Rumi in Turkey, Poetry, Philosophy, Food and Drink Turkish Style

 Rumi is the best selling poet in the USA. He lived a long time ago, in the 1th century. 

Statue of Rumi in Izmir

Rumi statue in Izmir. Wikipedia. From Turkey.com

The Rumi statue in Buca, Izmir, is 23 metres high. His statue is surrounded by smaller statues of whirling drvishes.

He wrote:

What you seek is seeking you.

A candle loses none of its light by lighting another candle.

He is buried in Konya, in Turkey, where you can visit the place where he is buried, as well as his son and father. 

Rumi thought that poetry, singing and dance enhanced ones appreciation of God. His son and followers founded the Whirling Dervishes.

Places to visit connected with Rumi

Turkey

Konya

Konya in Turkey. More details in Wikipedia under Rumi.

Tajikstan\

TURKEY

Stopping for Scoffing Snacks in Turkey

Turkish Coffee

Loukumi - which was successfully marketed in the UK under the brand name Turkish Delight.

Wining and Dining

The Turkish spirit, raki, is made from grapes and raisins. A Raki festival is held in Turkey and Northern Cyprus.

Alcoholic Content

Watch out for alcohol content. The numbers are marked on the bottles of branded drinks. If not on the front label, look at the back. 

Waiters worldwide often pour a drink for you with a flourish, then whisk away the bottle out of your way. You can sometimes check the alcohol content on the bottle, or on the menu, or on the internet. If you order one thing from the menu, and the item has run out and the sommelier or waiter offers you an alternative, check if the alcoholic content is the same as what you expected. 

Be aware that there is no alcohol, which is not the same as low alcohol. Then you have beers, which . vary. Wines also vary. The strongest are spirits (by legal definition).  Spirits are often diluted with water or turned into cocktails by adding mixers.  

Wikivoyage has warnings to travellers about avoiding getting drunk, and other things to be cautious about when travelling in Turkey and other foreign countries.

Useful Websites

Tripadvisor

Wikiquote - Rumi

Wikivoyrage 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Rak%C4%B1_Festival

Please share links to your favourite posts.

Places to go and things to try in Japan, or from Japan, from simple sushi to Dinosaur Robot Reception At Hotel Henn Na

Japanese flag

Let us start with what is widely available, worldwide. In Singapore the local supermarkets such as cold storage have a whole counter of sushi, whilst in the UK you might get just one or two choices.  

Sushi from Fairprice supermarket in Singapore. Photo by Angela Lansbury.

Secrets of Sushi

When I first tried sushi, I used to opt for the ones with pink fish. I thought it was smoked salmon, which in England often comes from Scotland. I thought the Japanese sushi followed their principle of bland food, 'very subtle flavour', which means that the Japanese don't have bad breath and don't need deodorant. (Contrast bland Japanese food with delicious, flavoursome, spicy Indian food, which can be overwhelming to or from some diners.)

Only when a guest from Indonesia refused to eat what I thought was a treat, did I discover what my sushi was another fish, not smoked, but raw fish. My friend recoiled and said, 'I never eat raw fish!'

Varieties of sushi readily available from supermarkets in Singapore are those with egg topping. Or eel. Or shellfish. Or mock shellfish. Since I am allergic to shellfish, I stick to the fish which looks like smoked salmon. 

If you are okay with shellfish, and actually enjoy it, you can buy what looks like a cone  of snack food. We have found the secret of sticking to a diet whilst still eating rice. Choose sushi. We eat three pieces of sushi with salad. Portion control. Quite filling. You are less likely to overdo the rice, as you would if you cooked it yourself or went to an Indian restaurant where they generously dole out unlimited amounts. 

At lunch time you might want to go without alcohol, like the Americans, because it sends you to sleep. Spirits have a high alcoholic content. I used to think that those tiny bottles of Saki, with the tiny cups, were a bit mean. Then, later in my life, I discovered that sake is rice wine and highly alcoholic. You don't want to drink a lot because it would quickly make you drunk and send you to sleep.

Bargains

Sometimes, towards the end of the day, the prices of sushi in supermarkets are reduced. 

HENN Na HOTELS

Henn na means weird in Japanese. These hotels are highly automated with robots in the shape of dinosaurs operating the front desks and real staff hidden behind the scenes if the technology goes wrong. You can find them in Tokyo, Osaka in Japan, as well as other countries such as Turkey. Read the reviews on Tripadvisor and elsewhere.They are all automated budget hotels, and , to my mind best suited to families with children who like dinosaurs.

Toilets

If you are out and about in Tokyo look for transparent toilets. You can see if they are unoccupied, and clean. When you go inside, they stop being transparent. You hope!

In hotels and homes you will possibly find bidet toilets. I have seen these in Changi airport and some hotels and museums in Singapore.

Another idea is basins for hand washing agove toilets, or insdet in the toilet lid.

From Wikipedia

Funny Fridges

 Homes in Japan might have other gadgets, such as a walking fridge, from Panasonic.

Useful Websites

 https://za.investing.com/magazine/brilliant-inventions-that-only-exist-in-japan/

https://knaviation.net/henn-na-hotel-tokyo-haneda-review/

Why and How To Pack towels and swimsuits for possible swimming

I like to have a swimsuit with me on holiday, even if I am not expecting to go swimming. You might stop for lunch at a hotel with a pool. In Cyprus we went on a morning walk up to see a waterfall. 

At the top was a flat area where a girl who lived locally donned a swimsuit and waded forward and stood under the cold showing waterfall. They had travelled by car, so no problem with transporting a towel. 

Several people wanted to be photographed in the pool. I don't stand in running water in case of currents. However, many people like to do so.

On day trips to the beach, i sometimes try to pack a thin towel of the sort which is quick dry, just to dry my feet when paddling in the sea, or getting wet feet from unexpected waves on the beach.

I have also looked into adding velcro to turn a thin towel into a wrap around skirt or strapless dress. A towel dress with shoulder straps is more secure. I have also made a swimming pool throw-over by cutting a slit in the middle of an old, thin towel. You can buy towelling dresses.

I pack with my swimsuit and night dress in a handy place on top of my suitcase. On arrival at a hotel I ask what time the pool closes. I might want to rush to the pool before evening dinner.

 When I was a teenager in the late 1960s, I went on a holiday with a fellow student to Greece, Turkey and Israel. I travelled in a bikini. It acted as bra and pants. I showered in it. I swam in it. No need to undress.

After the swim, we would sit in the sun. The bikini was cotton and dried quickly. 

In countries requiring a one piece costume, you need another solution.

Kaledonia Waterfalls, Cyprus.

 1The solution is to have a large towel which somebody else, family or friend, can hold.

2 If you are alone, you could change behind a large umbrella.

3A wrap around skirt is another solution.

4 Or a wrap around dress.

5 Or a sarong.

Please share links to your favourite posts.

The best hotels and most unusual on Tripadvisor

Some wonderful hotels worldwide. My favourite, from looking at the pictures and descriptions, include a wine hotel in Portugal, and some underground and cave hotels in Turkey.

 I used to consider the most unusual and therefore desirable places on my must visit one day list were the pop up ice hotels in Montreal, Canada, and Scandinavia in Europe were the greatest novelty. Plus the ice festival city in China. And hotels overlooking Niagara in Canada.

What about places you could actually visit, just going to reception to enquire, and use the ground floor toilet, or book a restaurant meal, if you can't afford to stay the night? 

Accessible Hotels To Visit

UK

There's one in Covent Garden. However, one new hotel I noticed had a locked glass sliding door, so you could not even enter the hallway unless you had a booking to stay, eat, or see the staff. 

Britain's Best Bargains & Bed & Breakfast

Bed ad breakfast in the UK is known for short as B & B. In the UK a boutique hotel is like a cute or quaint hotel. 

Unlike the USA where a boutique hotel is often historic and extremely expensive, much more so than a mere hotel or motel. 

You might have read in the News about

The Toulson Court, Scarborough, England.

Flag of Belize.

Central America

In Belize, where the President of Singapore Internatioanl Toastmasters International speakers' club lives, has the Hamanasi Adventure and Dive resort. It is on the coast, south of Belize City. A seaside hotel with a circular pool, a pier, colourful bedrooms with canopy beds and honeymoon packages.

Europe, the Mediterranean and North Africa

I honeymooned in Morocco, at the Manounia, where Churchill stayed. The Tripadvisor award in Marrakesh goes to a hotel called La Maison Arabe, French for the Arabic House.

As for Destinations, in Croatia, Dubrovnik has a Game of Thrones trail, and Split has waterfall and wine trail. 

What I really want are

Best central/easy to find

Best luxury

Best birthday

If all this is too expensive, just admire them online, or pop in for a meal, if they are open to non-residents. 

 Useful Websites

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/TravelersChoice-Hotels

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-10785669/Winners-2022-Tripadvisor-Travellers-Choice-Best-Best-Awards-Hotels.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed_article&ns_mchannel=rss&ico=taboola_feed

https://www.hamanasi.com/

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g297989-d4090921-Reviews-Kayakapi_Premium_Caves_Cappadocia-Urgup_Cappadocia.html

Whirling Dervishes in Turkey and a Picture of them in a Turkish Restaurant in Singapore

Whirling  Dervishes

My husband saw dervishes perform in Singapore. You were told not to clap at the end. It was religious for them. Although a performance for the audience.

A youtube video shows dervishes whirling in Istanbul, Turkey.

How do they manage not to fall over! (I feel the same about ballet dancers and ice skaters.)

A lovely picture of whirling dervishes is on the indoor wall of the entrance to the Turksih restaurant called Sofra in Singapore.

 Websites

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkuimX1bh6g

About the Author

Angela Lansbury, is a semi-retired travel writer still researching bucket list countries and seeking out the special, unusual, people, places,  landmarks, hotels, museums and trails, fabulous foods, recipes, clothes and online souvenir shopping.

Angela Lansbury is a member of Toastmasters International.

About the Author Angela Lansbury

The Author - Quick Quotations

Angela Lansbury B A Hons  is the author of ten books by regular publishers, plus another ten self-published books. 

About Angela The Speaker & Trainer

Angela Lansbury is a teacher of English and other languages to Toastmasters clubs and businesses.

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Vice President, Public Relations, Immediate Past President. VPPR

Former Area Director S3. Club Coach for Nee Soon South Toastmasters Club.

Also Member of: TCA Toastmasters Club; Singapore Online Dynamic; Harrovians UK

BHA

Past meetings have included Garen Tee on using story-telling in business, on 

bha.learncool.sg/meet/bha . 

Recent meetings of BHA included an educational session on using Powerpoint for posters.

Next BHA meetings, always first Wednesday evening, 7 pm Singapore time. Next meeting is  the third Saturday afternoon, June 19th 2pm Singapore time.  Inauguration of the new committee was by the incoming Director of S, plus a lively speech on teamwork.

Next meetings will be on these dates (unless a national holiday in Singapore or worldwide)

Themes and word of the day are tentative

2021

JULY - JUBILANT JULY

Theme/WOD Jubilant

WORKSHOPS & EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS (based on level one of Pathways)

1 Your first speech or role EASY ENGLISH LANGUAGE (Articles A and The, Plurals, Tenses, Pronunciation, Singlish)

2 CHOOSE YOUR PATH

Wed July 7th What Your Committee Can Do For You

Saturday 17th

July 4th American Independence Day.

2021 AUGUST - AWESOME AUGUST

1 Pathway Level 1 Introductory Speeches

2 Evaluations

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2021 SEPT - SUPER SEPTEMBER

Wed 1st

Sat 18th SPEECH CONTESTS

Humorous Speech Contest

Table Topics Contest

2021 OCT - ODD OCTOBER

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

2021 NOV - NOVELTY NOVEMBER

Wed 3rd

Sat 20th Wed

Diwali Hindu Festival of lights Nov 4th.

Nov 25th American Thanksgiving.

Hanukah starts 28 Dec 8 days until Dec 6. Jewish Festival of lights, celebrated by Jesus.

2021 DEC - DARLING DECEMBER

Wed  1st (Hanukah if not previous month. Festival foods.)

Sat 18th

Speech on 

JAN 2022 - JOYFUL JANUARY

Wed Jan 5th New beginning - forget the past

Sat 15 Long-term plans = for the future/Chinese New Year (CNY for short)

2022 FEB FUN FEBRUARY

Theme Love and romance - Chinese New Year

Feb 1st and 2nd are holidays - do we move this Feb 2nd meeting date?)

Wed 2nd (Valentine's Day Mon Feb 14)

Sat 19th

2022 MAR - MARVELLOUS MARCH

Theme

Wed 2nd

Sat 19

March 1st is Christian Pancake day. 

2022 APR - APRIL'S AIMS

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

Muslim Ramadan 1-30 April.

Jewish Passover (Seder meal=Last supper) April

 16

2022 MAY - MODERNISING MAY

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2022 JUN - JUBILANT JUNE

Wed 1st

Sat 18th

Jul 6, Jul 16, Aug 3, Aug 20, Sept 7, Sept 17, Oct 5, Oct 15, Nov 2, Nov 19, Dec 7, Dec 17.

Angela The Blogger 

Angela has several blogs speeches, comedy and song writing and organizing, writing intermittently, but writes almost daily on these three:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

See many varied posts such as the post on sculptor Tom Harvey.

Please share links to your favourite posts. 

TCA (A for Advanced club) is another advanced speakers' club which meets both online for visitors from worldwide and physically for walks, meals and socials in the Tampines area. Meetings are in the TC Community Club when Covid-19 regulations in Singapore allow it, but meanwhile come along to meetings online.

TCA meetings are on the fourth Tuesday evening of each month at 7 p.m Zoom room open to check your sound and online appearance and chit-chat, ready for a 7.15 pm start. I usually manage to attend meetings whether I am in Singapore or the UK.

Another club, totally online, is Singapore Online Dynamic, meeting 9 pm Singapore time on Fridays. I am a member of this club.

I am also a member of Senja-Cashew. When it meets physically it is in a convenient large complex containing a swimming pool beside a landmark lake next to a shopping complex. Right now it is online.

Once you join a club, your club's president will give you the opportunity to be informed of Toastmasters club meetings worldwide, especially those which have interesting workshops.cAbout the Author

Angela Lansbury, is a semi-retired travel writer still researching bucket list countries and seeking out the special, unusual, people, places,  landmarks, hotels, museums and trails, fabulous foods, recipes, clothes and online souvenir shopping.

Angela Lansbury is a member of Toastmasters International.

About the Author Angela Lansbury

The Author - Quick Quotations

Angela Lansbury B A Hons  is the author of ten books by regular publishers, plus another ten self-published books. 

About Angela The Speaker & Trainer

Angela Lansbury is a teacher of English and other languages to Toastmasters clubs and businesses.

Braddell Heights Advanced Toastmasters Speakers Vice President,  Public Relations, Immediate Past President. VPPR

Former Area Director S3. Club Coach for Nee Soon South Toastmasters Club.

Also Member of: TCA Toastmasters Club; Singapore Online Dynamic; Harrovians UK

BHA

Past meetings have included Garen Tee on using story-telling in business, on 

bha.learncool.sg/meet/bha . 

Recent meetings of BHA included an educational session on using Powerpoint for posters.

Next BHA meetings, always first Wednesday evening, 7 pm Singapore time. Next meeting is  the third Saturday afternoon, June 19th 2pm Singapore time.  Inauguration of the new committee was by the incoming Director of S, plus a lively speech on teamwork.

Next meetings will be on these dates (unless a national holiday in Singapore or worldwide)

Themes and word of the day are tentative

2021

JULY - JUBILANT JULY

Theme/WOD Jubilant

WORKSHOPS & EDUCATIONAL SESSIONS (based on level one of Pathways)

1 Your first speech or role EASY ENGLISH LANGUAGE (Articles A and The, Plurals, Tenses, Pronunciation, Singlish)

2 CHOOSE YOUR PATH

Wed July 7th What Your Committee Can Do For You

Saturday 17th

July 4th American Independence Day.

2021 AUGUST - AWESOME AUGUST

1 Pathway Level 1 Introductory Speeches

2 Evaluations

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2021 SEPT - SUPER SEPTEMBER

Wed 1st

Sat 18th SPEECH CONTESTS

Humorous Speech Contest

Table Topics Contest

2021 OCT - ODD OCTOBER

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

2021 NOV - NOVELTY NOVEMBER

Wed 3rd

Sat 20th Wed

Diwali Hindu Festival of lights Nov 4th.

Nov 25th American Thanksgiving.

Hanukah starts 28 Dec 8 days until Dec 6. Jewish Festival of lights, celebrated by Jesus.

2021 DEC - DARLING DECEMBER

Wed  1st (Hanukah if not previous month. Festival foods.)

Sat 18th

Speech on 

JAN 2022 - JOYFUL JANUARY

Wed Jan 5th New beginning - forget the past

Sat 15 Long-term plans = for the future/Chinese New Year (CNY for short)

2022 FEB FUN FEBRUARY

Theme Love and romance - Chinese New Year

Feb 1st and 2nd are holidays - do we move this Feb 2nd meeting date?)

Wed 2nd (Valentine's Day Mon Feb 14)

Sat 19th

2022 MAR - MARVELLOUS MARCH

Theme

Wed 2nd

Sat 19

March 1st is Christian Pancake day. 

2022 APR - APRIL'S AIMS

Wed 6th

Sat 16th

Muslim Ramadan 1-30 April.

Jewish Passover (Seder meal=Last supper) April

 16

2022 MAY - MODERNISING MAY

Wed 4th

Sat 21

2022 JUN - JUBILANT JUNE

Wed 1st

Sat 18th

Jul 6, Jul 16, Aug 3, Aug 20, Sept 7, Sept 17, Oct 5, Oct 15, Nov 2, Nov 19, Dec 7, Dec 17.

Angela The Blogger 

Angela has several blogs speeches, comedy and song writing and organizing, writing intermittently, but writes almost daily on these three:

travelwithangelalansbury.blogspot.com

dressofthedayangela.blogspot.com

translateforfun.blogspot.com

See many varied posts such as the post on sculptor Tom Harvey.

Please share links to your favourite posts. 

You also get access to the online magazine. And the club will appoint a mentor to guide you through your first three speeches and plan your year so you can complete a Pathway suited to your personal interests. I chose the basic Presentation mastery path to start. Next I did the Engaging Humor path. Now I am onto the leadership paths such as Visionary Communication.

I am also a coach for Nee Soon South.

All the clubs worldwide have just handed over to the new team from July 1st, all full of enthusiasm, seeking new members, sometimes with a space for a committee member if you are job-hunting, or climbing the corporate ladder, just the thing to add to your c.v.

Toastmasters has made links with the Rotary club organization. So if you are interested in Rotary clubs, you might investigate both.