Winter Solstice Celebration Food - for Persian Yaldā Night, and Persian Poet Hafeez

 The Date of December 24th for Christmas Eve and Dec 25th for Christmas Day was formalised by Roman Emperor Constantine who had established Christianity as the official religion in the 

Yaldā Night

The ancient soltice celebrations date back more than 2000 years. The occasion was and still is celebrated in Persia (now Iran) 

In which countries is it celebrated. According to Wiki Iran,^[1][2] Azerbaijan, Iraqi Kurdistan,^[3][4] Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan,^[5] Turkmenistan, Dagestan and Turkey.

It is called Yaldā Night or Chelle night. 

Yaldā  means birth. Chelle means fortieth.

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Yaldi's Delightful Food

The food eaten is red such as water melon, pomegranate or other fruit symbolising the sunrise.They also makes cakes resembling a red watermelon with a green skin. The shape can be a disc or a quarter dome

 Celebrating the triumph of light over darkness, poems are read, composed by the Persian Sufi lyric poet Hafeez (1325-90).

'A shirt of leaves on the trees;

like the festival clothes of fortunate people.'

Wikipedia

Fear is the cheapest room in the house. I would like to see you living in better conditions.

What do sad people have in common? They have all built a shrine to the past.

 A-Z Quotes

A dream about Hafeez inspired another poet, Daniel Ladinskyy,  to write

Even
After
All this time
The Sun never says to the Earth,

"You owe me."

Look
What happens
With a love like that,
It lights the whole sky.

You can see a monument to Hafeez in Germany

On Yalda night families gather and, in addition to Persian poetry, stories are told, and music is played. 

In London at SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), Westminster and other places have music and other events to celebrate.

To visit a Persian style Restaurant or try Persian dishes.

Tripadvisor and Time Out rate the Persian or Iranian restaurants in London.

What is the Solstice

The winter Solstice is the longest night. The shortest day. The syllable sol means sun.

Useful Websites

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/507656/Yalda-Night-a-celebration-of-light-and-togetherness

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d28003682-Reviews-Chef_Javad-London_England.html

 

Sunrise and Sunrays in Singapore - the sky signalling when to swim, visit the gym, take a taxi

 Photo taken by a friend in Singapore. For permission to copy and for other versions, contact Angela Lansbury. Credit: Angela Lansbury photo collection.

My friend 'Vee' was swimming when she saw this. She called to another friend who was not in the water and had a mobile handy, to ask him to take a photo. We were all delighted and stunned by the results.

When the sun stays behind the clouds, the weather is cooler and the pool is cool. You know immediately, by the temperature of the metal ladder into the pool shallow end. If the metal is cool, the water will be cool. 

If the clouds bring rain, you have to get out of the pool. A sign by the pool says you must vacate the pool immediately if you hear thunder or see lightning or are advised to exit by a member of staff. That is for your safety.

So, we watch the sky all the time in Singapore. If it rains, you cannot swim. 

If you want to go out, or leave your friend's house, you will find it hard to get a taxi. When you see the sun, rush down to the pool, because you probably want to avoid the sun's rays between 11 am and 3 pm. Then at four pm the school children are out of school, swimming, shouting, screaming as they push each other or go down the slides. The swimming instructor is shouting instructions to the children. At dusk the mosquitos are out. At 7 it gets dark. On the dot. I know when my evening meetings will begin, all year the same time in the tropics. 

If the sun is out in the morning, I will hear tennis balls from the tennis courts, birds calling each other. Time to swim and check the sky. If it overcast, run to swim before the rain. 

About the Author of this blog

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Weird, wonderful and helpful travel tips

About the Author Angela Lansbury

BIOGRAPHY

Angela Lansbury B A Hons ACG ALB PM5 EH5 DL5 VC5 
The Author of several books including  Etiquette For Every Occasion. Wedding Speeches & Toasts. How to be the Best Man. Quick Quotations. Who Said What When.

Blogs travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Club Vice President Public Relations (VPPR), Previous President

Join BHA 1st Wednesday 7pm and 3rd Saturday 2 pm Singapore time 

Vice President Public Relations (VP PR) of Tampines Changkat Advanced;

Secretary of weekly online Singapore International Dynamic Toastmasters Speakers’ Club;

Member and past president of Harrovians toastmasters club, UK; Past member of HOD Toastmasters, London. Past member in Singapore of: Toastmasters Club of Singapore (TCS); Tiarel; and Senja Cashew.

More details from Toastmasters International find a club.

Regular attendee at annual Swanwick Writers’ School, England.

Regular attendee at annual Writers’ Holiday, Wales.

Contributor to poetry readings, and after tea courses on: Speaking On Radio To Promote Books; and Plots And Character.

Winner of many club and area speaking contests in the UK and Singapore.

Language advisor to Empire Toastmasters club in Indonesia.

Language and speech workshops in Singapore.

Speaker on radio and TV in England, Scotland, the USA, and Australia.

Compiler of a school course on public speaking for teachers to prepare pupils for school open days with attending ceremonies before government ministers, Singapore.

Former member of Harrow Writers’ Circle, London, and two writing groups in Singapore.

Angela is on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Twitter. She would be delighted to link up with new friends.

 Please share links to your favourite posts.

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

 

Kota Kinabalu, A Mountain To Climb in Malaysia and happy thoughts for non climbers and readers

Kota Kinabalu
Kinabalu
In Malaysia there's a popular climb to the top of Kinabalu. The climb is so popular that you have to go on a waiting list.

Why? Numbers of climbers are limited because of the limited number of guides (obligatory).  Also there's limited accommodation at the top, or rather on the way to the top.

Why do people stay overnight?

An ex pat told me,
"It's a very tall mountain.You can then start the ascent at 3 am in order to be at the top to enjoy the sunrise, standard technique.

"If you are very fit you can s n e a k out (the automatic spell check chose snake out!) once you have claimed your bedroom and go to the top for sunset to take a look and take a photo.

 "I've heard people do it. It's easy to do and your guide would never notice."

I asked, "Have you done it?"

"No. I'm knackered. Also you get altitude sickness. It's a seriously high mountain, higher than anything in Indonesia."

Not such a good idea, then.

"It has a famous c r a t e r called Low's crater, or ravine, where the British army got lost about twenty years ago. They lowered themselves down and got lost and rescued by natives, some time later, I think. Don't take my word for it. Look it up."

I'm going off this idea. I think I'll just look at the picture on my computer.

I'll also put some cream on my split heels. Did I really agree to a holiday with climbers this year? I agreed just to see a new country and a new city.

Walkers and Non-walkers
What if, like me, you are not into climbing Everest?

Go with the flow. I once went on a so called golfing travel press trip to Florida. Despite my golf never having got beyond putting level, and my major interest being everything except golf. In the event traffic to the event was so bad that we never got near it. The tourist board was perfectly happy with travel articles of Florida written by all the journalists nearly (all of whom, like me, were not interested in golf).

As they say: Don't worry. Be Happy.

Cross your bridges when you come to them.

Climb every mountain - in your dreams.

As far as I'm concerned, today's major excursion is popping out for five minutes to buy bananas from a supermarket.

Angela Lansbury, travel writer