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Selfie with the Queen at a shop selling all things British at the airport. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright. Problem Where should...
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The UK supermarkets are full of candies in multi-packs to distribute for trick or treat. Alongside are soft toys with pumpkins and skeleton...
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Diwali decorations on sale in South Harrow, NW London. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Diwali Decoration on sale in South Harrow, Piccadilly train...
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Friday, October 9, 2026
Paddington Station, London
Wednesday, January 28, 2026
Haberdashers Hall, London - For Holding Meetings, Events, Exhibitions, Wine Tastings, Wedding Receptions
Traditional modern building. The haberdashers were hat makers. Along with the merchant taylors,who made clothes, a success in their day.
Famous Schools
Both founded schools which are still educating young people in north London. Haberdashers boys school, and Haberdashers' girls school are both in Borehamwood.
A famous school, Haberdashers
If you are near the old Smithfield Market, in London, near Farringdon station, you might pass by the entrance to the very modern Haberdashers building. It has a central courtyard, sculptures, and upstairs rooms hired out for events.
Security at the door will direct you to any event you are visiting, after checking that you are on the list.
I attended an Italian wine tasting and wine pairing event there which is described in another post.
Zonin1821 Portfolio Tasting 2026
Weddings at Haberdashers Hall
Haberdashers Hall Address
Near Farringdon station.
Useful Websites For Haberdashers Hall
https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/venues-for-hire/haberdashers-hall
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worshipful_Company_of_Haberdashers
The Haberdashers School Websites
https://haberdashers.co.uk/history/
Please follow me and my blogs on travel, food and wine, dress of the day and comic poetry. Share links to your favourite posts.
Sunday, December 7, 2025
Green Park Station Outdoor Decoration
The architecture of the building above Green Park station and the adjoining Marks & Spencer store is amazing. All along Piccadilly see the historic buildings.
Green Park underground railway station showing sculpture on the building above. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Ski Centres and Sights in Andorra, near Spain and France
L'església de Sant Ivo d'Auvinyà ha estat beneïda per l'Arquebisbe d'Urgell i Copríncep d'Andorra Mons. Joan Enric Vives i Sicília el 10 de desembre de 2011
Fer55 - Own work
Andorrako Auvinyà herriko etxe sorta bat
Koldo Biguri - Own work
Tobotronc
Amusement park cum nature trail. Longest ride in the world.
2 Santa Coloma
Just south of the capital is Santa Coloma.
Notice how high the mountains are above the city.From Santa Coloma you are only about 2 kilometres from the major city.
3 Andorra La Vella
The capital and largest city.
Sites include
La Casa de la Val
Historic old house and government building.
See 1 monuments in the garden, sculptures and a tower dovecote, the Criminal Court with carved wood panel walls and carved ceiling, the wooden doors of the cupboard of the seven keys, the modern auditorium upstairs.
River Gran Valira flowing under the triangular Pont de Paris in the capital of Andorra, Andorra la Vella.
Skiing
Ski resorts
Most of these resorts were once small mountain villages which have grown due to skiing. The resorts have joined together so that your ski pass covers neighbouring areas. As a result there are now two large alpine skiing areas known as Vallnord and Grandvalira.
Vallnord covers Arcalis and the Arinsal-Pal ski area. Arcalis is quite distant away from Arinsal-Pal but the latter have been joined up by a cable car connecting the two ski areas. The Arisnal-Pal ski area is directly accessible from La Massana right from the middle of the town. 93 km (58 mi) of trails.
Grandvalira covers Soldeu and Pas de la Casa.
The Soldeu ski area is also accessible from Encamp and Canillo. It has 193 km of ski slopes between 1710–2640 m. The surface of grandvalira is about 1.926 H, and it's divided into 6 different areas:
- Pas de la Casa — skiing resort right on the French border, north east of the capital.
Pas de la Case ski resort on the French border in the north of Andorra. Notice the white snow on the left. The buildings are colourful, black, brown, white, orange, yellow, pink, green and blue, beige. The green hotel on the front, far right, is the Hotel Kandahar.
- Soldeu—skiing resort
- Arcalis—ski area at the head of the valley from El Serrat
- Arinsal—skiing resort part of the Arinsal Pal ski area. Also known as Vallnord which means Valley North in English
- Pal—skiing resort part of the Arinsal Pal ski area.
- I eventually found a photo of the Storm in a Teacup sculpture on the website of a UK travel company called Absolutely Travel Company.
- Arinsal-Pal -- which is two skiing areas connected by cable car. See Arinsal and Pal. North, slightly north west of the capital city.
La Rabassa is a cross-country (Nordic) skiing area in southern Andorra above the town of Sant Julia de Loria.
Websites
Historic House and government building
http://www.casadelavall.ad/en/the-consell-general
Postal Museum
https://visitandorra.com/en/culture/postal-museum/
Museum Pass
https://visitandorra.com/ca/cultura/passmuseu-d-andorra/
Holidays booked from the UK and website showing the teacup sculpture
https://www.absolutelytravel.co.uk/andorra/mountain-walks-coll-de-la-botella.aspx
More to see in Ordino, in my later post.
About the Author Angela Lansbury
BIOGRAPHY
Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5
The Author of several books including Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.
Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com
dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com
Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President
Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time
Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;
Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;
Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.
More details from Toastmasters International find a club.
Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.
Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.
Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.
Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.
Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.
Language and speech workshops in Singapore.
Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.
Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.
Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.
Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.
Books by Angela Lansbury
How to be the best man. (Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Wedding Speeches and Toasts.(Ward Lock / Cassell.)
Unforgettable British Weekends.
Poetry Workshop Workbook.
The Tailor and the Spy. (Lulu.)
Larry The Talking Labrador. (Lulu.)
Writing Poetry for fun.
Quick Quotations
Who Said What When
Friday, August 6, 2021
Changi Airport During Covid-19 - what can you still see?
Thursday, November 14, 2019
Mona Lisa and Jesus Paintings - Sculptor Botero is also an artist whose works you can own

Museo de Botero (Botero Museum) in Bogota, capital city of Colombia, South America. Panorama showing Mona Lisa aged twelve, by artist Fernando Botero.
Photo by diego_cue in Simple Wikipedia
The first thing you see when you walk into the museum is Botero's sculpture, the hand.
Big BirdI first saw a Botero sculpture of the little fat little black bird, titled Big Bird, a blackbird, not a pigeon, whatever, by the waterfront, the walkway along the river, in the Central Business District in Singapore.
Huge Horse
Afterwards I came across the imposing strong black horse near Buona Vista which means good view, in an enclosed courtyard beside the Buona Vista MRT railway station.
Sculptor and Painter, Botero
When I looked up Botero in Wikipedia I discovered he was also a painter but I didn't take much notice of that. Now I have switched up my laptop and it magically remembers I did previous searches for Botero and it hopefully sends me photos and advertisements on Botero.
Google Is Watching You
You might think that having Google watching you and your browsing and buying habits is creepy and annoying, because often when you have just bought something you want to move on, not going through buyer's remorse seeing all the things you could have bought - even cheaper, What a waste of your time and the advertiser's. But in this instance I was delighted to see a panel of pictures by Botero.
Why Should Painters Reinvent The Wheel?
I had noticed previously that he had painted an updated, modernised Mona Lisa. He painted it when he moved from South America to Paris, France, in Europe (as opposed to Paris, Texas) with other artists. He spent time in the Louvre (where else) looking at the most famous painting in the Louvre, by Italian Leonardo De Vinci. As is the habit of art students, he copied famous paintings, but improsed his own style.
On taking a look at the pictures I see he has found a series of famous paintings and imposed his own style on them, plump people as well as plump animals. As with parodies of songs, this means he has the subject or plot already selected. An endless supply of ideas.
His own work is surprising because it gives a new take on something already known. Moreover, he has pre-arranged publicity because you already know the subject.
Surprise or Shock
To see a plump Mona Lisa is a surprise. To see a fat Jesus is a shock. A first. Like it, or loathe it, you are likely to remember it.
Marketing Magic
Furthermore, making variations on already well known paintings is an excellent marketing ploy. Why? First, because when anybody searches for a famous artwork, up pops his variation.Secondly, as in my case, when buyers are looking for Botero, the advertisers will chase lots of potential buyers with new but already familiar themes.
Buying Sculptures
A Botero sculpture can be bought, but you need to be a billionaire, or have access to funds and buy on behalf of a major gallery or buyer who wants to install a sculpture in a public place, to enhance the city, or mpress buyers, borrowers and lenders approaching your bank or business.However, artwork to hang on the wall at home comes at a more affordable price and needs less space.
Once somebody else has invested the money, an enormous amount of money, in a sculpture in a public place, you can enjoy seeing it for free. Free look. Free picture. Free selfie.
Add an objective to a stroll, your daily exercise. Find a place to take a visitor which does not cost you or them money. Pick target and achievement for your morning, afternoon or day out.

Broadgate Venus by Mike Quinn, in Wikipedia.
Seeing Sculptures

UK
Broadgate Venus near Liverpool Street station, London, England, UK
Buying Botero Artwork
Having discovered Botero artwork on the internet, I now realise you don't have to travel the world to see Botero. However, it is good to see his sculptures in real life, to get a sense of the scale. The little bird in particular is interesting. We see birds as small; but his bird is big.
Travel Tips - Where to see Botero Sculpture
Where to see Botero artwork
Singapore
Big Bird
Horse
Spain

Madrid
Barcelona - Cat by Botero
USA
LATIN AMERICA - COLOMBIA

Dog sculpture - Medellin, Colombia
Where to see and buy Botero originals and reproductions
Singapore Gallery
https://www.operagallery.com/fernando-botero
Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Fernando-Botero-First-Canvas-Rolled/dp/B01G97004S
Ebay
https://www.ebay.com.sg/b/Fernando-Botero-Art-Paintings/
Lazada
https://www.lazada.sg/products/fernando-botero-president-size-x-gallery-wrapped-canvas-art-print-wall-decor-
Ezbuy
Mona Lisa Repro
https://ezbuy.sg/product/420788207.html
TRAVEL
To see the original of the Mona Lisa, go to The Louvre in Paris, France.
COUNTRY TRAVEL
COLOMBIA, SOUTH AMERICA
Mona Lisa painting.
France
visitfrance.co.uk
SPAIN
spain.info.en
USA
visittheusa.co.uk
Singapore
https://wikitravel.org/en/Colombia
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/
UK
visitlondon.com
visitbritain.com
visitbritain.org
AIRLINE
Singapore Airlines - frequently wins awards
singaporeair.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Angela Lansbury is a travel writer, photographer, researcher, author and speaker and teacher of English and other languages.
For handy Spanish For the Traveller see earlier post.
I have several popular posts on countries around the world including Spain, and learning Spanish. Please share links to your favourite posts.
https://travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com/2019/11/statues-to-see-for-free-in-botero-plaza.html
About The Author
Angela Lansbury
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Where To See and Celebrate Ferdinand Botero's Fat ladies, Funny Men and Absurd Animals: Fernando Botero's Sculptures, Beryl Cook pictures and saucy postcards
English: Fernando Botero's sculpture Adam and Eve near Crockfords Tower at Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore.
| |
| Date | 14 April 2010, 19:55 |
| Source | Botero's Adam and Eve |
| Author | Eustaquio Santimano from Singapore. |
| Permission (Reusing this file) |
CC-BY-2.0.
|

Thursday, July 18, 2019
DIY Buona Vista Artwork Tour
The name Buona Vista means beautiful view in Italian. Google translate asked if I meant buena, which is Spanish, very similar. From the Latin videre to see. A town called Vista is in California, USA. Vista, according to dictionary.com is a view, often along a passageway between buildings, exactly the situation at Buona Vista.
I looked up the Portuguese translation and found boa vista, not bom vista (as in Bombay). The word Bombay comes from bom baim.I tried beautiful view and was given vista bonita.
So, the station in Buona Vista, which is Italian.
The multi-storey mural of a tree in Buona Vista MRT railway station in Singapore. Photo by circleline4 in Wikipedia.
Arriving on the yellow Circle Line from Botanic Gardens, I and you are greeted by the sight of a multi-storey artwork showing a tree. It is a eucalyptus tree which used to grow in the area above, and was remembered fondly by the artist. The overlapping mosaic effect is supposed to pay homage to works by David Hockney. I would prefer a realistic tree.
I used to hate Singapore's Buona Vista, a vast interchange, between the yellow Circle Line and the green East West line, with crowds massing to mount the upward escalator in the evenings evening. However, now Buona Vista MRT station is a magnet to me at off-peak times because of the delights nearby. What made me go to the detested station and explore the surroundings?
I am Area Director for Area S3 in Toastmasters International so I went to visit a corporate club at lunch time to install their new committee. I had to conduct a short ceremony, followed by a speech. In advance I had asked the outgoing President who was organising the event for directions to the Matrix building on Biopolis Street. My map showed the Biopolis Street, Biopolis Way and a third Biopolis, within walking distance of the station.

Seating with fans. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Fans And Seating For A Meeting
My first decision was exit B or D through the shopping mall, indoors and aircon but possibly confusing and distracting and delaying, or out in the open? The problem was solved by a member of staff standing near the exit. She told me which way to go, and that the other exit brings me out to the same place from the other line on another level.
Upstairs on street level, my first delighful discovery at the dreaded Buona Vista MRT train interchange, after the two escalators, was a large seating area outdoors under overhead fans. The seating area is also far away from the car fumes, but with the sight of distant traffic, so you do not feel isolated. The fans were not brilliantly effective but the sight of them was soothing.
I am a fan of fans. I sat and looked at my map. However, I had to hurry on to my meeting.
Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
One North Park
Walking on to the crossroads, I saw a grassy area leading uphill, a park called One North Park. I took a photo of the attractive park. I liked the welcoming sculpture at the entrance and large name plus useful information plaque. The sign was handy in case I ever wanted to go there for a walk with friends in that area.
The road uphill was a slight challenge, but manageable and quite short. I consoled myself with the thought that coming back downhill would be quicker and easier.
When I reached the first turning I was greeted by a delightful sight of running water cascading down a series of steps.

A display of embroidered circles hanging like a mobile caught my attention next.
At the base of the gentle almost silent waterfall is a red sculpture.
The Mobile Circles
Later, after my meeting, with time, I was able to go up close to the mobile to look at it. Each circle was a surprise.
First the stunning colours. Secondly, the friendly faces embroidered. Such ingenuity. An amazing number of creatures. A pretty peacock. A fab fish. A spider. A couple of cuddling, cuddly cats.And the Singapore flag.
As they spin you keep seeing new animal faces, patterns and scenes. Photo by Angela Lansbury.
The sculpture is a double sculpture. Red. But it blends in with the greenery. It forms a landmark.
Red sculpture at Biopolis. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
Around the base of the trees were plaques which answered my questions. What tree is this? I noticed one tree plaque. Then a second. Then a third.
Finally, back to the top, I found a giant sulpture with its main magnificent flower or glowerhead of gossamer depicted metal far above.
Metal tree sculpture. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.
As I walked back downhill, I saw another couple of metal trees or giant flowers which I had somehow not seen on the way up. I returned to the station exhilarated. Yes, I had met charming people and eaten a delicious Indian lunch with fruit and water, but the final pleasure was the stunning sculptures and lovely landscaping of the area between Buona Vista and Biopolis.
Tour
But there's more. Researching the area online I discouvered that you can arrange to take a tour organized by the stations, of the Singapore stations' artwork.
Useful Websites For Travellers
For first and last train times:
http://www.smrt.com.sg/Journey-with-Us/Trains/NetworkMap/BuonaVista
Information on the Art In Transit tour
http://www.smrt.com.sg/Community/Empowering-through-Arts-and-Education
Photo of tree mural and copyright information in Wikipedia
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Interior_of_the_Circle_Line_section_of_Buona_Vista_MRT_Station,_Singapore_-_20110820.jpg
Getting To Singapore on Singapore Airlines
singaporeair.com
About The Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker. Please share links to your favourite posts.























