Nandos - perfect for chicken and children

Four of us, three adults and a five year old child, went to Nandos for lunch. Nandos is a family favourite restaurant and a known quality. 

Chicken, corn and mashed potato and butter at Nandos, Stanmore. Photo by Angela Lansbury. copyright.

Parking in Stanmore

In Stanmore you can park outside if you are lucky. Other car parks are around the back, a public car park. 

Behind Sainsbury's we thought had public parking. It seemed to be mostly for customers. The criss- crossed markings on the spaces were reserved for local businesses, but only for Monday to Friday. 

Many Tables

Inside is a huge place with loads of tables. We had no need to book on a Saturday late lunch time July 25th 2026. We chose one of half a dozen alcoves with benches which suited mother and child, and granny with a big bag containing a pop-up reading book.

Children's Menu And Colouring

As soon as we arrived, we were given the family menus and children's menu. Also a jar of crayons and pages for children to colour. 

Pre-paying

The most active of our group went to order for us all from the counter. Pay in advance, like at the smaller fast food places with smaller menus. The advantage of pre-paying for the customer is that you can leave instantly when your car park reminder goes off on your phone. The driver can run off to collect the car, and then pull up outside to load up your passengers who don't need to walk back to the car park.

Why Attend A Wine Tasting? For non drinkers, caterers and customers, event organizers.

 

Canary Wines at a themed wine tasting at Central London Wine Society, held at the Civil Service Club. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Why would you attend a wine tasting? Would you bother to go to one if you are an amateur or don't drink? What is the protocol?

Wine Tasting For Non Drinkers

You might attend a wine tasting if you run a restaurant, or work in a restaurant, shop, hotel, supermarket or other business selling wines. 

Identifying No Alcohol

You need to know about alcohol levels to identify the difference between no alcohol for drivers and people working with machinery. Low alcohol is not the same as no alcohol. 

Alcohol In Food

Alcohol is also used as a preservative in food such as Christmas pudding. This is traditionally made weeks or even months ahead. 

Red wine is used in Coq au vin and some casseroles. 

White wine is sometimes used in risottos and white fish sauces. 

Madeira is used in madeira sauce for meat dishes.

Vinegar

You might learn about vinegar, which is made when one particular bacteria converts wine into acetic acid. 

Some vinegars are made by malting. What does malting mean?  Grains allowed to sprout, as in malt whisky, converting starch into sugar. The best vinegars are from wine.

Alcohol Prices

You want to know about prices, so you can use cheaper alcohol in cooking and not waste expensive alcohol. When buying a gift, you might need to know about drinks you do not drink.

Protecting Your Health

As a teenager at college, having had no alcohol at home, with parents who drank little, I had no idea that fortified wines such as sherry served without food, would get me drunk quickly. Looking back, I am alarmed that I was in danger crossing roads drunk as a pedestrian, or as a young driver. 

I want to be aware that spirits are stronger. Also, how much is in each glass, to watch calories as well as alcohol content.

Nowadays, with cameras in streets everywhere, you want to be sure customers are not in danger. Not getting drunk themselves. Not in danger from other customers. And not getting drunk and aggressive and endangering others.

Reading Bottle Labels

It is helpful to read bottle labels. English bottle labels. French labels. German labels. Spanish. Italian. Portuguese. Japanese - sake, plum wine.

You want to know why a restaurant is charging more for one wine than another. How to compare prices online to see the restaurant markup. 

When ordering large quantities for a Christmas party, birthday, anniversary, or wedding, it helps to know the amounts to order and the cost. 

If you don't like wine, or only some wine, it helps to know which wines contain tannin which give you a headache. 

You will learn to identify sweet and dry, auslese and spatlese, sec and brut, rosada, Italian and Spanish Portuguese and German text on bottle labels.

Identify Sweet and Dry

Which wines are sweeter. Which are dry? What to buy or serve yourself and others. 

Avoiding Alcohol

You might want to know whether alcohol in food gets you drunk or is perfectly safe. Who likes which alcohol?

What should you provide at a party? 

General Knowledge  Updated

What is orange wine? 

Import regulations

If you are bringing back wine as souvenirs or gifts for others, how much wine is it legal to bring in? 

Knowing The Law

In which countries or states is it illegal to have opened wine on public transport, or in a car, or off the premises. 

Where can you buy wine? Which countries ban alcohol? What if you are in transit on a plane or car? 

Even online. Even if you do not visit another country where alcohol is banned or unpopular, but are a long distance consultant, your job interview on Zoom will go better, or you will feel more confident, if you do not have bottles of open or unopened alcohol in the room behind you.

Wine Tasting Protocol

Perfume Is Not Popular

You should not wear strong perfumes or aftershave to a wine tasting. Why? Because people are sniffing drinks to identify and describe the aroma. Strong perfumes interfere with other people's ability to detect aromas. This will apply to one day courses and exams as well as tastings.

Polite Listening

A wine tasting may include a lot of technical terms and facts. When a speaker is describing wines, or the other participants are giving their feedback publicly, those attending should not start private conversations with those seated alongside. If you are organizing, you may need to take action to prevent or stop noise. For example, tap a glass for silence, stand up and project your voice, wait for silence, use a microphone. Ask the audience, can you hear me. People who ae inebriated may lose inhibitions and talk loudly. 

Also beware of noise from people in doorways, or outside the doors and windows, or nearby at exhibitions, fairs and events. Passers-by to other events may not realise they are disturbing you. You may need to shut windows. and doors. Or turn off air conditioning, fans. Ask the venue to make the canned music quieter. 

Tell the adjacent stalls at an exhibition which times your or your guests are speaking. Conversely, let them know when, before or after your event, it is okay for them to play music and shout to their audience and passers-by.

Organizing Events

It is helpful to know about:

hire of glasses. Who gives loans or gives glasses free? Who sells glasses? Which glasses are unbreakable? What insurance do you need? What licensing permits are needed? Which venues, such as churches and temples and their rooms for hire will ban alcohol? 

Preparing For Non Drinking People, Locations and Events

When are drinks banned or expected? Some religions ban alcohol. Others allow drinking in moderation. Others have celebrations where a glass of wine is expected. What should you provide for children and non drinkers?

Glasses and Decanters

Even if you are not interested in wine, you might be interested in the use and value of antique and modern decanters. And selling or buying drinking glasses. Unbreakable glassware for serving soft drinks. Unbreakable glassware or lookalikes for bars near swimming pools. How to clean a decanter. 

Gifts 

Visiting large wine venues and shops may provide gifts for people who drink wine and don't. You might see books. Aprons and tea towels. Bottle openers. Discount vouchers. Hampers. 

Other Food and Drink

Water. Jams. Olive oils.

Networking

You might meet people in other businesses. 

The local tourist board, to help you plan a holiday. 

Rich investors, who can advise you on investing, on your business or theirs, or travel, or life in general. 

People who are accompanying their spouse or boss and actually prefer whisky, beer, non-alcoholic drinks, food.

The organizers, may be able to recommend  local restaurants and advise on visitor attractions.

The PR company for this event might invite you to other food and wine exhibitions, restaurant openings, or national events.

What Is Free?

A free tasting is free. Although you might feel obliged or happy to buy something in a shop or at the venue.

Free tastings often take place alongside the month's promotion of wine and food.

Tastings often end with discounts on wines or products at the venue. Sometimes you get a free large or small sample, useful leaflets, an opportunity to buy a signed book, or a free goodie bag to take home with information and gifts for yourself or a friend or colleague.

You can buy a wine tasting as a surprise or novelty for family and friends, as a gift for a birthday.

What's For Non Drinkers And Children?

Occasionally you will find other events or exhibitions alongside. For example, in the Canary islands, the large wine museum centre had a room on the architecture of the building and the history of the area. Another exhibition was about bees and honey.

The Wow wine theme park in Portugal had provision for children with non alcoholic drinks and cartoon character glasses.

Two wine museums in Spain and Portugal had aroma exhibits, with the aromas or different herbs and other ingredients. Their shops sold

Wine museums often sell tee-shirts and caps advertising the local winery and/or the local area.

Wine And Food

Wine tastings for the trade sometimes have only wine to taste and spit into a spitoon. Other events have water. Some have savoury water biscuits. Others have national food alongside, or a buffet afterwards, or canapes. You might get invited back to a Christmas, end of year, national day, or summer party with food.

If the event is at a restaurant, you might wish to stay on later, paying for a meal, if that is an option. 

Some organizations served food with wine or spirits. Two which I know about in England are a food and wine club in London and a whisky dinner group in Pinner in north west London.

The Wine Society

The Wine Society in Stevenage has a programme of lunches and dinner with matched wines, not all in Stevenage, some in London and elsewhere.  If you join the society, just £40 for life, no further annual fee, you can buy from their huge premises in person or online and get invited to events.

Many wine shops and warehouses hold regular events.

Useful Websites

Free wine tasting forms you can print, save or photograph

https://www.delongwine.com/products/wine-tasting-note-form

Sign up to get this form

https://www.bbcmaestro.com/free-wine-tasting-template

Wine Tasting Descriptors

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

Wine Events

https://www.thewinesociety.com/buy/tastings-and-events/

Central London Wine Society

On Meetup 

Majestic

https://www.majestic.co.uk/events

Information

https://www.wine-tastings-guide.com/

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LANDLORDS' PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS WORLDWIDE - TASKS

 

1 LANDORD & OWNER EXPERIENCE

Whilst living overseas, renting in Singapore, I was a landlord in London.

What are the landlord's main problems?

1 Payment of rent - or lack of it. Unemployed tenant. Covid and self-employed worker.

2 Empty flats - insurance, dirt, leaks, vandalism, squatters, expenses of council tax and maintenance.

3 Children - damage and overcrowding.

4 Pets - damage to the flat, the common area, noise annoying neighbours. |New legislation says you cannot refuse to have pets for no good reason. A good reason would be that you are already bound to no pets by your own contract. You might be allergic to animal fur and feathers, as I am. A good tenant might be willing to have pets neutered and wormed and to take out insurance. 

On the plus side, one tenant told me that after a neighbour got a cat, the mice problem ended. 

5 Noise

You can download an ap on a smart phone to check noise.

6 Tenants leaving tenancy early too early or too late

7 Mould

8 Equipment failure.

9 Furnished or unfurnished.

10 Gardening, garage doors, subsidence drains, storm damaging fences and patio doors.

Useful Websites

When the landlord came round and saw the skimpy curtains a few weeks later, he said, I wish you'd told me last month, I could have got them replaced. Now it's too late. Landlord's loss.

The moral is, make sure anything missing or broken is listed on the inventory and recorded in an email immediately. 

It's good for the tenant. And good for the landlord.

 LANDLORD'S problems

Protecting Building From Damage By Movers 

On moving in and out, tenants had to pay management to put protective baffling on the lifts and corridor floors and flat doorways. This is very sensible. 

As a landlord we should have this in the UK. Instead as a landlord, I suffered from complaints that the corridor carpets were ruined by tenants moving in out. 

I have tried to keep the flats fully furnished and not to allow furniture to be moved in and out.

Fire Safety & The Elderly

If you rent out to retirement age people, the advantage is that you don't have children creating noise and damage.

On the other hand, an elderly person might keep burning the toast and setting off the fire alarm.

They might fall over steps outdoors or in a hallway or stairwell and blame the owner or building management if a light bulb has not been fixed instantly. 

The solution to the light bulb problem is to stock replacement bulbs on the premises. The person in charge or changing light bulbs could be the resident porter, or another resident of the building, or the person reporting the problem could collect the key to the light bulb cupboard. 

A whatsapp group for residents could ensure another person provides a ladder, or person to ensure safety of the person changing the light bulb, and the protection of the cupboard from theft. 

Landlord problem - Leaks

In London we had a leaking heated towel rail in the bathroom. I tried two plumbers who were not available. 

I looked online and up popped an ad for a 24/7 service. They wanted about 90 pounds paid upfront, which I paid. They said the plumber was on another job half an hour away. I said ok. 2.30 pm. I go half hour postponement until 4.30 when it was dark. Then I was told the plumber agreed with the tenant to come back next morning. ok. I did not want to drive over in the dark and hang around. Later Sunday the towel rail burst sending water everywhere. The porter called the fire brigade who turned off the water and the electricity.

Next day the plumber arrived. He fitted a new towel rail and charged about nine hundred pounds.

He said that the radiators were on the same system and also likely to leak, and that would be about six thousand pounds. 

I called back the other two plumbers.

One said the towel rail was not on the radiator system but on a separate system which was turned off under the bath. 

The other one said that the towel rail on the hot water system should not have been stainless stell, which you identified by attaching a magnet. 

The original plumbing company would not tell me the maker or guarantee of the towel rail and said the guarantee was from their company. I would not let them do any more work for me because of their huge prices and unhelpfulness. The staff on the phone were very soothing and knowledgeable. But the plumber had not turned up in time. I then had to spend another thousand or so on replacing the wooden floor of the hall which was flooded, plus the disruption of time spent choosing flooring, pulling up the old damaged flooring, wait for concrete floor to dry, survey, choosing new flooring - I refused to have glue down flooring because I'd had that previously and when replaced, the carpet fitters said the wrong glue was used and instead of pulling up sheets, you had to chip off the stuck down panels inch by inch which took hours and cost me a lot. Glue could also be a fire risks.

Landlord problems - Fire Alarms and Extinguishers

After the New Year's Eve fire in Switzerland, I am now looking at supplying a fire alarm, fire extinguisher, and fire blanket. I am included to not get the fire blanket. Neither I nor any other amateur would be likely to risk getting close enough to put down a fire blanket.  Spraying powder or anything else from a distance is more likely to be done.

FINDING A NEW TENANT

DIY

Advantage

Advertise online for free or low cost.

Disadvantage

You could be inundated by time wasting replies and costly research into credit worthiness of people who turn out to have no income, to be bad payers, to have criminal records, bad references for damaging property, overcrowding and creating mould. Old tenant not leaving, so your prospective new tenant is lost or you cannot move back into your former home and take up a job or get married. 

Agencies

Management

Landlords' best practice

For landlords

1 Answer immediately. 

2 Fix problems quickly. 

3 Use check-a trade. 

4 Ask your local whatsapp group for reliable plumbers, electricians and other workers such as gardeners, fence builders, drain fixers.

The tenant is not a friend, but a business contact. 

Keep calm and carry on.

My family say,

 'It's not a problem, it's a task. Everything collapses after twenty years and needs replacing. That's what money is for.

Check reviews on Websites on tradespersons and businesses

checkatrade.com

tripadvisor.co.uk

Useful Websites on Fire Alarms

https://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/small-kitchen-fire-safety-bundle

£56.12 for smoke alarm, fire blanket and fire extinguisher (powder).

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

https://simplyextinguishers.co.uk/landlord-fire-safety-bundle

£46.79

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

Fire extinguisher and bracket 

£16.49 on ebay

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

https://www.fireandsafetycentre.co.uk/collections/quantity-discount-available

£38.27 triple bundle

You might also want a carbon monoxide detector.

You can buy a combined smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm.

also check ebay, amazon, lidl and asda. costco uk and costco usa.

Legoland Holidays in England, Denmark and worldwide

 If you are a Lego enthusiast, like a family we know in London who have an entire room of Lego for their three children, you may be interested in an afternoon out, or even a whole holiday in a hotel devoted to Lego. Where can you do this?

1 A Lego Cafe in Surrey

Just for adults wanting an hour or more to play with lego. The UK has three Lego cafes. One is in Surrey, for an afternoon away from London. Indoor cafe, open all year. 

2 Windsor

Another afternoon away, a trip to Legoland theme park in summer.

You can also stay in a Lego theme hotel.

3 Lego In Denmark

Lego House, Billund, Denmark. See details in Wikipedia.

For a summer holiday, a trip to Legoland in Denmark. You can stay in a Legoland hotel.

4 Legoland in Germany

5 Legoland in the USA

Useful Websites

The English Lego cafes

https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/food-drink/article/rise-lego-cafes-uk-pjhwftcp7

Block Party Lego cafe in UK

https://www.thebrickerycafe.co.uk/

Lego shop website in Denmark

https://www.lego.com/en-gb?age-gate=grown_up

 Legoland in Billund Denmark (dk stands for Denmark)

https://www.legoland.dk/

Legoland theme park in Windsor UK

https://www.legoland.co.uk/

Lego House experience centre, Denmark

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lego_House_(Billund)

https://www.legoland.co.uk/short-breaks/accommodation/the-legoland-resort-hotel/

Getting from Copenhagen, capital of Denmark, to Legoland and Legohouse in Billund

https://www.rome2rio.com/s/Copenhagen/Legoland-Billund-Resort

Getting to Legland, Windsor, England, from London

https://www.legoland.co.uk/plan-your-day/before-you-visit/directions/

Details on other parks

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legoland#:~:text=Legoland

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How Reading The News Helps Travellers Be Prepared

  

No news is good news, goes the old saying. Because newspaper headlines and the ones which grab out attention are often about wars, individual deaths, murders, accidents robberies and scams. 

Those Who Avoid Bad News

I have one friend who has a sick, elderly husband.  Yet she is very active in the community. She goes to art exhibitions. But she says she doesn't read the news because it is depressing. 

I, on the other hand, read the news because it is vital to me when I am travelling. 

Flights Affected Worldwide

I always remember 9/11, when I and my husband were in Singapore. A friend in Singapore phoned told me, gasping, "Turn on the news because a plane flew into a tower block in New York!"

My husband and I were busy packing to go to a conference in South Africa the next day. I am creative and easily distracted, but my husband is scientific and focused. 

My husband said, 'We should get on with our packing, not waste time reading or watching the news from far away. It won't affect us, or out travel plans."

But it did affect our travel plans. Changi was badly affected. Signs did not say where to go. Finally, after an hour's wait, go to this gate. Then Change - Go to that gate.

Why? Firstly, because the planes which were supposed to land in the USA were turned back. Those planes supposed to arrive in Singapore from the USA did not reach us. Passengers, as well as planes were diverted. Planes had not enough passengers, or too many passengers, had to land at different airports.

Secondly, a nervous potential passenger, scared to fly, sent a bomb scare threat to give himself an excuse not to fly.

Security was stepped up at the airport so the opening of bags, checking of bags, questioning as to whether you packed your own bag, was increased.

People cancelled flights because their events were changed, their holiday destinations changed, meetings were cancelled.

I read the news for the bad news and for the good news.

On my travels, I read local papers to know about local events and people. When I go to another country, I read their newspapers. I need to know the bad news, dangerous roads, pickpocket hotspots. 

Discount Delights

But I also want to now the good news. Restaurants which won awards. Discount stores. Free drinks with meals Tourist deals on two tours for the price of one.  Free delivery to my hotel or home.

Today in the online news I see three different kinds of news story. First, war in the middle east. 

Secondly, a teenager who killed his parents and siblings in the USA. I am wondering if we need to be teaching the next generation worldwide not to fight over grievances going back three generations, or even three weeks. Or are memories of old fights a warning of dangers to come?

Skyscraper Balcony & Window Falls

The last dramatic story I read was from the UK and it was about a pregnant mother of five who fell out of an open window in a skyscraper where she lived.

Five children in a skyscraper with open windows strikes me as a danger, even without a mother who has a lot on her mind, and no foresight to use birth control.

Not everybody would agree with me on the birth control issues. But I still think there is mileage in this question. Why is a family of five housed in a skyscraper where you can open and fall out of windows?

USA Hotel Window Precautions

I remember visiting a hotel in a skyscraper in American. The windows did not open, to prevent accidents.

Skyscraper Versus Ground Floor Motels And Garden Cities

 We need to rethink the advantages for families of garden cities with accessible employment and shopping and health services. We need to rethink ground floor living. 

Skyscraper, Balcony and Window Security

We need to rethink windows which have air vents. Maybe add bay window for views. But not windows which open wide. Consider grilles. As is done in Singapore before you can get a license to have a cat in a flat.

Photo credit Cyberuly - My Nikon D60 from Wikipedia. window safety grille.

In the UK a copany called Omlet makes a caat balcony run.

Omlet cat balcony run, UK.

Alarmed Fire Escape Doors

Instead alarmed windows, and fires escape doors with alarms to prevent burglary through the fire escape and to alert residents and neighbours and caretakers and fire services when children run out or fires break out.

News At Night And Good Sleep

But that is the future. What is the message for you now? It used to be the case that the ten o'clock news was the last thing at night and people did not watch because it worried them before they tried to sleep. So the news always ended with a funny or happy story.

After reading the news last thing at night, I try to read something jolly, or watch a humorous item on YouTube.

Happy Thoughts & Plans

When travelling, I gather up free newspapers. I often don't have time to read them thoroughly when busy travelling during the day. So last thing at night I cut out the coupons for offers to chase the next day. I note these welcome thoughts and plans in my diary.

Useful Websites

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13991417/pictured-pregnant-woman-died-tower-block-fall.html

https://www.omlet.co.uk/shop/cat_products/cat_balcony_enclosure/

Please share links to posts you enjoy reading, and re-reading. See my similar post including seasonal Halloween clothes on my blog dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com 

https://dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com/2024/10/what-news-at-home-and-overseas-tells-us.html

Thailand's Child-friendly, Romantic Sunwing Hotel, Kamala Beach, Thailand - Swans On The Bed!

Swan decoration for the wedding anniversary, at the Sunwing Hotel, Kamala Beach, Thailand.

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. 

Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

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

My view of the beach was blocked by stacked chairs.

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

Reception at Katathani. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

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

Angela and Trevor Night at Katathani Phuket Beach resort, Thailand. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

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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Haworth and the Brontes in Yorkshire

Emily Bronte's wedding dress, recreated, in the Haworth Museum, .

 I had visited Haworth years ago and visited the Bronte Parsonage Museum. I remembered seeing what I thought was Charlotte Bronte's dress. However, the museum has been extensively adapted and updated. On my most recent visit in August 2023 we saw Charlottle's sister Emily's dress, a reproduction made for a film. It shows the pattern Emily chose, when she bought the fabric for the dress.

The museum is suitable for all ages. For children, in one area there is a dress up corner with a rail of clothes and hats to try on. In another place children were engrossed in creating a poem from a selection of words printed out.

Wikivoyage gives a handy list of annual events.

• Haworth 1940s Weekend. in May. Events take place throughout the village, including vintage vehicle displays, evacuees event, re-enactments, speeches from Churchill, jive dancing, singing and bands playing. (updated Aug 2022 | edit)
• Haworth Arts Festival. A week of music, comedy and other arts in late July. (updated Aug 2022 | edit)
• Scroggling the Holly: a modern pseudo-Victorian ceremony in late November to early December, gathering holly to decorate the town, and parading with brass bands in period costume.
• Haworth Steampunk Weekend. early October. (updated Aug 2022 | edit)
• Torchlight Procession is held over a weekend in early December.

Useful Websites

http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/

http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/brontes/parsonage/parsonage.asp

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

Watch your background on Zoom! Unintentional Humour. Intentional Humor.

On Zoom you can create virtual backgrounds showing yourself in front of famous landmarks, or on the beach with the waves rolling in behind you. A moving background can be distracting.

Even worse is a real life moving background. It is not new for passers-by to accidentally walking across behind a live reporter, or to stand behind making silly faces. The technical term is photobombing. Wikipedia found me these.

 Many people turn off their cameras at home for good reason. They are eating. They are half naked.

Others do not check their backgrounds. You can see all sort of personal stuff. 

 What is on the wall behind, you, on the desk, or cabinet. An interview candidate for a job had to quickly remove empty bottles of alcohol, kept as souvenirs and decoration. He was applying for a job in Pakistan.

Children and Pets

Hilarious moments from the early days of working from home and meetings on zoom included backgrounds of dogs or cats which wanted to read the news or express their reaction. Others included children bursting into the room, dragged out by a crawling mother.

Bedrooms

At my Toastmasters meetings, I was once mesmerized by the speaker's girlfriend, lying in the bed behind him, every now and then turning over. My mind was inventing what she could do, alone, or if he would later join her, unaware that the back of the room was on camera.

Toilet, Bathroom and Shower

One Toastmasters International member frequently tells the story of how she went to the toilet wearing a pin-on microphone.

Recently I watched a visitor yawn, move the camera, get up and disappear into the shower at the back of the bedroom. The shower water started to run down the glass.

I was waiting to see a silhouette. It reminded me of Psycho. Would an evil stranger creep in? If so, we could not contact him.

I was unable to concentrate on my speeches and roles. Why? Because I was watching to see whether he would emerge wearing pyjama bottoms, a towel, or neither.

Some of the professional Zoom applications allow you to set up your group shots of audience faces in settings such as a classroom of tiered seating, or even mirror photos with frames. For single individuals, yourself, add humorous hats, moustaches and glasses. Key words to search for are: facial effects, studio effects, and make up filters.

Useful Websites

Zoom on facial effects to enhance

https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115002595343-Enhancing-your-video-in-Zoom

https://shotkit.com/funny-zoom-backgrounds/

https://www.ricotta.team/blog/zoom-memes

Humorous zoom effect tutorial

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v0Y9b--zBM

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Christmas tree light up, Tanglin Club, Singapore

Angela in front of the tree before light up. Photo by Trevor Sharot.

The president of the Tanglin club gave a speech from half way up the grand staircase overlooking the tree and the hall. If I remember rightly, and I rarely do, he started by addressing the parents about the year of Covid-19 and it challenges, and how we had to adapt and prepare and hope the new year would bring good and better circumstances. 

All the children received a goody bag from Santa.

About the author

(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.

The Children's Touch Statue in Aachen, Germany

 

Horse and rider. Aachen, Germany.

Aachen is a border town.

Useful Websites

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.

Alligator Kills American - Can You Fix Stupid?

Photo in Wikipedia in article on Alligator. Photo attributed to Bignuts.Alliator in zoo.

Newspapers and other media reported that a woman went towards an alligator and was killed.

Several comments from the public worldwide were about the woman being stupid.

Yes, by definition half the people are under the half way mark of human intelligence. Children under ten, or under twenty, lack experience. They lack knowledge and are more vulnerable to wildlife and accidents because of the child's size.

A second vulnerable group are the elderly with dementia.

A third vulnerable group are those who are born with or develop low intelligence through accidents.

 As legislators and health inspectors and citizens we have a duty of care towards them, and the  public and emergency services who risk their lives thrying to save the endangered.

Do you seriously think that anybody of low intelligence should be killed aligators? What if it's your relative or enighbour, or granny? What if you are funding or managing the local hospital or mortuary or insurance company.

If it costs money to keep the mentally deficient or mentally fragile confined, then we think it is kinder to leave them in the community, doing simple jobs. But they are a danger to themselves - and other who try to rescue them.

Many of these events are predictable.

As people get older, a proporiton of them develp dementia.

Allowing people to drink during the working day before 6 pm (when they should only drink safely at home, without walking or driving home). Luckily the husband and wife did not go to help her or there would have been three fatalities. They threw a rope.

Should we give everybody an annual intelligence test? Questions including, should I fondle a lion or an alligator?

Instead, or in addition, should we invest more in fences around ponds and lakes and rivers and canals and clifftops?

What are the options?

Confine those of low intellience.
1 Barrier Rope  & Rescue Ropes For Humans
Install more ropes and life belts.
Bild more fences.

2 Barriers For Animals
We have fences around fields to confine sheep and bulls. Fences in farms and in Australia go on for miles.
Have bells and other items like scarecrows to keep wildlife in the water.

3 Cull wildlife.
Move wildlife out of urban areas.

4 Ban alcohol / restrict access and times.
(Like many muslim countries and the US in the Prohibiton era.)
Ban alcohol during working hours. (We used to have fewer hours when alcohol could be served in the UK.)

A moral rule used to be no alcohol and no valueble diamond jewellery worn before 6 pm - which prevented accidents and loss of valuables in working hours.)

5 Cage communities
Build gated communities with walls to keep out wildlife.

What Has Worked
In Australia they discovered that most deaths from drowning take place not in the ocean but to small children in homes with back yard swimming pools. So they brought in legislation that all back yard pools should have high fences and lockable gates.

In Rockville, Maryland, swimming pools were reured by the local council (inluenced by their insurance requirments) to have tennis court style high fences, and two lifeguards on duty during opening hours. Putting up warning signs is good. But if the young and old of low intellence, bavado, following dares, or drunk, have access to danger, ywe need to think of prevention by a second backup system.

How You And I Can Spread Safety Messages
Currently Covid-19 is causing legislation all over the world. The public and the media are supporting safety messages on Facebook posts and bogs.

At Toastmasters International we are occasionally asked in the Table Topics session (impromptu speeches), what would you do if you were king or president or could pass any law? I shall start a new notebook, or a page in my diary, listing the changes I would like to see, and plan to give this speech at the next opportunity.

Be Prepared To Speak
I might have to wait 6 months. But the moment will come. In fact, as President of Braddell Heights Advanced, currently on line at 7 pm every Wednesday, I can give the opening speech. I now have my topic.

Come along to hear it. Next Wednesday on learncool.sg contact the president of VPE if you wish to attend. You, too, have a story to use to illustrate a point if you are called upon to give an impromptu speech or comment. Plan your quick, succint comment on alligators crocodiles, covi-19 and any safety issue

Useful Websites
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8293063/I-guess-wont-words-woman-killed-alligator.html#reader-comments
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fatal_alligator_attacks_in_the_United_States

About the Author
Angela Lansbury

Author

Author, Author! About the Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author, trainer and speaker. (Not related to the actress.)

Author of twenty books including: Quick Quotations; Who Said What When.

See books and profiles on Lulu.com and Amazon, such as Wedding Speeches & Toasts. Also watch videos on YouTube.

See other posts on singers and statues and languages and destinations.

LANGUAGE TEACHER/TRAINER

If you want to learn to speak the Queen's English, or Received Pronunciation. join me at my online toastmasters club,

Braddell Heights Advanced. Wednesdays, 7-9 Singapore time which is seven hours ahead of London, England.

On learncool.sg

I am also a member of

Singapore Online.9-12 pm, Singapore time, Fridays. In 2019-2020 I am also a member of

Tampines Changkat Advanced. Tiarel.

Harrovians, London. HOD London.

Toastmasters International Find a Club

https://www.toastmasters.org/find-a-club

https://books.google.com.sg/books?id=upSEBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA21&lpg=PA21&dq=quick+quotations

lulu.com/shop/angela-lansbury/who-said-what-when/paperback/product-21713991

drink

Other posts about food, drink, restaurants and artists and museums and destinations and languages.

See later posts on pools.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Auschwitz Liberation and so called fake photos

On Jan 27, the liberation of Auschwitz, in Poland, liberated by the Russians, is commemorated. Were the photos of Auschwitz 'fake'. I believe they were the real people, in the real place, taken later. Like wedding photos taken a day later.  They are not 'fake'. The people and clothes and event were real.

In January the camp was filled with snow, says Anne Frank's childhood friend, and posthumous stepsister, Eva.

Fake? That's too strong a word. But this isn't new knowledge as far as I am concerned. When I visited Auschwitz, on the coach we were shown a film and stills. Our multilingual guide told us (the English translation being less detailed and clear than the Polish and German) that during liberation, the surviving children were weak, some too sick to stand, and distressed, and distressing to look at, unable to stand in an orderly group for photos.

The children spent several weeks or months, at first in recovery centres, and with families. Some did not recover for years, if ever. They were too scared to go out in the light, or go into a street with people in uniforms and dogs.

When enough children were physically and mentally healthier, able to travel, fatter and fitter, as shown in these photo, they were taken back to the camp, dressed in the camp uniforms, to be photographed as a group.

Child survivors of Auschwitz, not on the snowy day of Liberation, but, after being taken by their Russian liberators to recuperate, were returned to put their prison clothes on again for a reunion photo commemorating their liberation.

I took this well known photo from Wikipedia.

This was so the Russians could have a record of the people and the place, and the fact that the Russians had liberated it.

So the photos are of children liberated, but not on the day of liberation. The dates are not what you think, if you think that photo of children was taken on the day of liberation.

My understanding is that it was a later re-enactment or reunion celebrating and recording their release.

As for identifying people and place - everything was chaotic. I have enough trouble trying to identify my family photos taken any time earlier than last week. And those old photos from the fifties and forties.

It has taken years of research to date photos, verify the places they were taken, and the people. The archives have lots of real time photos which were not released postwar, because they show the dead and dying. At first some photos and films were released, but it was quickly found that relatives would go to the cinema and see the dead bodies of family members.

This was not only distressing for the relatives who burst into tears, or fainted or screamed, but also caused chaos and upset to everybody in the cinema. Many of the photos are still not released because they are too distressing for people still alive today and their descendants, more so even than for people in general.

On Facebook, my friend Georgia, from Harrow and Harrow Writers, said she was skeptical about articles from the Mail because years ago their attitude was ....

Useful Websites
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7933509/Anne-Franks-step-sister-claims-photos-showing-liberation-Auschwitz-FAKE.html
Poland
https://www.pot.gov.pl/en/information-about-the-polish-tourism-organisation/polish-tourism-organisation-international-offices
https://poland.pl/tourism/
Krakow
https://www.visitacity.com/en/krakow
https://www.muzeumkrakowa.pl/branches/oskar-schindlers-factory
Auschwitz
https://www.viator.com/Krakow-tourism/d Anne Frank
https://artsandculture.google.com/exhibit/CAICnOLtC0lDLg?

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

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