Spanish Simple Words Translated In Online Reviews, The Media And Food

Spain in the world, from Wikipedia.

 I saw several of these everyday Spanish words in clothing reviews on Temu which were translated and in Facebook. You can also translate in Google translate. Find numbers, days of the week and phrases in Wikivoyage phrasebook Spanish.

Spanish - English

NB the ending o is masculine, and the ending a is feminine. The ending e is also feminine/ El is he. Ella is she.

buena - good

calidad - quality

buena calidad - good quality

de - of (the same word as in French)

delicado - delicate

el - the (mansculine)

elegante - elegant

en - in

en las fotos - in the photos

es - (it) is

estupendamente - great

fotos - photos

las/los - the (plural)

ligero - light (first three letters are the same_#

material - material

muy - very

muy elegante - very elegant

naranja - orange

para las noches - for the nights

Noches - nights

perfecto - perfect

y - and

English - Spanish

and - y

delicate - delicado

elegant - elegante

in - en

 in the photos - en las fotos

for the nights - para las noches

good - buena

good quality - buena calidad 

ingredients - ingredientes

(it) is - es

light - ligero

material - el material

of - de

orange - naranja

perfect - perfecto

photos - fotos

quality - calidad

the - las/los (as in Los Angeles, the city in the USA, meaning the angels)

very - muy

very elegant - muy elegante 

Useful Websites for learning simple Spanish

duolingo.com

translate google

wikivoyage phrasebook Spanish

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Spanish words - easy new words and reminders

 

 Duolingo teaches Spanish as spoken in South America, but the Spanish of Mexico and Spain is very similar.

Let's look at some easy to recognize and remember words. I am learning on Duolingo. I have paid to get the version without advertising. I am learning for an hour or so every day, so it's worthwhile to be comfortable.

Spanish - English words

Those in bold are new today. Those words not in bold are reminders from yesterday.

A

actor - actor (male). actriz - actress. actores - actors. agosto - August. ayer - yesterday (ye in both words)

B

barco - boat (embark on a boat). blanco - white (like a blank piece of paper).

C 

conflicto - conflict. copas - cups or glasses

D

datos - not dates but facts, data . Fecha - date.

 dias - days. diente - tooth (like the English word dentist, or dental floss, or dental work). dificil - difficult. drama - drama. durante - during.

E

 (la) escena - (the) scene. escuela - school. estadio - stadium.  excepto - except. Estados Unidos - United States.

F 

febrero - February. fecha - date. final - final.  fotos - photos. fresco - fresh.

frio - cold (like freezing)

G

 grupo - group

H

 helicoptero - helicopter. historia - history. hobby - hobby. hola - hello. horas - hours/time.

I

 idea - idea. invitadas - guests. invited people. idioma - language.

J 

jirafa - giraffe. julio - July. junio - June.

K 

(for borrowed words from other languages)

Karaoke - karaoke

kilo - kilo

kiwi - kiwi

L

 lago - lake. libro - book (think of library book)

M

mangos - mangoes. (The Spanish for mangoes drops the e, like the plural of the in Los Angeles.) mayo - May. maestro - teacher. minutos - minutes. mojadas - wet (think of moist). Motor - engine. (Motor car is carro.)

N

necessito - I need (think of it is necessary). noviembre - november. nuevos - new (plural adjective, of is masculine plural like los angeles)

O

 opera - opera. Note the accent in the Spanish.

P

pantalones - pants (US. UK trousers.) por - for. programa - program.

Q

quieto - still or calm

R

romper - to break (like rupture)

S

silencio - silence.

 sucias - dirty (like stained)

T 

taxi - taxi. teatro - theatre. tranvia - tram (UK) /streetcar (USA). tren - train. el tren - the train. los trenes - the trains. turista - tourist

U 

util - useful (like wartime WW2 utility furniture)

V 

viago (accent on the o, emphasized) voyage or travel 

W

 (for words borrowed from other languages)

web

whisky

X

 (For words borrowed from other languages) 

xilofono, accent on the first letter o to show the syllable to emphasize)

Y

 ya - already yo - I

Z

zona - zone. zoo - zoo. zapatos - shoes.

I was looking for the Spanish spelling of the Spanish word for tramway, when I was directed to the film A Streetcar Named Desire in Wikipedia in Spanish. I was pleased to find a large number of words which are almost the same in both languages. 

Try reading the article and write down the words which you recognize. You could write the words you don't know on another page. To start your daily repetition of words, begin with the easy ones, to gain confidence and feel encouraged.

You can switch between the English and the Spanish. At the top of the page is a little notice which says the number of languages. 46 Languages.

 Click on that and a list of languages appears. Click on espagnol (with the sign over the n) to get Spanish, then back to English. You can also translate into simple English, but when you go back into the Spanish, you are back in the long version, not simple Spanish.

Useful Websites on Spanish Letters and pronunciation

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Un_tranv%C3%ADa_llamado_Deseo_(pel%C3%ADcula_de_1951

https://blog.duolingo.com/spanish-alphabet-pronunciation

https://quillbot.com/blog/word-finder/spanish-words-that-start-with-g/

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Travel Wherever You Are Welcomed And Invited - Florida Fun, and Family Reunions

 TRAVEL MEMORIES

The moral of the story is, go with the flow. 

On previous occasions go with the flow served me well.

The Golf Tournament In Florida

 I was invited on a travel press trip to Florida so see a golf tournament. I don't play golf. 

I have two stories to illustrate this theme, one in Florida, USA, the other in London, England. First, Florida.

I was a travel writer specialising in romantic hotels and honeymoon suites, for couples, and hopeful singles. I married and after our son was born my field of interest and expertise expanded and developed, into family holidays and theme parks.

When I was living in the USA I received a phone call from a PR company, "Would you like to join a press trip to Florida - to a golf tournament?"

I had no expertise nor interest in golf. I did not think I could persuade a golfing magazine to accept an article from me instead of one of their regular experts.  However, if the PR company was willing to accept me, I was willing to do my best for them. Despite my feelings of imposter syndrome I went along. 

Our escorted 'golfing tour' group started with a wonderful, interesting tour of Florida. 

Singer Sewing Machines As a personal bonus, I picked up useful information on Singer - of Singer sewing machines! I am interested in sewing.  But even more importantly, this information was for use in my series of novels inspired by my family history starting in the 1880s. 

Golf

But what about golf? 

On the day of the match, the PR relayed good and bad news. First, the bad news. The roads were blocked, so we could not get near the golf. 

Second, the good news. Instead, she had arranged with the local tourist board and museums, so that we visited other museums in the area. 

On the last day, the last hour of the trip, it turned out that neither the PR lady, nor any of the other journalists, knew much, nor cared much about golf.  

We all wrote travel articles in which we dutifully mentioned the golfing event, plus all the other attractions of Florida.

2 An Old Distant Relative's Birthday

 I went to the birthday for a ninety year old, distantly related. 

I could not persuade the rest of my family to go. But I went. As a favour to his descendant by marriage. 

I was worried about travelling there and parking. However, near the date, the woman who had invited me rang to apologise. "I'm sorry but there's very little parking. Would you mind travelling in somebody else's car? They'll pick you up and take you back."

At the event, I politely looked through about 100 photos of people I didn't know, listening to a distant relative. 

Finally, he said, "I don't suppose you'd be interested in this one, I don't even know who these people are." 

I gasped, "I do. That's my parents!" 

He looked at me, the old photo, and back at me, suspiciously, "Are you sure?"

"Of course, I know my parents. That's their marriage! In World War Two."

"She isn't wearing white. How do you know it's a wedding?"

"She always told me, especially when choosing my white wedding dress, that she could not wear white when she married my father in wartime. Fabric was rationed. Besides, it was her second wedding. Her first husband died in a plane at El Alamein. And my father - in a top hat!"

Wartime wedding. 1940s. UK. Photo copyright Angela Lansbury.

"You've seen this photo before?"

'No. I've never seen that photo. I didn't even know it existed. I don't have any photos of their marriage!" 

He replied, "Would you like it?'

"Yes. Thank you. I'd love it."

The moral is, an art show, a sports event, a birthday of an elderly person, just go. If somebody else wants your support, you never know what interesting things you will find when you travel to somewhere new.

Useful Websites

https://www.visitflorida.com/places-to-go/southeast/singer-island/

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

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Where can you see Memories of London's Early Airport and Amy Johnson who flew to Australia? London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel Displays

It is easy to find the London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel, in Purely Way, Croydon. You spot an aircraft facing the road. The aircraft is actually outside the building alongside.

However, inside the London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel are three panels of photos and stories about the airport's early days. Here was the origin of the international call for help, mayday. famous flyers associated with the airport included Amy Johnson.

Before today's big international airport, Heahtrow, was built to the west of London, Croydon to the south was the place where interntional flights took off and landed.

Opposite is the Colonnades retil complex and leisure centre.

parking, free to hotel residents and restaurant users. You have to key in your numerplate and get a limited time for free..

When I was there in february 2024 the rooms were being renovated. No mess nor noise, just a sign.

Amy Johnson flew London to Australia. She disappeared in WW2, and there is a cliam that she was short down by 'friendly fire' when she failed to identify herself, but her body was never found.

Photo of the Aerodrome hotel outside in 2005, from Wikipedia. Not much has changed. 

A plaque to Amy is high on the wall of a building where she lived in Cricklewood, London. 

Her statue is in Prospect street, Hull, in the north of England, on the coast.

You can buy books by and about Hemingway on Amazon. Also look online for items no longer in copyright.

Useful Address 

The London Croydon Aerodrome Hotel, 680 Purley Way, Croydon CR9 4LT

Website

https://www.croydonaerodromehotel.co.uk/hotel/rooms

https://www.historiccroydonairport.org.uk/history/

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g504167-d192598-Reviews-London_Croydon_Aerodrome_Hotel_Signature_Collection_by_Best_Western-Croydon_Greater_Lon.html

https://www.quora.com/Ernest-Hemingway-has-been-dead-for-over-50-years-Why-are-most-of-his-books-still-in-copyright

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Spanish words on maps, signs and photos - 21 handy words

 Spanish is handy in Europe in Spain, and all over South America.

Spanish Word Meanings

Spanish is easy. Many words have Latin roots, like English. 

Spanish - English

1 Buena - good

2 cerro - hill/mountain

3 con - with

4 cristo - Christ

5 de - of (the same word as in French)

6 del - of the

7 desde / desde de - for, from, since

8 en - in

9 estatua - statue

10 iglesia - church

11 mapa - map

12 Olimpico - Olympic

13 nocturna - nocturnal/at night

14 rey - king

15 santa - saint

16 teatro - theatre

17 torre - tower

18  universidad - university 

19 valle - valley

20 ventura - fortune

21 vista - view

English - Spanish

Christ - Cristo

church - iglesia

good - buena

hill/mountain - cerro

in - en

king - rey 

map - mapa

nacturnal/at night - nocturna

of - de

of the - del

Olympic - Olimpico

saint - santa (as in Santa Claus which means Saint Charles)

statue - estatua

theatre - teatro

tower - torre

university - universidad

valley - valle

view - vista

with - con

English - Spanish

Records Of Your Travel Route, Hotel, Attractions, Friends, Business Contacts, expenses, how and where to keep records

I have started to keep a travel and holiday record in Excel.

You have to remember to save your typing in Excel. 

The boxes are small to type in. You can expand a whole row.

Diary and Photo dates

I am going back and updating my diary, where I have photos in my mobile phone camera Gallery and can work out the dates. For example, photos taken the day that I checked into a particular hotel in a particular city.

 How do you keep a record of your journey? Does it matter? 

I wish I had recorded the date of the day as well as the month and year on saved restaurant business cards and sugar packets.

Star Rating

I need to start rating each place out of five stars. I sometimes photograph the stars given to the restaurant, if I agree with a good rating.

Names

I start with a photo of the name of the hotel, restaurant, museum or city. The billboard outside. An address card. A menu with the restaurant name. Then I take the photo or entry ticket with price, or the restaurant men. Then myself, food, a waiter or waitress or member of staff.  Anything typical. Anything unusual. 

Coins

Other points of reference are parts of your body or a coin to show size. The coin also tells you the country. 

A complete record of my Albania trip - I shall gradually update this

Country Albania, Year 2023, Month June

Airport arrival (Capital city Tirana) Meme Teresa (mother Teresa )5

My husband ais very organixed. 

At the baack of his diary is a list of business clients. 

Climbs are in a sheet in Excel. 

To find a restaurant, he says, 'I look on the web,' he says. 'they might be in my browsing history'.

I search my photos. Unfortunately gmail filled up. I am now going though videos and deleting all the good morning and happy monday and thank you and happy xmas, and happy diwali. It's a shame. I might want those for next year.

A huge documents is called doc then travel, within it every trip, about includign boarding passes and maps. Separately is images and inside that photos from every trip, arranged by year, month, day. 2023.07 01 would be at the bottom and be the most recent. The same apllies to the docuent folder aunder travel in yymm-dd so that they sort.

I use the same folders for formatting in email. There is one for every trip. The most recent is the nex trips flight. 

The folder in email and disc in images includes the date for 10 of jun. The email folder addes the name. Sub folders include the airline, the car rental. the hotel a, b and C, travel insurance, airport parking.

Hotel Theth

Tirana

Dhermi Beach

La Brisa Hotel.

I save receipts from restaurants. That gives me the address. The list of food might tally with the photos and my memory. But if we stop for a coffee twice a day for the driver, the item coffee on a bill is not enough to identify the restaurant.

Useful Websites

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Multipurpose-Record-Book-Day-Day/

https://everydayoldhouse.com/quick-easy-ways-to-organize-user-manuals/

Valentine's Day worldwide, DIY cards, edible cards, heart shape cakes, chocs, edible flowers, or Dinner for two S338 at the Tanglin Club, in central Singapore, and Love sculpture photos

 Expect prices to go up for Valentine's Day. What could you enjoy. A live band, and roses, at the Tanglin club. 

A meal with matching wines.

Heart shape decorations.

Toastmasters Clubs for aspiring speakers and business leaders, including teachers, sales people, life coaches, have the theme of love.

Singapore has a sculpture with the letter LOVE. There are many more in the USA, Canada, and Asia.

Couples used to have their wedding photos taken by churches and waterfalls. Other romantic locations include bridges and flower gardens.

If you are not a member of the Tanglin Club, ask around your friends and colleagues to see if anybody is a member.

If you are a member of a club in another country, it may have reciprocal membership with the Tanglin Club. For example, in London many including the Cavalry and Guards Club, in Australia RAC clubs and several city clubs, the USA, China and many more countries and clubs.

Any club you are a member of is likely to have valentine's Day dinners, or decorations in the lobby or restaurants which provide photo opportunities.

Alternatively, have dinner a day early, Feb 13, and have cards and flowers and chocolates saved for the next day. Make up a rhyme and print it off with hearts and flowers. 

Historical Pictures

Valentine's day stocking with red hearts.

Valentine's Day in Spanish, Feliz dia del Amor.

St Valentine shrine in Ireland. 

There's another in Italy.

Valentine's day chocolates from Japan, including heart shaped chocolates.

Valentine's day balloons from Mexico.

Current 2023 Pictures

Hallmark pop up musical card with lights, about ten dollars minus a cent. In the USA kerbside pickup is available.

Valentine's Day started as a Christian festival and is increasingly commercial and celebrated widely. In American teachers and pupils receive and send valentine's day cards and schoolchildren make cards for their teacher and their parents.

Muslims are not supposed to copy non-Moslem festivals nor to drink alcohol, but (according to an answer in Quora) it would be fine to send flowers to your wife on Valentine's day or give a gift to your child on their birthday - and if it is on Valentine's day or any day.

Sweets and Edibles

You can make edible cards and gifts. cut shapes in marzipan, icing, 

Rice paper. Edible decorating colours and piping pens. Or a piece of paper, removable. 

Or edible flowers.

Savoury

Try cutting bread and toast, or fried or poached eggs.

If you have more money than sense, oops, I meant time, you can spend 80 dollars on a bouquet of flowers, a small teddy bear and half a dozen chocolates. 

Since we already have the bears and chocolates, we can do this ourselves and spend on a gourmet lunch or dinner the next day. 

Useful Websites

Photo Opportunities

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

Clubs

https://www.tanglinclub.org.sg/events/social-events/valentine%E2%80%99s-day-dinner-13february2023/individual-registration.html

https://www.tanglinclub.org.sg/reciprocal-clubs/reciprocal-clubs.html

Cards

https://www.123cards.com/?gclid=CjwKCAiArY2fBhB9EiwAWqHK6iqxOaOt2QB94RBZYg_5ugYEiL7MOyEKytO22lt0pYwM1XX-oU75PRoCaKMQAvD_BwE#google_vignette

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day

https://www.hallmark.com/valentines-day/valentines-day-cards/

DIY CARDS

https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Valentines-Day-Card

Flowers

https://www.marksandspencer.com/for-the-love-in-your-life-vase-bundle/p/flp60614876

EDIBLE FLOWERS

https://www.amazon.sg/Cupcake-Toppers-Wedding-Birthday-Decoration/dp/B0829KMVDY/ref=asc_df_B0829KMVDY/?tag=googleshoppin-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=404214624474&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11772662749942218768&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9062509&hvtargid=pla-1543662888924&psc=1

https://www.redmanshop.com/shop-by-category/baking-ingredients/edible-decor/edible-flower

https://www.floweradvisor.com.sg/occasions/singapore-valentines-day?t=0-2-1-1

https://www.floweradvisor.com.sg/occasions/valentines-day-sg-fa25280 (Baby bear, flower, chocolates, 83 dollars Sing.)

Safest Seats On A Plane?

 View from a Singapore Airlines plane window. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

You can sit by the window for a view and photos. But you can ask the window seat passenger to take a photo for you. 

You can sit in an aisle seat to get into your seat fast on boarding, and out fast on departure. And out to the toilet easily during the flight.  And no disturbance from anybody else wanting to get out to the toilet. 

But which is the safest seat? Most experts, as well as passengers commenting, say sit at the back. They argue,  humorously or seriously, planes don't back into mountains. 

The rich sit in the front. Or take private planes and small planes which crash more. They also take off in bad weather. They are risk takers.

Serious and Sad Answers

Most planes from high have no survivors. You would lose consciousness before you had time to brace. The plane which splits in two gives you no better chance at the back. At the back you would be doused in gasoline.

Humorous Answers

Sit on the black box. Sit on the wing. Sit in the airport lounge. Sit at home. You could avoid travel and take a boat, so long as no planes fly into your boat. The worst seat is next to a two year old. If a plane crashes the safest place is not in it Nor underneath it.

Useful Websites

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-11718755/Seat-seat-scientists-reveal-risk-dying-airplane-crashes.html#comments

Weddings Worldwide: You can marry on a train in Florida, in a hotel garden or ski slope in America, on a beach in Hawaii, or the Maldives, outdoors in a field in Israel, on a rooftop in Singapore, UK Kew or zoo

American Weddings

Brightline is a privately owned railway  line which has served as a marriage venue for a wedding in 2022. 

I have witnessed a wedding (as the official witness) on a cruise ship out of Florida, but this is the first time I have heard of a wedding on a train.

The train wedding couple did not meet on the train. They met when the husband to be was renting property (Americans say leasing) from his bride-to be. They had many dates taking the train and the bride thought the train ride was the most romantic part of the date. 

The train company sectioned off part of the train for the ceremony and reception afterwards. Photos were taken on the train and at the station. 

UK Weddings & Emergency vehicles

In England I have seen many reports of unusual carriages to the wedding venue, usually connected with the jobs of one of the spouses or their family. A nostalgic horse and carriage is quite common.

 I recall a double decker bus being used. Also I recall one case of the bridal party stuck when the road was impassable. Emergency service vehicles (a fire engine) came to the rescue.

Israel Outdoors

I attended a wedding of a relative by marriage in Israel. The incoming security stopped me and asked me the bride's name. The wedding invitation was all in Hebrew and I hadn't a clue. (Her name was Ayala.) We took a taxi from the airport. The taxi driver had trouble locating the venue so we arrived later than expected.

Australia's Public Parks

I have also seen weddings in public parks in Australia. The problem with public parks is that strangers can come along and heckle or  intrude on photos. Not to mention wandering dogs!

I have also seen pictures of ski scenes in weddings, and under-water ceremonies.

Singapore's Rooftop Wedding Receptions

I attended a wedding on a rooftop in Singapore. While we were circling before the wedding we had a chance to take photo of the bride and ourselves against the distant scenery. Once we were seated, because of the high safety wall, we did not see the scenery at all. That was okay. We were more interested in the food and talking to each other. However, at 7 pm in Singapore the sun sets. Later, the view had vanished. Just some lights in the darkness far away. So it's a good thing to arrive early at a scenic destination to get photos. The bride and groom and official photographers might be monopolising the best spots, and, of course, they have priority. So, if you are a guest, arrive early.

Botanical Gardens Bandstand

And another in a restaurant in the Botanical Gardens, after a ceremony planned for the bandstand. The officiant was late. 

The bride wanted photos of exchanging vows on the bandstand at sunset. So we rushed to do a mock ceremony. 

As a Toastmaster I was able to improvise the mock ceremony. I had a few stage-whisper prompts from those standing alongside. 

Afterwards the officiant arrived as the dinner was being served at the allotted time. The real ceremony was performed indoors.

Useful websites

USA

Train

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

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11211743/Florida-couple-married-Brightline-TRAIN-using-meet-one-dates.html

Ski Slope

https://www.herecomestheguide.com/wedding-venues/type/ski-resort

Boat

Singapore

https://www.facebook.com/vineyardhortpark (Singapore)

https://vogue.sg/the-best-unconventional-wedding-venues-in-singapore/

UK

You could get married at Kew Gardens in London. Going north, you could get your wedding photos at Ness Gardens in Liverpool.

You can hire a classic fire engine.

https://www.classicfireengines.co.uk/fire-engine-weddings/

My son got married indoors in London. However, just before the ceremony, the photographer unexpectedly walked us across to a tiny park we had never noticed with feature of rocks and tumbling plants. A look at a map might show you the nearest park to an indoor venue.

Angela in an Ann Balon dress and Marks & Spencer fascinator at her son's wedding in the UK. Pre-wedding photo in the nearby public greenery.

UK

https://www.kew.org/venue-hire/civil-ceremonies

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Problems and Solutions with Posting Photos From Events and Travels

How did I get photos fast in the old days and what do I do now? Back in the bad old days when you had to post your photos off and wait for the snaps to come back, I would post my first film off to the printing company in the pre-paid envelope the first time I passed a postbox.

I did this in the UK, in Europe, and in the USA.

Security of Photos
I wanted to be sure that if anything happened to me or the camera, (damage or loss or theft) the earlier photos still reached home. My earlier photos would include the country, place and name of the hotel, restaurant. Even if the outside was not interesting, the sign was a caption for the set of photos which followed.

Action
As for instant action, that way, by the time I got home my first pictures were there ready to be labelled. Before I got busy with other matters. Whilst the holiday was still in my memory.

Lists Of Places And People's Names
I also kept lists of every photo in order and the people and places. Those two principles, of speed in sending photos, and lists of subjects, still apply.

More recently I have used an Iphone and an Android mobile phone to take photos when I visited a lot of Toastmasters Clubs all over the world. For example, the UK London and other cities, Europe memorably Prague in the Czech Republic which met over Xmas), the USA, (the international convention in Las Vegas), and Asia (China, Singapore, Thailand). By the time I get home from a trip, or even an evening, I may have photos of more than 50 people, many with similar or unpronounceable names! How to label them?

Sharing Photos
I am also inundated by requests,
Please send me the photos of us at ...
Do you have any photos of the contest ...
Can you send me the pictures of me at ...

1 I send the photo to the person straight away. Otherwise one person asks for a photo and you agree. Then a second person. Then a third person. By that time you have lost track of who asked you.

I also can't, or won't, admit I don't know the first name or surname or both names of the person who asked for the photo. My solution is to ask them to type their contact details into my phone and I send the picture straight away. I tell them to put it on Facebook and acknowledge me as the photographer.

If I don't get acknowledged as a photographer, I don't know which photos are mine and which were taken by other people. This presents several problems.

I look at a photo taken by myself and can't be sure it was not taken by somebody else. I see a photo taken by somebody else and might claim it as mine.

Who Is The Photographer?
Photos which are blurred or out of focus might be attributed to me. I might not get the credit for taking better photos and editing them so the result is good.

The first time I took the official photos for a large event I ended up with huge numbers of photos, many of which showed somebody back view as they turned on stage. Or with blurred arms as they moved.

Get Credit
The advantage, or disadvantage, of being the credited photographer, is that others will come to you with request for more photos of that event, or requests for your services at another unpaid or paid event.

It might be in your interests to take photos as the official photographer to be sure all the VIPs are photographed, and to get a free supper and a thank you gift.

I take several photos in advance, at the venue before the event. Why?

Smiles
1 The smiling contestant might look glum when they find out later they are not the winner.
Early Leavers
2 People leave early. Get the group photo before the end. People even sneak off to catch the last train or put the children to bed as you are calling the group forward for the photos.
You need to Leave
3 It can take over half an hour to get all the VIP audience members for photos. They are saying goodbye to those leaving, exchanging business cards, helping tidy the venue, rushing for their last train or bus home, going after their driver, rushing to their waiting taxi, chatting up a business contact or romance. Finally - you need to leave to catch your transport home!

I just needed a couple of good pictures of each person. 10 speakers. 3 main officials. Six helpers. Each person's photo required twenty minutes of going through all the photos, selecting the best, editing them and adding captions.

Every hour for the next three days I had a request from the organizer for the photos. I kept replying I am working on the photos. Finally, he phoned and I explained the problem. He said, "Just send the photos, all of them, unedited, and I shall pick the ones I need."

I deleted the worst blurred photos, put two of the best on my own website with photos by Angela Lansbury.

In the end he put almost all of them up in three batches of 25 photos. The best one was first.

Security Precautions
An insurance company warned that if you tell readers on the media that you are attending an event and then your house is burgled the insurance company will not pay out because you have advertised to the world including potential burglars that you are not home. For the same reason I used to be cautious about posting photos of events.

Then I heard that the PR for a very successful club posts photos of the event on Facebook whilst the event is still in progress.

One way around this is to do the following.

Venue - Historic and Current Pix
1 Put up an old photo of the venue. On arrival take a new photo.
Later, you can add the date of the second event on the day's photo.
Those at the event will see the current photo when they get home.

Historic and Current Pix of People
2 You can do something similar with people.

VIP - Featured Speaker
For example, any VIP may have a photo of themselves at a previous event. Put that up as tonight's or today's speaker. During the event add the up to date photo. Later you can remove the previous year's photo.

Your previous picture from a flyer can be the page opener.

Contestants / Other Speakers
Similarly with contestants. You can even later add captions such as, winner two years running, or 3rd place last year but 2nd/1st place this year.

Photographing Speakers
You might ask a speaker to stand behind or in front of the rostrum for a photo before they speak. If they are busy re-reading their script or briefing their chairperson on the introduction, they might ask you to postpone photography. However, if the chairperson is busy dealing with crises such as missing speakers or lack of food, the neglected, lonely and nervous speaker might be delighted to pose for a smiling photo which makes them feel important and cheerful.

After the speech the banner might be removed for storage, the speaker will be dealing with fans, or the speaker will be rushing on to another event or rushing home. if you aim to get photos at every opportunity, you should be ok.

Another system is to tick each VIP on the programme as you photograph them so you don't miss anybody. You could go round the people on the programme agenda in order. Alternatively, write the number of the phot o in a circle. So if you photograph speaker two first, you have the letter one in a circle in pencil or pen beside their name on the agenda. That way you are sure not to miss anybody.

Also you might ask the chair person if anybody is arriving late or leaving early. Then you know who to photograph first, or to catch up with at the end. if the person in charge does not know, you can ask for a chance to address the audience.
Or simply take the microphone or shout as they assemble. You might want to say any or all of the following:

1 This photo will go on Facebook. If you don't want to be in a Facebook photo, please take the photo, or stand behind that pillar.
2 Please tell me your name if it has a difficult spelling or you are fussy. Email me your name and a picture of yourself so I can match names to faces for captions.

To find the names of VIPs, match up names with previous photos of the organization's events on their website. Ask for the agenda in advance. Try to learn and recognize all the faces and names.

In the interval or break time, rush out first to get to the toilets before the queue forms and delays you.
Grab food and put it on your seat or inside your bag. No drinks by your papers! Keep the agenda in your pocket so you can check names and be sure nobody goes off with your agenda, even if you change seats. Keep the camera with you in case you meet anybody in the toilet or corridor. Then go around photographing first the VIP who invited you. If necessary ask them who they especially want photographed. It is hard to tell whether a newcomer who knows nobody is simple the spouse visiting one off or the mystery VIP speaker such as the test speaker at a Toastmasters Evaluation contest.

Finally, make sure you are photographed with the organizer and alone with your camera as the photographer.

Send Photos - Problem
At a recent event I was very pleased that I had sent a couple of photos to my Facebook page. I could not get an internet connection to send the photos to the organizer.

On the way home on the train my friend Jenny and I tried to solve the problem. We were able to check first whether she had an internet problem or could send photos. She could, so it was not the internet but my phone.

We tried taking a photo with her phone and sending it to mine, and with mine and sending it to her.

Her photos would not reach my phone. She showed me that the tiny tick in the bottom right of the message or photo shows that the photo has left her phone. Two ticks meant it had been sent by her phone to mine and her other friend. When the ticks changed colour that showed that the recipient had opened the message and read it, received it.

We then went into my settings. By a process of checking what was on and what was off, after almost an hour we discovered that my phone had the data button moved to off. I think a helper on another occasion had thought that would save using up too much data, but it simply stopped me sending photos. Problem solved.

The groups of photos in my outbox then immediately went off. Shortly afterwards I received a thank you from the club president.

Conclusion
With a little forethought, you will have great photos of the venue and VIPs and everybody. the photos are PR for you, the venue and the occasion, the place and the people.

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

Horrid Haze - what to do?

I have given up swimming in Asia during the haze.

Malaysia has been cloud seeding. Comments I have heard from Singapore Residents (capitals incidcate not a description but a government status) are:
'Too little too late.'
'They have tried it befiore. It's not enough - fires cover a huge area.'

I have friends in Toastmasters saying they have bought masks and are struggling to speak at meetings. I have noticed several people with 'sore throats, cold, losing my voice'. They didn't mention the haze and only in restrospect do I realise that the cause or aggravating factor could be the haze.

Now for a mask? Which one?

For a start, any one is better than nothing. But better a better one.

The air conditioners for buildings are best when they can be set like the ones in cars to recirculate the inside air and not draw more in from outside.

In the newspapers and online check for the PSI. The letters stand for Pollutant Standard Index

https://www.wonderwall.sg/health/how-effective-masks-against-the-haze/?fbclid=IwAR29G1UNrylsV8yyqOafyMnVemu-VqQSKKcQ9KlNNJ5GYNiccdZBTnkv1I8

If the haze continues many days, I shall have to consider going back to the UK or Europe or a trip somewhere out of the region. It can cost  a thousand pounds or dollars to get a return flight from Asia to Europe, about half that to Australia.

Cost
A lot of money. Especially if you have to return for an event, or the haze abates then resurrects.

Against that, the cost of the purchase of an air conditioner, if it lasts without breaking down, might be a good investment.

Even if you take a taxi or a Grab, you wait outdoors, in an open sided void deck or outside. You can track the approach of a taxi and go out at the last moment.

Photos
The white skies and bland light are not great for photos either. So here is a photo of me taken indoors.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.

How To Enhance Photos And Guard Privacy At Public Events

Photos of events can be used to promote your group. But some poeple may not want their photos taken. What do you do about using photos of a large group?

First you tell the audience that a group photo might be used for publicity anywhere on the web.

Pre-event notice.
At one large (Toastmasters) event the published pre-event material said that pictures of the audience could be used in future publicuty and if we did not want to be photographed we should not attend and if we attended we were deemed to have consented.

Pre-Group Photo Annoncement
At a smaller club meeting where you all gather for a photo at the front of the room, you might need to cinform visitors that the photo will appear on a Facebook page.

If they don't want to be in the photo they can take the photo.

What about roaming photographers?
Roaming photographers might take pictures of individuals watchin the presentation. If I were a photographer I might suggest that those who do not want to be photographed should subtly raise their programme sheet or notebook to obscure their face,

Masks At A Fancy Dress Party
You could give out masks to those who want to remain anonymous. For example, you have a Xmas party with everybody raising glasses but one of your guests has privacy issues, or is Muslim, or teetotal, or the head of an organization and thinks it looks undignified. You can have masks available.

I discovered this by accident. I wore a black mask picked up with the fancy hats at a large party. When the photo came out I did look mysterious and sexy. But you had know idea who I was. So as prmotion the mask was a failure, but for concealing identity it worked perfectly.

I had been hoping to keep the mask, but the masks and hats were supplied by the organizers of another club and by individuals. However, when I saw that the mask concealed my identity, Irealised that it would have been useless to me as self-promotion.

About the Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, aathor and speaker, President of Braddell Heights Advanced Speakers in Singapore, member of Tampines Changkat Advanced, 

Updates On Notting Hill Carnival - Sat August 24- Sun Aug 25

Photo by ChrisO in Wikipedia from a previous year's carnival.

Notting Hill Carnival


Canival has been going on in London more than fifty years, since the 1960s.

Around the UK there are other carnivals in other cities, out west in Bristol and going north in Leeds.

You could watch the carnival in person or on TV, on YouTube. Also check it out in Wikipedia.

The photos online might be out of date. So you might upload your own photos!

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

Two Mobile Phones, Too Many Messages; And Lost Messages?

My phone has too many photos and videos. The phone is full. The memory card is filling. I shall have to take photos off the phone and store them.

How To Delete A Photo?
I just spent two hours in 'gallery' deleting: Happy New Year, happy Chinese New Year, (several messages in Chinese which I don't speak); Have A Great Day, Sending you hugs; Happy Monday; God loves you; Happy Monday and God loves you; Believe in yourself; Smile; and Thank you for your smile.

Most confusing are platitudes like: 
'Strangers send conundrums 
but the conundrums are 
why they are strangers and 
why are they sending conundrums. 
Anonymous.'

Deleting A Group
I have deleted myself from one group. I tried to delete a message from one person but when I hit 'delete chat' every message, picture and video in that group vanished. 

A blessing. Clearly God loves me, but only on Tuesdays, until I get another message.

I have missed some messages and events which came to me on Whats App. I don't tell the entire world my movements, for security reasons.

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

What I remembered About Painting Portraits: Wonderful Workshop at Writers' and Artists' Holiday

Self-portrait in pastels by artist Angella also known as writer Angela Lansbury. Copyright Feb 18 2019.

The Winter Writers' & Artists' Workshop Weekend inspired me to create a self-portrait in pastels, coloured chalks. When you cannot find a subject willing to sit, you can paint yourself.

What I like most is drawing people. I like to capture a distinctive profile, the shape of a nose, the teeth, the hairstyle, the colour of their complexion, even their ears. I like talk to them, to please them and flatter them.

FLATTERING THE SUBJECT
Flattering is hardest. I recall a caricaturist saying that if you don't flatter the sitter they won't buy and won't come back and won't recommend you. This year, for the first time I asked my first sitter to face to his right, face me, and turn to his left. I was drawing him during the morning tea break and he had to rush back to his class. So I had no time to do three teeny sketches and see which one was best. Merely to save time, I took three photos.

I remember asking an artist, "How do you flatter somebody?" For character, you emphasize wrinkles.

I drew one man, emphasizing his wrinkles. He complained, "It doesn't look like me." He stared at it again and conceded, "It looks just like my father."

WRINKLES
Draw wrinkles with a heavy black line and you get more character. The sitter might not like it, but everybody else will like it, especially if they don't know the sitter.

To flatter somebody, make them look younger, cut out the wrinkles. (I have edited photos by using soft focus. Once I had a close-up of myself and the president of a club who put the photos on a Facebook page. I thought, she won't put up that photo of me if she does not look good. The photo flattered me -after I de-wrinkled it with soft focus, and cut out a couple of nasty lines, wisps of hair and distracting wrinkles on collars. Using the same technique, it also flattered her.

However, I sent both myself enhanced her enhanced, and myself enhanced and her not enhanced, explained what I had done, and let her choose. To my surprise, she preferred the one showing herself natural.

A poor person, or one who has never been drawn before, might be flattered just to be painted.

LAUTREC
French Impressionist painter Toulouse Lautrec painted prostitutes and low life at bars he inhabited. Poor people will sit for free. They are unemployed and have time and sometimes no families demanding attention. They are grateful for a portrait they could not afford, their moment of immortality.

GIRL WEARING BLUE
I was once embarrassed by an ugly drawing of a rather plain girl I drew at a party. My main reason for drawing her with water colour pencils was that she wore a striking blue dress. Even if you drew had a blank face, the blue dress was easy to draw and easily recognizable, her trademark, landmark dress.

I was scared to show her the picture. However, she was delighted with it.

I asked, "How does it compare with other portraits you have had?"

She replied, "I have never had a portrait before."

She wanted me to give it to her. I refused. As usual, I said, "I keep the original, for my collection of portraits. But you are welcome to take a photo of it and use it for your website or business cards or Facebook page."

I had earlier admired her blue necklace. She said, "The necklaces are cheap. You can buy them in Orchard Road."

I replied, I can't, because I am flying (from Singapore) to London tomorrow morning.
I offered,"Can you sell me yours and buy yourself another one?"

A thought struck her and me the same time. She said, "If I give you the necklace, will you give me the portrait?"

"Done!" I  said. I quickly handed it to her, before she could change her mind.

I like to find out the sitter's work or hobby to add to the picture. You will notice that caricaturists who sketch and paint at events usually take ten minutes for the drawing and ten minutes for the colouring. Shops offering caricatures charge one price for head only, more for colouring, more for full body(same size paper but smaller body added shrunken in the lower third of the paper. You could have somebody driving a certain make of car, or reading a book, writing a book, holding a tennis raquet, with a dog or baby carriage.

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, artist, caricaturist. I have several more posts on art, Writers' Holiday, Fishguard and Wales. Please share links to your favourite posts.

Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood - New Walking Tour Of The Film Locations

I returned to Wales for the annual Writers' and Artists' Holiday at the Fishguard Bay Hotel and I was delighted to see a new walking tour taking in the locations of the film of Under Milk Wood.

The whole tour takes about an hour and a half. If you are like me and have to go into shops, buy books, souvenirs and postcards, and look around, as well as taking photos, it would take much longer. That is a good thing if you are not in a hurry. You could fill a long weekend or a week.

If you are in a hurry, and don't want to bother with the places which are just facades, the best place for a one stop outing is to the pub down in Fishguard harbour.

Liz Taylor and Richard Burton who starred in the film stayed in what was and still is the largest hotel, the landmark Fishguard Bay Hotel, on the cliff above the station and departure point for the ferry from Wales to Ireland.

Go up to the hotel for a fine view over the bay to the opposite side. You can buy drinks in the bar. The hotel is open to non-residents. They also serve excellent food. (See next post.)

Author
Angela Lansbury

Story of a lost iphone USB lead for charging and data

"Apple insist on using their own connectors," complains one of my family.
Yes, sigh, I am without mine.
I manage to borrow one and leave it attached to the wall so it can't get lost.

Then we drive off for the day wtihout it!

Disaster!  Firstly, I want to use my phone for taking seasonal photos.
Secondly, I need to phone the family.
Thirdly, we lose each other at a motorway stop. I see the photo of my family member phoning to ask, "Where are you?" but, before I can answer, the phone has died.

When we meet up, we hunt through the car hoping that the connector will be attached to the car device in the compartment between the seats in the car. Sure enough, there is a lead. We have three leads - but none of them fits an iphone.

Then, happy moment. I am hunting through my huge handbag which holds everything you could want and many things which you don't want, when I find a phone charger. It has two leads, one for the iphone, one for all other phones.

The blue light is on, showing that it ischarged, ready to charge a phone.

Happy moment, yes, it has two connecting leads, and one has the neat squashed oval which fits the iphone - both ways up - unlike the other lead which is asymmetrical, like a hump baked bridge standing on flat ground.

The charger itself can be recharged plugging into the device which fits into a cigarette lighter.

iwalk portable battery charger with two connecting leads (attached, neatly slide into corner
Model number UBO3000.

It's absurd, or handy, that the Iwalk phone charger can be connected to another device to charge itself by a non apple connector, but that solves your problem if you have an apple device and no connector.

I tried connecting via the charger overnight but only got 17 per cent in the morning. Maybe I forgot to connect the phone. Anyway, I charged up the charger and then I could use it to charge the phone.

Useful websites
amazon.co.uk
amazon.com

   https://www.amazon.co.uk/iWALK-12000mAh-Portable-External-compatible


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

Packing, unpacking and re-packing tips

Problem
As a teenager I carried too much and ended up with clothes which could not be worn because they did not match anything. I once had orange nail vanish, red lipstick and a pink top. I had to go without wearing the pink top, or go without lipstick. I went without wearing the top.

Answers
Later, as a busy travel writer, I kept a case permanently packed for short trips.

COLOUR CO-ORDINATION
My colour scheme was black white and red. lack trousers and black skirt for day, satin black skirt for evening. two tee-shirts and a smart white blouse for the evening. Two different scarves so I looked different on two evenings.

More recently I have had another method. I wear two reversible dresses with a loose white blouse worn open like a jacket and a black wrap around skirt on top. If my luggage goes missing, I have five outfits.

SECURITY
On a plane I also keep my phone, passport and credit card on my body in concealed pockets or a photographer's jacket rather than in a bag. I can go to the loo and leave my bag behind, sure that I won't come back and find my passport gone. If I had to abandon a plane or train or car suddenly, leaving my bag behind, I would still have my identification and a source of communication and funds.

EMERGENCY FOOD
Many people like to travel with a chocolate bar, just in case of delays. I once sat in a plane for several hours on a runway.

If two of you are travelling, with two suitcases, you might have half of each person's clothes in each suitcase. That way, if one of the suitcases goes missing, you both have some clothes.

Always carry a book or notebook to keep yourself occupied in the event of a delay. Sometimes I notice a book i have not time to read, or a magazine, and I put it inside the suitcase of carry on bag for my next trip.

PACKING LIST STORAGE
Where can you keep you magic packing list? One copy pasted inside the wardrobe door. A second copy inside the suitcase, (so you don't go home leaving  your slippers under the bed. A third copy emailed to yourself. If your luggage goes missing, you know what to claim for.

COUNT YOUR CASES
One checked in bag
One wheel on bag
One umbrella
One shoulder bag
4 items.

Removed your jacket on the plane? 4 items.

Luggage Photos
I photograph my luggage at the airport. If it goes missing, I can spot it on the luggage carousel, and describe it accurately in the forms you have to fill in.

CHECKLIST
Number of days at destination. Number of evenings. Number of days travelling.

Suitcase and key, luggage tag, identifying ribbon tied around the handle or coloured strap around whole case, especially for a black suitcase..
Umbrella.
Coats or jackets, shoes, hats, travel outfit.
Underwear.
Socks
Medicines
Diary, address book.
Phone, camera and ipad or laptop.
Swimtuit and hat or sportwear, gym kitc, tennis, golf, ski clothes.
Hiking outfit.
Maps and travel insurance.
Reading matte, diary, dictionary.
Business cards.
Medicines and first aid kit, dental repair and glasses repair.
Sunglasses and spare sighted glasses of prescription.
Sewing kit.
Gifts for hosts.
Money for taxi or shuttle bus at destination and for taxi home from the airport.
Note of car park at airport.
Hotel name and printed booking record.
Frequent flyer number - check additional potential perks such as extra baggage allowance, fast check-in.
Check in online, choosing seat.

Seat Choices
Window seats are good for photography and sleeping propped against the wall. For more tips on seats,  see later post.

Fro
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. I have other posts on packing. Please bookmark and share links to your favourite posts.

Filing Photos - Under Photos

Problem
Where do you file a photo? An American friend called Bee sends an email with a photo of J, in Thailand. Where do I store it, under Bee or Jay or Thailand?

I do something very simple. I store it in a file called photos.In theory I could keep emailing it to myself, forwarding it, and saving it in all three places.

 In reality, I am trying to reduce the amount I store. So the simple method of keeping all the photos in one place, and in alphabetical order, just suits me.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer

Why Are The Photos Out of Focus? What Can I do?

Problem
I just looked at a pair of travel sandals on eBay. I wanted to bid because the size and colour were just right. However, the photo of the soles was useless. The underside soles and heels were out of focus so you could not see if they were worm down.

I thought:
WALKING SHOE SALES - SOLES OUT OF FOCUS
The photo looks very nice, great colour, but the one showing the underside heels and toes is out of focus.

If you take a photo of something at home, you have time to sort out the problem and practice. I suggest taking the photo again.  On some cameras you have focus lines.

Try photographing either in daylight by a window, or resting the camera against a hard surface to prevent camera shake. You could also take from further away and close up, until you get one which is in focus. I hope this helps you get a good photo.

When buying second-hand shoes, you want to know that the soles are level. Otherwise, not only do the shoes look shabby, and morale-sapping (bad feng shui) more importantly you may be walking with your feet twisted out, causing pain to your ankles and knees and back, even making you lose your footing.

In addition to the importance of seeing in focus pictures when buying second-hand or pre-loved shoes, what about the focus of your holiday photos?

HOLIDAY PHOTOS
The same solutions apply:
Sunlight
Natural light by a window
outdoors
Photos taken from near and far
Use two cameras or two photographers
Ask a passer-by with a better camera to take a photo and send it to you - or photograph their photograph
Buy a mini tripod
Improvise a tripod or firm support

EDITING
Click on the general editing 'enhance' which seems to make all my photos slightly lighter and brighter. On a smart phone you probably have an editing programme. Remember to look for the word 'done', usually bottom right or top right.  Click on it. At the start, with a new phone, I kept making changes and losing them. Then I discovered you had to click on DONE.

WIKIPEDIA
If you just drag and drop photos from Wikipedia, sometimes they are not in focus. You have to click onto the next page where it says details, and get the name of the photographer to give them a credit You may also see instructions on how to get 'high resolution' which means more dots per inch and better focus.

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