the mortgage? It varies depending on the pay back time. You might be given, and seek, a bigger mortgage with two wage earners. One couple smiled, "before we retire!" They wanted to pay it off fast while they were still earning well.

SPAIN
Laws may be different. Check language, translation, rules about foreigners owning.

Tip
SHORTLIST REQIREMENTS
Location, location, location. Can you work there? Will you make friends? Is it suitable for children/ pets/ garaging a car. Public transport? Should you buy before you retire in order to establish friends and club memberships in the new area?

Glossary
UK - USA
UK house agent, property agent, property; - USA realtor, real estate
UK council house; USA affordable housing, social housing; Singapore HDB (Housing Development Board)

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

Travelling and Keys for suitcases

Where is the key to this suitcase? Sort out your keys well in advance.

1 SUITCASE KEYS
a) Storing and finding
i) My system is to do what the shops do. Keep the key which came with the suitcase attached to the suitcase handle.

ii) I also used to have a plan to keep suitcase keys in the pack with my passport so I didn't get to the airport and find I'd rushed out to the taxi and left my keys at home in a drawer.

iii) Other people keep all their keys in one bunch in one place. But you must keep them in a place where you can find them.

iv) You could also attach a note to the suitcase to say that the key is inside in the inside pocket or that the key is in a top drawer in a desk either at home in the bedroom or study or wherever you keep it.

b) Buying Keys
Note that special keys which can be opened by US customs for security checks are required for the USA. Check which keys your airline or destination requires.

Duplicate keys
( D u p l i c a t e - spell check likes d e l i c a t e)
When storing  (s t o r i n g not soaring) the keys you may wish (w i s h not with) to keep both keys at home together, either in a top drawer or a key box hanging on the wall. You might label keys or colour code them and label them key one and key two.

To colour code the locks and keys if they are plain metal and you have several, paint nail varnish onto them. At one time you could only buy red and pink and orange nail polish, but now you can buy nail polish in blue and green and black and yellow at low prices.

A good system if two of you are travelling is to give the duplicate second key to your partner. That way if one of you mislays the keys the other person can quickly supply a duplicate when you are trying to check in hurriedly at the airport without keeping others waiting whilst you hunt.

Back home again, if you find key one on the floor or in a drawer it is easier to find out which person has the second key and know where to look.

Another solution is to you leave one key at home. That helps if you get home with a locked suitcase and find the key to the locked suitcase is left behind in your holiday flat, the coat you left behind or lost, or in one of a myriad pockets. You go straight to key two and start unpacking. When you later find missing key one in your inside jacket pocket, or the purse with your foreign currency, you can then match up the two keys.

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

Chocolate Tasting & Making

Here's more I just read a leaflet I picked up in the rococo chocolate shop about tastings and chocolate making classes for adults and children. The cheapest, and good value, are the £35 per child one hour sessions in which children create a chocolate bar in the kitchen and design a wrapper for their bar. (I don't rate the Educational workshop at £15 when you learn about chocolate but don't seem to get to try any.) The adult sessions start at Chocolate tasting for beginners, 50 minutes, in which you taste single origin bars and award winning truffles.  (And how much chocolate could you buy for the same money?) At only £35 for 50 minutes there's Blindfold tasting, Chocolate For The Senses. at 365 per person there's Truffle Rolling, 75 minutes, . Create your unique truffle, rolling, dipping and coating.
   I was tempted to ask for this for my next birthday, in the next month. However, I watched a macaroon making demo at the BBC food show and can't remember a word, nor have I tried making macaroons since. Chocolate, surely you just melt it and stick it in a mould for Easter?  I think I'll just try to resist the urge to buy and eat more chocolate, until my next visit to the Rococo shop.
More information from them
blog.rococochocolates.com/events

PS Anybody who wants to buy me or make me chocolates - I like white chocolate (which tastes creamy and I hope keeps my teeth white).