Portuguese words to learn fast

Problem
I am using Duolingo but sometimes get confused.

Answer
In Duolingo, if you have time, read the forums. Click on Discussion - even if you get the right answer.

Portuguese - English
diario - diary
(o) jornal - (The) newspaper (like the word journal which is a daily record)
(a) maçã - the apple (not an apple)
na verdade - in fact /that's true
nos falamos - we speak (same word origin as tell a fable)

English - Portuguese
(the) apple - a maçã
diary - diario
in fact - na verdade
(the) newspaper - o jornal
magazine - revista, periodico

Brazilian Portuguese
gente - one (we) unlike one in English which is formal, gente is used in conversation in Brazil.

Also see Tinycards by Duolingo.

Buy a course in Portuguese

TRAVEL

Brazil (Portuguese)
visitbrasil.com
Note that the website spells the country the way it is spelled in their language with an s.

Cuba (Spanish)
visitcuba.com

VISIT France
http://us.france.fr
https://en.parisinfo.com

Study Italian in Italy
Perugia in Umbria has language courses and a university.

Useful Websites and Links
http://umbriatourism.it
https://twitter.com/UmbriaTourism
@UmbriaTourism  
#loveUmbria
Many websites offer courses, eg:
https://www.studytravel.com/learn-italian-in-perugia.html

Visit Portugal
www.visitportugal.com

Author

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and teacher of English, public speaking and foreign languages. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Memory aids for simple Portuguese words: letter, newspaper, pineapple

LETTER NEWSPAPER PINEAPPLE

Write a letter to a Portuguese newspaper about pineapple

Problem
Some Portuguese words are 'false friends' which sound like other words. How do I remember them?

Answer
LETTER
Carta sound and looks like card, but means letter. My memory aid is: Don't send me a card - send me a letter.

Carta means letter.
Carta=letter.
Carta - letter.

NEWSPAPER
Jornal looks like the English word journal, old word for a diary. in romance languages, it means daily.

So my memory aid is, I read the Portuguese Jornal daily. I hope my journal is published in a newspaper.

Jornal means newspaper.
Jornal=newspaper.
Jornal - newspaper.

PINEAPPLE
Abaxi means pineapple. I forgot this. So I tried to devise a memory aid. I look at the x. It reminds me of the spiky green top to a pineapple.

Spiky green top of a pineapple. Abaxi in Portuguese. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Now I can recognise the Portuguese word. But how do I remember it when I want to ask for one in a supermarket?  a - baxi. Don't bring that spiky thing near me. Take a back seat in a taxi with that abaxi.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker, teacher of languages. I have several posts on Portuguese and other languages. If you need a talk on languages in England or Singapore please write to me. If you have a request for a memory aid, contact me here or through facebook. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Drunken Escapades - don't do it - here's why

Problem
On holiday people get drunk. Celebrating, people get drunk. Then, alone or in a group, they do things which seemed like a good idea at the time, not so good a day or two later.

Drunk or sober, before taking any actions, ask yourself:
1 HOW DO RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE & HEROES ACT?
Would this action be done by any responsible person such as, (choose your favourites) my parents, my school teachers, the head of my school, my country or state, the HM The Queen?
Don't be an anti-hero if you can be a hero.

2 DO AS YOU WOULD BE DONE BY
Would I be happy if somebody else did this to me?

3 NEWSPAPER REPORTS
It used to be said, 'a lady should get her name in the newspapers only when she is born, when she marries and when she dies'. How will I feel if this is reported in the papers or on the internet and known to the next person giving out honours or jobs?

4 NO HONOUR AMONGST THIEVES?
If somebody else did this and I allowed them to do it, do I risk them claiming that I did it, in order to save themselves from loss of status, being put in prison or worse?

5 PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE
Can I safely suggest to somebody else that they might refrain from this action, to protect them from regrets and punishment and to protect an innocent third party?

6 YOU ARE A REPRESENTATIVE
Do I owe it to my family, friends, colleagues, sponsors, bystanders, members of the same sex, race, religion, nationality, to protect our reputation?

7 CONSIDER THE CONSEQUENCES
Actions have consequences. For you, your family, your colleagues, nearby acquaintances, people at a distance. Like stepping on a butterfly in the short story, everything has consequences. Consider the consequences.

8 HAVE SECOND THOUGHTS
Instead of' it seemed like a good idea at the time', you might find that 'on second thoughts, it did not seem such a good idea'. You would then save yourself and lots of other people lots of trouble.

9 FAMILY FIRST, LAWYERS LAST
Your family come first, not the people looking for work or a story or entertainment. You can entertain with your successes and skills. Believe me, if you refrain from a bad action, the lawyers won't go hungry. And journalists will be able to find something else to write about.

10 WRITE YOUR OWN EULOGY
Set a good example to others. Everything you do, even running across the road when the light is red, can inspire children and adults to copy you, at the time, immedately afterwards, or later. What do you want on your obituary? Not errors of judgement! Only good things!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5434151/Canadian-athlete-coach-fined-taking-car-Olympics.html#comments

Angela Lansbury
Travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.

How to remember 23 Portuguese words - or any foreign language

Flag of Portugal. From Wikimedia Commons.

Problem
I am learning Portuguese. I need a working vocabulary of about 300 words, which I can do in a month if I learn ten a day. I need to practise every day or I will forget the words.

Answer
The simple solution is to keep the word list on a page in my diary. I write the foreign word first, then the English translation.

Alphabet Letters
I list the letters of the alphabet down the left hand side. How many lines do I have? I have 26, enough for one line per letter of the alphabet. (In theory if I know there are few words, an few I need to know, starting with x, y, z, or any letter that language does not use, I could drop that letter or put two on one line, leaving space for a each use letter, such as c in French or S in English.

I started with the letters of the alphabet at the beginning of the line, but I was short of space. So I wrote over the letters, making the initial letter in the margin. When I started the next page, for German, I had the system more condensed.

Margin
Now the initial letters are in the margin. I write as close as I can get to the edge of the page.

Saving Space
I started by repeating the letters, leaving the initial letter separate. However, now I use it to start the first word.  So instead of
A agua - water
b boa / bom - good
c carta - letter

I write
agua - water
boa / bom - good
carta - letter

Save Space With Dots
The hyphens between the Portuguese and the English were taking up too much space. I changed the line for a dot.

agua.water
boa.good
carta.letter

In this blog post I am not so short of space. I also want to make the words easier to read. Therefore here I am sticking to the hyphens.

If the word is the same in English I write the letter s in brackets.
pizza (s) 

Why Not Capitalise Initial Letters?
I could write
Agua
Boa
Carta

However, I have been trained as a sub-editor to use small letters to start words in dictionaries. That way the reader knows when a word always starts with a capital letter.

Folding
The page is narrow and I need all the space I can get. I fold the page in half vertically and then in half again. So I now have four columns.

Four across by 25 down makes space for 100 words on a page.

Here are my first 23 Portuguese words with my memory aids:
(Only 20 are listed in this blog post under labels because the limit is 20 labels)

agua - water (like aquaduct)
abacaxi - pineapple (P and B sound and look almost the same. AP - pineAPple - apple pine, pine apple, cut it down with an axe - ee! I might not remember translating from English to Portuguese, but I am well on the way to remembering it when I see it written on a menu in Portugal or Madeira)
boa / bom - good (As in Bombay. Good bay. How do I remember it's good and not beautiful. If it's beautiful it's good.)
carta - letter, a carta or uma carta is a letter. (How do I remember 'a carta', feminine? I visualise a lady writing a letter.)
com - with / to / by
de - of
é - is
ele - he / him / it
eles - they
eu - I
falamos - we speak
gosto - (I) like
jornal - newspaper (o / um jornal) (like the French journal but drop the u, just as the Americans drop the u from British English c o l o u r and make it c o l o r.)
lê - you read
leio - I read (I remember: Add i for I, + O for I as in Latin Amo amas amat meaning I read, you etc)
livro - book
menino - boy (I remember men, but little ones, o as in boy for masculine)
mulheres - women
nós - us / we
um - a / one / some
você - you (I remember vous with v in French. V looks like Y.) 

Other useful 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.

visitportugal.com

visitbrasil.com

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

duolingo.com

earwormslearning.com

http://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/polyglot-poem-by-angela-lansbury.html

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker, learner and speaker of many languages (a polyglot). Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts. I have several more on Portuguese, Spanish, German, Chinese, Hebrew and other languages and countries.

Where's My Lost Phone?

Problem
You come back from a trip out and a couple of hours later you can't find your phone. Did you leave it behind somewhere? If not, where did you put it.

Answers
Ask a friend of family member to phone it. Likely places:

1 In your coat pocket. (Or Jacket pocket). Hung up in the hall. On the back of a chair. On the floor. You are wearing it.

2 Under the newspaper or shopping bag. By the shoes you took off at the door.

3 In your bag or rucksack.

4 In the car. (Or on the car.)

5 In the bathroom. By the toilet or wash basin.

6 On the bedside table. On the bed. Under your dressing gown or clothes.

7 In your pocket on you, in the dress, coat, trousers.

8 Where were you last? In the garden? Is it on the garden table?

9 On your desk under paperwork.

10 On the floor under your dining table or desk.

11 In the outside pocket of a bag or suitcase whose inside contents you've already checked.

12 Behind the cup or coffee maker in the kitchen.

13 Under the jacket on a nearby chair.

14 Under a cushion or pillow you pushed or threw aisde.

15 Behind your laptop. As soon as you put down the lid you will find your lost phone.

16 Whose phone is near you? Have they taken your phone? Phone your phone using theirs.

17 Sitting on a surface the same colour (black on black), camouflaged, invisble. Stick something colourful on the back or edges of your phone.

18 Try Find My Phone from your laptop or computer.

Failing all else, tidy the house. Eventually you will move a bag and find it.

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

The Laws Are Different - Check Them

Problem
I was reading about accusations, apologies, pleading guilty and court cases in America.

In one case somebody says, 'All I want is an apology'. Another case: 'He never admitted his guilt.' 'He denied it!' One comment says, 'How can they deny it! The evidence is there for all to see!'

I read the comments and another reader has said:
The lawyer of the accused tells them to plead guilty so that they can plea bargain later and admit guilt in exchange for something else, a lighter sentence or dropping another charge.

I discussed this with somebody in the UK. They said, "In the UK the laws are different. A defendant will be advised by the lawyers to plead guilty, if they are guilty, and likely to be found guilty, because the penalties rise as you obstruct the court or cost money by making a longer trial to establish guilt.

In cases where a defendant claims to have been tortured, another case occurs. They might plead guilty to end the torture, then retract the confession in court. So things are not as straightforward as they seem at first glance.

In the UK laws can be established by precedent. A lawyer defending you might say, before or after a court case, that a previous trial the defendant was found not guilty in a certain set of circumstances. Therefore the lawyer, if you plead not guilty, will bring up the previous case to try to persuade the judge that it is a waste of time and public money persisting because the jury will follow the findings of the previous case. The defense lawyer will argue persuasively that the case cannot be proven.

The moral is, whether you are in a court or simply reading a newspaper article about a court case, check the laws at the place and time of the court case.

You might also recall the old saying, "Never explain, never apologise." (Was it Oscar Wilde who said that? Or a newspaper proprietor? One accused person said, 'Publish and be damned.')

Car Accident Claims
My instructions from my insurance company in the case of a car accident in the UK were that in the case of an accident you must never hastily apologise or admit guilt at the scene of the accident. You must simply give your name and address and insurance company details and let them establish guilt. The two insurance companies will argue it out between them.

All sorts of things can affect whether or not you are guilty. For examply, one person said after an accident, said 'It was our driver's fault. He was going too slowly in the slow lane.' Hwever, the truck driver collecting the damaged car said, the evidence is the car was hit from the back, so it's automatically the fult of the driver which hit the car in front.

That could compromise your insurance company. You need to check before you speak or judge.

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

BETTER DEALS AND BARGAINING: In Shops, Taxis, Restaurants, Cafés

Problem
Can I bargain?

Singapore and China
The Chinese like to bargain. If you don't like bargaining, or being ripped off, in China, and Singapore, most Department stores and large supermarkets have fixed prices.

When it comes to electrical shops and other places you may find staff on commission. If in doubt, get pally and ask. They might say, as I have been told:

Credit Cards
In Singapore and the UK some small shops won't take credit cards for small items.

In some countries you set the fee before you get in. If the meter is not running, that would be wise.

Even if the meter is running, sometimes you think that it's set to the double time. This could be legitimate.

But watch out for the 'stealth tax'. It is raining. You phone at 11.30 for a ten minute ride, which is only five minutes if they take the short cut. Taxis are not available. A taxi sets off at 11.45 and reaches you at 11.50. The driver avoids the short cut and takes you the long way round. You reach your designation at 12.05 and get charged the after midnight official surcharge.

Taxis
You might need change for a taxi. The taxi can't give you change because he has just started work.

The taxi has a machine but they claim it's not working or you decide it's quicker to pay cash. Then they have added the dollar or so for the call out fee, the central business district charge, the charge for a second passenger, the charge for transporting a suitcase. Suddenly you are out of cash.

But most of the big taxi companies and uber now take credit cards. Some airport, you pre-pay by credit card and no tip expected - but they don't get out of the taxi to help with the luggage, or it's a woman who is pregnant or an older man with a bad back.

Pharmacies
The same minimum spend for using credit cards applies to a few of the Singapore chain pharmacies. Buy another item for a dollar and suddenly you can spend all on a credit card, no need to worry about prices, buy three for the price of two and you are stocked with bargains.

Souvenir Shops and Mobile Phone Accessories
I asked staff if they were on commission.
"No, unfortunately I'm not on commission. If I were I'd have made a fortune by now!"

"Next door, staff are on commission. I won't say the prices are higher - I have friends and family who work there. But you can check for yourself. I worked there last year. Everybody is so stressed out! I came back to work here. Cheap prices. Low wages. Happy customers and happy staff."

"No, because I'm only a temporary worker. I go back to college next week."

"I get a set commission for every sale, so it doesn't make any difference to me which model you buy."

"I like practise English with customer. Boss call me, say more five minute each customer. I must go now. So ok you go away lunch. You come back - I give five minute more."

Looking at large white goods, washing machines, and table top goods, rice cookers:
"Frankly, I get ten per cent per sale so I'd make more now if I sold you that model. But we get so many complaints, taking time, and have to give commission money back, because so many times we have faults, in the end I make nothing. So I prefer you to buy the cheaper one, better for me, better for you, more reliable."

In family-run stores dealing with Chinese customers, they bargain. Take a Chinese friend to speak in Chinese and bargain on your behalf.

Remember to check the prices and sales and loss leaders in local newspapers. If it's your paper, take it with you. I've seen ads in newspapers and the staff know nothing about it. But show the waiter an ad in today's paper and they call the boss. I remember:

The boss frowns, "Head office didn't tell me!" He reflects.

I reflect. Maybe he is a franchise. If so, there's another branch down the road, which might be company owned.

He realises that the ad has brought him a customer, and a customer already on the seat is worth two potentials in the street. He says, with a smile, "But if it's in today's paper, we have to honour it! What would you like to order, Madam?"

Free papers will be on the floor outside flats. Don't take the paper. Just photograph the ads. Look for more free papers at underground railway (MRT) stations or in hotels and restaurants and cafes.

Now you know. Knowledge is power.

You can't win them all, but you can win some. Life has ups and downs. Maybe today will be your lucky day.

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

Welsh words: new news newspaper newspapers, Sir, sir or madam

Problems
I see the words Cyngor Sir Penfro under Pembrokeshire County Council. I think I know which word is which but must check to be sure. Is Cygnor county or council? Is sir council or of?

Answers
(Spaces inserted to e v a d e automatic spell checker!)
Welsh - English
Council - C y n g o r
county - sir (I think: A country gentleman from this COUNTY, a man who counts - yes, SIR.
Penfro - Pembrokeshire (I think: Pem and Pen are similar; fro - from that area which sounds like Pem)

English Welsh
council - cyngor (I think: I am cynical about the council and go to remonstrate cyn-go-r)
county - sir (a bit like shire)
Pembrokeshire - Penfro

More words which sound similar:
Welsh - English
a n n w y l    s y r - dear sir

English Welsh
dear Sir - a n n w y l   S y r
or Madam - neu Madam
new - n e w y d d (double letters d d are pronounced 'th')
news - n e w y d d i o n
Newspaper - p a p u r   n e w y d d
newspapers - p a p u r a u  n e w y d d

Travel Tips
https://www.visitbritainshop.com/world/ (trips, tours, offers: London; England, Scotland, Wales)

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, illustrator, teacher of English and other languages

How to learn to read and write Cyrillic, Russian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian

Problem
How do I remember the Cyrillic alphabet?
How long will it take?

Answers
If the alphabet is 26 letters long, and you learn a letter every day, in one month you will have mastered it - forever!

If some of the letters are the same, that makes it easier. You simply revise the previous days' letters on days when a new letter is the same at the Latin (English) alphabet.

If some of the letters are the same, you will do it in two or three weeks.

If you are doing nothing one day this weekend, you could learn four letters an hour, over seven hours, 4 x 7 = 28, with revision at the end.

Story
A relative of mine learned Russian in one term at a boys' grammar school. I think every school should do this. Or offer it as an after school option.

Tips
Learn words you can recognize and remember. For example, the title of the Russian newspaper PRAVDA, which means truth.

The English P is the Russian bridge sign, or Pie in mathematics. The r is written as p. The a is the same. The English V is a B. The D is a delta. I think of it as the door to a tent. The final a is again a.

правда 

Remember:
Look at it three times:

правда 

правда 

правда 

Today's Russian letter:
Day one. Letter one.
A is the same in Russian and English.

Tips
www.duolingo.com
https://lp.babbel.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrillic_script

You will need it in:

National script of:
 Belarus
 Bosnia and Herzegovina (mostly in Serb inhabited parts of the country)
 Bulgaria
 Kazakhstan
 Kyrgyzstan
 Macedonia
 Mongolia (also Mongolian Script)
 Montenegro (also Latin)
 Russia
 Serbia (also Latin)
 Tajikistan
 Ukraine
(see Languages using Cyrillic)

To fly to these countries check the national and budget airlines:
http://www.aeroflot.com/ru-en (Russian)
www.bulgaria-air.co.uk/
ryanair.com
https://www.cheapflights.co.uk/find-flights/to-Ukraine
If Cyrillic is too hard, try Romania which used the Latin alphabet.
www.tarom (Budget airline to Romania.)
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, teacher of English and languages.
Please share my posts.

Be Prepared - travelling with tissues

Problem
What should you carry to be prepared?

Answer
Basic emergency medical supplies, which for most people would include paper tissues, a sticking plaster or two, and an aspirin or panadol.
Some people carry water and a chocolate bar or an apple on any journey. Others take a plastic container with a secure lid for leftover food. (If it's big enough, it could also be an emergency potty for children or adults if you break down on the motorway in snow or fog or get stuck in a ski lift.)

Stories
1 A Facebook friend, David Astbury, told us how he supplied a fabric handkerchief to stop the bleeding of a child who fell of mother's lap at a wedding. I replied:
The magic is not in having a fabric handkerchief - paper tissues would have done just as well. The magic is knowing in which pocket you have placed the handkerchief or tissue in order to produce it instantly on demand. The average person can spend twenty minutes searching for a paper tissue, a door key, a train ticket, their spectacles, their handbag, or the right coins for payment at a till. I know. I'm an average person. Trying to be above average. A place for everything and everything in the correct pocket.
Angela Lansbury, author of How To Get Out Of The Mess You're In (a book I wrote to remind myself of everything the rest of the family and the world had taught me, all of which I forgot until and after I wrote the book.)
2 I was stuck on a three person ski chairlift in America, with two other people. Balanced in mid-air. Can't even wriggle or reach in a pocket. No food or toilet. Sitting in the cold. Eventually saw people ahead being removed by a rescuer who was abseiling. Then a megaphone told us the lifts would be starting again.
Why do you need tissues? To blow your nose. Emergency toilet paper. Mopping up spills when you talk with your hands and spill wine or water. For the child or adult who starts bleeding.

Tips
1 Before leaving the house check your checklist - which could be stuck on the back of the front door or in your phone or diary:
2 Address and phone number of people and place you are visiting. Ideally phone to check they are open and will welcome you.
3 Depending on your location, you might also carry a small umbrella.
4 Carry a pen and paper and a business card.
5 Mobile phone.
6 Paper tissues.
7 Hat and gloves.
8 Wear white at night. (To be seen by traffic when crossing the road.) I keep a white scarf or hat or bag handy. Failing all else, carry a newspaper. A newspaper is also handy if you sit on one of those cold metal seats at a railway station. (But newsprint is black so don't sit on a black newsprint item wearing a wet or white or light colour coat.)
9 Go to the toilet before a journey, even a short one on a ski lift.


AUTHOR
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
Follow my posts on this and other blogs, also on Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram. Please like my posts and share.

Fun Facts For Everybody About Formula One, and Cars In California and Worldwide

Formula one race took place in Singapore yesterday, Sunday September 19 2016. Even if you have little interest in Formula one, and cannot see the race or attend it, you must have seen information on it in the newspapers or on TV.
How might it affect you?

1 You can watch the race if you can afford a ticket.
2 You can watch the race on TV.
3 You might have to avoid the area during the race time - I saw signs in advance warning of road closures and I took pictures of the signs.
4 You might have to listen to a family member telling you about the race.
5 You might be wondering whether it will be going ahead (what could stop it - the haze) and if it goes ahead, what's in it for you?
6 You can see pictures of the finish with fireworks online.
7 You can learn about the race and cars and its implications for cards worldwide.

Last year when I was in Singapore we were all worried about the F1 potentially being cancelled because of the haze. Cancellation would have been bad for the Singapore economy. Our friend who goes to the FI race for his birthday would have been disappointed.

Fortunately no haze this week this year - apparently the winds over Indonesia blew away the smoke from forest fires leaving lovely clear skies so everybody was breathing easy in Singapore. However,

FACT 1 DRIVERS ARE HOT
Yes I know that if you are a racing car enthusiast your favourite F! driver is 'hot' metaphorically, but drivers are physically hot. They can be inside a car up to two hours, driving around a circuit, strapped inside a car, going around a race track inside a car at high speed, one short stretch inside a tunnel.
It's hot inside the cars. It's so hot that the drivers have to drink water during the race. Some drivers ask for a reminder message to be sent that they should drink water.

FACT 2 WHEELS ARE CHANGED IN 2 AND A HALF SECONDS
Have you ever needed a wheel change? How long did it take? The F1 drivers who need a wheel change get it done in two and a half seconds.
Did I hear right? Surely that's twenty seconds - under a minute - really impressive.
Not twenty seconds, two and a half seconds!
How is that possible?

FACT 3 HOW THEY CHANGE WHEELS FAST
They have a man in front with the stop and go flag.
Car races in.
The jack - up man or men raise the car.
A team of people for removing wheels. One person with a large electrically driven rotating bolt turner to remove bolts from one wheel; later re-fix bolts on the next wheel. Four of those.
The wheel lifters. On each wheel, somebody to remove the released wheel; and somebody to replace with the new wheel.
After the wheel is lifted off -
The bolt or screw on machinery holders leaps forward.
After wheel is on - Four people raise a flag by each wheel.
When all four flags are raised the man with the stop-go flat raises his flag.
Driver roars off.

At the end the winners are announced and then the fireworks light up the skies.
If you are sitting at home you can see the fireworks on your screen.

It's over. So how does the knowledge of it benefit me or change my world?

One of my friends celebrated his birthday by going to the F1 race. You might buy somebody a ticket for their birthday.

FUEL in F1 cars
The braking in F1 cars is used to provide energy to re-charge the battery. Why? Because it's efficient and the manufacturers and organisers want to be seen as environmentally friendly.

This is the same system used in hybrid cars. They use braking energy to convert into power to keep the batteries going.

Did the F1 and racing car development necessarily cause the development of cars this way? My informant, (a racing car enthusiast in my family) told me that cars for the road and cars for the races were both probably working on the same idea and development independently. It's all a bit technical for me. If you want to know more, check it out on line.

CALIFORNIAN INFLUENCE
The idea of using brake energy to recycle energy for use by cars came from California where the laws about vehicle emissions prompted research and development of the use of less polluting of air from emissions from diesel and petrol (which Americans call gas).

BIRTHDAYS & FIREWORKS
So, now we have ideas for birthday presents, a glimpse of life in Singapore and Indonesia and how one affects another, how California influences cars production and cars on roads worldwide, and how racing cars and hybrid cars on our roads operate. I'm off to look at fireworks on line.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum and tennis people, places and products

If you enjoyed seeing the winners and audience and want to follow up on your interest, here are some links to the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum. Things for you to do or see:

• See Film about tennis in the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis museum, London, England. (Largest tennis museum in the world according to the Wikipedia article.)
• Visit Tenniseum tennis museum in Paris, France.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenniseum 
• Visit Tennis museum in Rhode Island, USA.
• Wikipedia on tennis and winners.
• Articles in online UK newspapers such as the BBC news and Daily Mail showing audience including Kate delighted at win; ball for winners showing ladies usually seen in short tennis skirts now wearing maxi skirts.
• Sports shops online and to visit: Sports Direct.
• Check Google maps for tennis courts in your local area: near your home; or hotel; or office; where you can play or watch tennis.
• Tennis souvenirs on eBay and Amazon.
• List tennis winners of the country you are visiting so you can make conversation with: taxi drivers, passengers on coaches, business contacts, and when asked to give impromptu speeches to members of Toastmasters International Speakers training clubs worldwide.
•  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Tennis_Hall_of_Fame (USA)
• Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, Church Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 5AE Phone:020 8946 6131
• https://www.expedia.co.uk/things-to-do/wimbledon-lawn-tennis-museum
• https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attraction_Review-g186338-d548466-Reviews-Wimbledon_Lawn_Tennis_Museum-London_England.html
• http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3683577/He-did-Andy-Murray-smiles-broadly-arrives-Wimbledon-Champions-Dinner-beautiful-wife-Kim-Sears-brilliant-straight-sets-victory-Canadian-Milos-Raonic.html
• For article on The Kensington Hotel and more pictures see my previous post in this blog.

Tennis balls decorating The Kensington Hotel, London, for Wimbledon week. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright 

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author, speaker.
More articles by Angela Lansbury and information about Angela Lansbury (the author not the actress - type in poet, travel writer, author, speaker to refine your search) in:  Lulu.com; Youtube; LinkedIn; Facebook;Twitter.

How to Hide In A Photo - face and hands or smile when appropriate

You might not want to be in a photo when travelling. For security. Whatever.

In Public Places
You can hold your own phone or camera in front of your face. You can wear sunglasses, dark glasses or a brimmed hat. This may save you from being caught on camera.

However, it also draws attention. Masks and dark glasses are seen as anti-social. They make other people nervous.

Televised events
At televised events the camera could turn towards you at any time. If you attend a concert, or even stand at a station looking up at the notice board when trains are delayed or on strike.

Stations
I was photographed on a TV camera years ago, Kings Cross station in London, on my way to Edinburgh. No, I wasn't going to the Edinburgh festival. I was meeting my family, my husband and then small son. We were on our way to Scotland, having won a trip at the world travel market. My late mother was sitting at home watching and saw face pop up on TV. I had no idea I was being photographed.

Not only that, but I was on TV again, the following week. The TV showed the same clip again, when reporting on the start or end of the problem.

So what can you do, more discreetly?

Audience
If you are at a concert you may see cameras in the concert hall. You think they are looking at the stage. But at dull moments, in the Interval, they may scan the audience.

You can also appear on still shots. Please be kind to the performers and the photographer. How often a lovely shot of the audience is ruined by the screaming children, even somebody standing in the aisle with their back to the performer. Maybe they are walking off to the toilet. Who knows. It just looks like they are not interested.

Now wonder people say, 'Don't photograph me.' They are seen in such dreadful poses.

As a photographer, I can tell you it's very annoying when you want to show the audience watching keenly as your club or VIP speaker is on stage, or your family or the official photographer scans, and the people in the front row, or down the aisles, or hiding at the back, or now listening attentively to your carefully crafted and rehearsed party piece.

Not, they are chatting to friends, ignoring the speaker. Tweaking ears, rubbing noses, yawning showing fillings in their teeth. How to hide without causing offence? Simple. Look down at your shoes.

If you are in a meeting, and a speaker is on stage, do not look at your watch. Do not frown, glare or look bored. It is a courtesy to sit upright and look alert.

The Japanese expect pupils in school to sit up and not slouch. To look bored is disrespectful to the teacher. The same would apply to members of the audience listening to the boss or a VIP speaker.

So, you know that the photographers are keen to take a picture of you. They want you to look good.

Sometimes they have politely beckoned you to be in the picture. You think you should not be in the bride's family group at the hotel. You may be right.

Posing For Pictures and Hiding
On the other hand, they may want you to be in the picture. This happened to me three times.
I was walking around a building associated with Sun Yat Sen in China and a young Chinese man was photographing his pretty girlfriend. I subtly, I thought, took a picture of them. They then posed a little ahead in my path. Just as I approached them, I realised they were photographing so I ducked out of the way. They got just a bit of me in the picture.

The photographer seemed disappointed that he hadn't got the perfect picture he wanted.  I indicated sorry. He indicated never mind. This cat and mouse game continued at several more spots around the building.

Finally we got to the exit and I asked if they would kindly pose for me. They were delighted to do so. They then asked if I would pose on my own and with them. It then transpired that they had been trying to photograph me all along!

Concerts and Theatres
But you have a reason for not being in the picture. If it's in the interval and you are not expected to watch somebody on stage, only at the camera, you can look away and the only loss is yours because you are not in the photo. Better still look down at a newspaper.

Group Photos
Stand in the back row, behind the tallest person in the row. Look down.

Go to the buffet table and stand with your back to the group.

If you are in a group of people seated, standing and moving spoils the photos and draws attention to yourself at the event and in the photo. Instead consider this:
1 Shield your eyes with your hand.
2 Hold up the programme or agenda of the event as if you are concentrating on reading. This shows no disrespect to the event but effectively hides you from view.

If you want to be in a photo but not have it published until later, you could ask the photographer. They may be quite happy to oblige.

What about hiding someone else? Just use a star. Edit on your phone.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

WHAT ATTRACTS FLIES? DIY FLY AWAY: Fly creams and sprays for travel

Prevention is better than cure. When I hear that dreaded noise past my ear sitting at lunch, or trying to sleep in a hotel bedroom, I an instantly alert, distracted from rest.

I just watched the video on how to make a fly attractor and trap. I remember years ago being told about making a sugar syrup in a half buried bottle. This system adds yeast.

I was interested in what it said about how your body attracts mosquitos. Mostly at night, worse at night. But you can get bitten daytime, anytime you walk on grass, or just sit out around a dining table. I never sit outside, but I have friends and family who always want to sit outside. They think it's part of the joys of summer and holidays or being in a warm country, or off work, or at work taking a meal break.

Hot water, brown sugar and yeast - you must buy the yeast.
This works at home.

But travelling on business or on holiday you'd have to buy brown sugar and yeast and take them (or the portions needed) in the car/suitcase. (Plus a piece of old newspaper, big plastic bottle and tape - which are probably available at your holidays destination, but why leave it to chance. Alternatively pack fly repellent cream for your body and fly killer for the hotel bedroom, or put it on your packing list now.

As for that summer barbecue, garden party, march, or festival, even in the city centre, be prepared.

http://www.viralnova.com/diy-mosquito-trap/

Angela Lansbury, author, travel writer, speaker.

New Costa Coffee in Hatch End

A dream come true - raspberry and almond bake, a cake with real bits of almond. Hurray!

Look at that almond on top. And the solid bits of almond in the middle. Don't look at the calorie count. (You can find the calorie count on the company website. I could not find the new branch on the Costa website.) But I phoned them for their postcode - see the end of this post.

The new Costa Coffee is settling in to Hatch End.

So handy. For a mid-morning snack. A break. A meeting. A chat. Parking somebody whilst at the dentist or doctors.

The usual good Espresso Doppio (double espresso) can panne (with a spiral of cream on top). The raspberry and almond bake was square, unlike the long bar I used to buy to take away in Brent Cross. Delicious, diet-breaking, probably from a dieters point of view, the smaller the better.

Service today was not smiling, unlike the last time I was there when they just opened, but maybe when they have been open longer and are more confident the new staff will be jollier. I was glad to be able to use a Costa card.

There are tables by the front window, some down the sides (one under a fan struck somebody as cold and draughty - must say I didn't notice that. At the back is a big mural and some square tables which I usually prefer. On the other hand you might prefer to a choose a cosy, round table for two, for a quick coffee, isolated from others.

You are secluded from the street at the back. Facing the back you get a view of the kitchen intermittently.  My first thought was that I did not want to be looking at the kitchen. But I was soon fascinated by the kitchen contents, the table top mini dishwasher which seemed to have a hose.

Whilst waiting for somebody you can read the free newspapers, the Daily Mail or The Times.

Big disabled loo handy for wheelchairs, or any other kind of disability, for the walking wounded or convalescent visiting nearby doctors such as not being able to twist.

Opening hours are amazingly early, from 6.30 to 20.00 Monday to Friday and Sat 07.00 to 20.00 and Sun 08.00 to 18.00. That will be handy in summer for those who are up with the sun.

The receipt invites you to give them feedback on your visit, by going onto their website costafeedback.co.uk or by text.

They have high chairs as you can see. I was sorry to leave, and only got disturbed by the noise of children when I looked up from engrossing articles in the newspaper. They had the Daily Mail and The Times on the day we visited.

You can buy a Costa brand tall travel flask and coffee maker.

Where is it? This one is in Hatch End. Another larger one is nearby in Pinner (opposite where Woolworth's used to be).

Go onto the website to find a branch near you. They are all over London, Singapore, the world.

Costa Coffee, 336 The Broadway, Uxbridge Road, Hatch End HA5 4HR
Tel:020 8428 8503.