Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig

thegreenroombar.wordpress.com/2009/03/

thelands.wordpress.com/.../

http://www.st-patricks-day.com/

Welcome to St-Patricks-Day.com for 2010!Dedicated to the Irish & Irish at Heart all around the World. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated by the Irish and Irish at Heart in big cities and small towns alike with parades, "wearing of the green," music and songs, Irish food and drink, and activities for kids such as crafts, coloring and games. Its a time for fun. Some communities even go so far as to dye rivers or streams green! See all the Parades & Events going on around the World to celebrate St Patricks Day 2010

Well now St. Patrick's Day wouldn't exist if not for the man himself! But how much do we know about him? Did you know that he spent six years of slavery in Ireland until he escaped and undertook religious training abroad? Read more about this great man!
Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig is the Gaelic way of expressing a wish that you have all the blessings of St Patrick's Day and the "luck of the Irish" to go with it. There are many humorous explanations for this expression. One comes from the legend of the 'Little People' of the land, know as leprechauns. Finding or catching a leprechaun (who would then give you gold) was a lucky event that could only take place in Ireland ! The Irish are descendants of great Celtic and Viking fighters and invaders. Their natural fighting skills often ensured survival & hence they became known as the 'lucky' people .a classic case of making your own luck ! But then "The Luck of the Irish" may all be legend.
Saint Patricks Day Parades Worldwide, Irish Pubs all around the globe, Fun Runs, Irish Associations, Irish Music Festivals, Irish Names, Irish Dancing Schools,Irish Music Irish Roots, Irish Festivals,Scottish Highland Games USA & Canada, as well as, Scottish Pipes & Drum Bands.
St Patricks Day is for thinking about our Saint as well as a time to think of loved ones across the water.
So, why is it celebrated on March 17th? One theory is that that is the day that St. Patrick died. Since the holiday began in Ireland, it is believed that as the Irish spread out around the world, they took with them their history and celebrations. The biggest observance of all is, of course, in Ireland. With the exception of restaurants and pubs, almost all businesses close on March 17th. Being a religious holiday as well, many Irish attend mass, where March 17th is the traditional day for offering prayers for missionaries worldwide before the serious celebrating begins.

May be some of the readers of this blog have attended some time St. Patrick's celebration and is eager to tell us!! You are all welcome, take a virtual"green pen" and start telling us. Happy St. Patrick's! Beannachtaí na Féile Pádraig!!

And some practice for your ears: do not miss these great videos on St. Patrick's Day: history, traditions, parades...
http://www.history.com/topics/st-patricks-day

Have yourself a merry little Christmas...

image: www.babble.com

This is what Judy Garland sang in the 1944 MGM musical Meet Me in St. Louis. credited to Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5g4lY8Y3eoo by Miss Garland.
http://www.carols.org.uk/have_yourself_a_merry_little_christmas.htm



Christmas is round the corner again.

Why don't you write your letter to Santa telling him what you want for Xmas (as many write it)?

Presents, dreams, wishes... we'd love to listen to them.

Have yourself a merry little Christmas... :-)

Many of our students travel really often and tell us about their impressions and discoveries while they are away.
Would you like to write about that very special corner, place, hotel, city, shop, ... you found out last summer, two years ago or last week????
Come on, use your keyboard right now!!!

I'll try and write about the first one. I'll show you a wonderful place I "discovered" a couple of summers ago that takes you for a while into the Arab world : extremely delicious teas, wonderful sweet treats and home made tasty confectionery and baking!! You can even smoke one of those exotic pipes. The tea list is written (drawn) on a wonderful paper, the decoration is superb, the place is incredible and the owners the best hosts. The customer is their most valuable jewel. You will learn what excellence in service and professional dedication mean.

There is also a small cozy hotel of 7 exclusive rooms you have to see.

The front door comes from a palace in Tetuán, some bronze lamps are handmade, original pigments from Marrakech

They offer whirlpool tub, wifi, satellite tv, welcome tea, wonderful breakfast, welcome fruit basket, etc. Really value for money.

The place: Arabia Riad
Address:Plaza del duque 5, 10003 CÁCERES

http://www.arabiariad.com/

Now it is your turn!!!!

POPPY DAY

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWLU0dazfaMaJQxJCiYEAyqqf6HccCRbi2ywX-nD9UR-5n96TjBznkehSfxaYL0ugw1PwSJQ_EG9cDmS5BWW1_IeqT70yYa5brAPvHqqzGNEHPxuiMTUuEnU3rumb3gK20Lnwqw/s320/poppy-day.jpg

http://www.paul-roberts.com/wp-content/photos/PB102885.JPG

Remembrance Day - Poppy Day

Today's entry is long to read but interesting, I think. Some students ask me almost every year about the meaning of the poppy on the lapel of the newsreaders when they watch the UK news on that day.

Did you know about Poppy Day? What do you think of this special date?

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A653924

"Many countries have a special day to remember those that fell in their wars; America has Veterans Day, while France has Armistice Day. The British commemorate those who fought, and are still fighting, in wars for their country on Remembrance Day.
The British Remembrance Day is always held on the 11 November. This is the day that World War One ended in 1918, when the armistice was signed in Compiègne, Northern France, at 5am. Six hours later, the fighting stopped, and to commemorate this there is a two minute silence in the UK at 11am, every 11 November.
The period of silence was first proposed by a Melbourne journalist, Edward George Honey, in a letter published in the London Evening News on 8 May 1919, which subsequently came to the attention of King George V. On 7 November, 1919, the king issued a proclamation which called for a two-minute silence:
All locomotion should cease, so that, in perfect stillness, the thoughts of everyone may be concentrated on reverent remembrance of the glorious dead.
As well as the two-minute silence, there are marches around the country by war veterans. The Royal Family, along with leading politicians, gather at the Cenotaph, a large war memorial in Whitehall, in London.
The nearest Sunday to the 11th is called Remembrance Sunday, when church services are held in honour of those involved in wars, and wreaths are laid on the memorials which have a place in every town. Many two-minute silences are followed by a lone bugler playing The Last Post, reminiscent of times of war when trumpets were as much a part of battle as bayonets. A poem called 'For the Fallen' is often read aloud on the occasion; the most famous stanza of which reads:
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. Fourth stanza of 'For the Fallen' by Laurence Binyon (1869 - 1943)
These words can be found adorning many war memorials across the country. The author, Laurence Binyon, was never a soldier but certainly appreciated the horrors of war.
Remembrance day is taken very seriously, with disrespect being avoided at all costs (which is why the vandalisation of the Cenotaph on 1 May 2000 was seen as such a horrific crime). If 11 November falls on a weekday, schools, workplaces and shopping centres generally attempt to observe the silence, although some people choose to ignore their attempts and go about their business regardless.
Poppies
Remembrance Day is also known as Poppy Day, because it is traditional to wear an artificial poppy. They are sold by the Royal British Legion, a charity dedicated to helping war veterans, although they do not have a fixed price - they rely on donations.
The motto of the British Legion is Remember the dead; don't forget the living, and they are campaigners for issues relating to war veterans, especially elderly ones.
The poppies are worn because in World War One the Western Front contained in the soil thousands of poppy seeds, all lying dormant. They would have lain there for years more, but the battles being fought there churned up the soil so much that the poppies bloomed like never before. The most famous bloom of poppies in the war was in Ypres, a town in Flanders, Belgium, which was crucial to the Allied defence. There were three battles there, but it was the second, which was calamitous to the allies since it heralded the first use of the new chlorine gas the Germans were experimenting with, which brought forth the poppies in greatest abundance, and inspired the Canadian soldier, Major John McCrae, to write his most famous poem. This, in turn, inspired the British Legion to adopt the poppy as their emblem.
In Flanders FieldsIn Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. John McCrae (1872 - 1918)
The American Moira Michael from Georgia, was the first person to wear a poppy in remembrance. In reply to McCrae's poem, she wrote a poem entitled 'We shall keep the faith' which includes the lines:
And now the Torch and Poppy Red We wear in honor of our dead.
She bought some poppies, wore one, and sold the others, raising money for ex-servicemen. Her colleague, French YMCA Secretary Madame Guerin, took up the idea and made artificial poppies for war orphans. It caught on.
In November 1921, the British Legion and Austrian Returned Sailor's and Soldier's League sold them for the first time.
The tragic events in New York on 11 September 2001, left ever increasing numbers of people feeling stronger than ever the need for peace. This, in turn, prompted the manufacture of white poppies to represent peace. They are not a new idea, though. In fact, they date from 1933, having been designed by a UK Women's Guild. The British Legion was invited to produce them twice, in 1933 and 1988, but they not only declined, they also refused to accept the proceeds from them, because they were seen as disrespectful by some soldiers. They are having a surge in popularity once again as people stop feeling as safe as they once did."

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

from http://www.brothersoft.com/happy-halloween-theme-202347.html

Yes, it's Halloween again. Next Saturday exactly!
Every year it is more and more popular in our country. There are parties for adults eveywhere and children also do some crafts and activities at school, at least for their English class.
You can have a look at our last's year post as well.
Give us your impressions on this: whether you like it or not, if you see it as just part of other cultures, tell us about your costume if you are going to wear it, if you know its origins, if you have found a gorgeous page about Halloween crafts, cooking or make up...
Use a search engine or a browser if you want, and read more and see pics about it.
And then, WRITE, WRITE WRITE!


And....HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!!

A bit rusty...

Feeling a bit rusty?

Start having a look at some tourism magazines, for instance, and then write a review for this blog.

http://www.tourism-review.com/magazine.php

http://www.bviwelcome.com/

http://www.nmmagazine.com/

http://traveler.nationalgeographic.com/

You can also write about your proyects for your Tourim studies this year, about your holidays this last summer, the chespest flight, the best/ worst experience, etc.

Any topic will do as long as you drop us a line.

Remember: practice makes perfect.

Sleepinginairports.net

"For travellers who are REALLY on a budget and are looking for a way to skim a few bucks off their travel expenses, why not consider sleeping in an airport? Why spend money on a night in the airport hotel when an inflatable raft on the airport floor is free? Sure it may sound a little hard-core at first, but read-on and you'll soon discover a travel community, that for 13 years has been sharing airport reviews, travel advice and "how-to" tips for the uninitiated airport sleeper. Your friends and family may look at you funny when you return with your airport stories, but as you'll read here and on our blog, that's only part of the fun.

So now, sit back....get out your travel itinerary and read the latest airport reviews. You'll soon discover which airports you can sleep in and those which you should avoid altogether during your next trip. Airport Hotels will soon be an expense of the past!

Whether you sleep in an airport by choice or get stranded due to some airline mess-up, let sleepinginairports.com help you make your stay more enjoyable."

http://www.sleepinginairports.net/

the American Diner Museum

http://www.americandinermuseum.org/site/

About the American Diner Museum

"Since 1996, the American Diner Museum has been focused on celebrating and preserving the cultural and historical significance of the American diner, a unique American institution. The museum also hopes to recognize and share the importance of diners nationally and internationally.

The ADM considers it a crucial part of its mission to save the vintage diners that are in danger of extinction from, among other things, redevelopment of property and unnecessary demolition.
The Museum is a tribute to the individuals who built, operated and worked in the diners and to those who continue the diner tradition into the 21st century.
Although the museum does not have an exhibit space, we consider every diner to be a living museum. Many items from our collection are loaned to other orgaizations for their respective diner exhibits"

"What is a diner? A true "diner" is a prefabricated structure built at an assembly site and transported to a permanent location for installation to serve prepared food. Webster's Dictionary defines a diner as "a restaurant in the shape of a railroad car." The word "diner" is a derivative of "dining car" and diner designs reflected the styling that manufacturers borrowed from railroad dining cars. A diner is usually outfitted with a counter, stools and a food preparation or service area along the back wall. Decommissioned railroad passenger cars and trolleys were often converted into diners by those who could not afford to purchase a new diner"

http://www.americandinermuseum.org/site/

Would you like to write something about this museum? Any similar one you may know?

Easter in Spain

Last year we gave you some info about Easter in English speaking countries.

This time we'd like you to write in English about Easter in Spain.

Try to describe what Semana Santa is, our traditions, our recipes, what you do in your place or even to translate (or explain) what torrijas, pasos, nazarenos, saetas, etc. are.

Here is a link to help you start:
http://www.euroclubschools.org/page37.htm

Remeber writing is a very good practice for you and this is one of the places to improve it!!

Happy Easter!

Fourth Thursday of November

Thanksgiving USA

The American Thanksgiving holiday began as a feast of thanksgiving in the early days of the American colonies almost four hundred years ago.

In 1620, a boat filled with more than one hundred people sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in the New World. This religious group had begun to question the beliefs of the Church of England and they wanted to separate from it. The Pilgrims settled in what is now the state of Massachusetts. Their first winter in the New World was difficult. They had arrived too late to grow many crops, and without fresh food, half the colony died from disease. The following spring the Iroquois Indians taught them how to grow corn (maize), a new food for the colonists. They showed them other crops to grow in the unfamiliar soil and how to hunt and fish.

In the autumn of 1621, bountiful crops of corn, barley, beans and pumpkins were harvested. The colonists had much to be thankful for, so a feast was planned. They invited the local Indian chief and 90 Indians. The Indians brought deer to roast with the turkeys and other wild game offered by the colonists. The colonists had learned how to cook cranberries and different kinds of corn and squash dishes from the Indians. To this first Thanksgiving, the Indians had even brought popcorn.

In following years, many of the original colonists celebrated the autumn harvest with a feast of thanks. After the United States became an independent country, Congress recommended one yearly day of thanksgiving for the whole nation to celebrate. George Washington suggested the date November 26 as Thanksgiving Day. Then in 1863, at the end of a long and bloody civil war, Abraham Lincoln asked all Americans to set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, a different date every year. The President must proclaim that date as the official celebration.

In 1939 President Franklin D. Roosevelt set it one week earlier. He wanted to help business by lengthening the shopping period before christmas. Congress ruled that after 1941 the 4th Thursday in November would be a federal holiday proclaimed by the President each year.

For "Symbols of Thanksgiving" and more info:
http://www.crewsnest.vispa.com/thanksgivingusa.htm

Yesterday, Nov 11th. Poppy Day?

Find Out Why People Wear Poppies In November...

You might have noticed that in November each year many people wear bright red paper poppies.
What are the poppies for?
And why November? Read on to find out…
Why are these poppies so special?


The First World War finally ended after four long and bloody years of fighting, on November 11 1918. The guns stopped on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

Millions of people were killed in the war and millions more were injured. In the years since 1918, even more people have died in wars around the world including, of course, World War Two.

November 11 was chosen back in 1919 as the special day each year when we would all think about and remember those who had died. To this day, almost 100 years later, at 11am on November 11 many people across Britain stay silent for two minutes to think about those who died.



The picture shows the two minute silence taking place high up on the London Eye.

All pictures:Courtesy of The Royal British Legion.

At first, November 11 was known as Armistice Day because 'armistice' is the word used for an agreement between enemies to stop fighting. These days it is more usually called Remembrance Day or Poppy Day.

So, we know why November 11 is special, but why poppies? The story begins back in 1915, during World War One…

These poppies are growing wild at Gallipoli, scene of an awful battle in 1915.


Keep on reading: http://www.show.me.uk/site/news/STO521.html

BBC devotes a whole serie of programmes to the Spanish composer Manuel de Falla

Listen to the following audio introduction about his life:

BBC - Radio 3 - Composer of the Week - Part One

Pay attention to the way the presenter describe his life, and try to do the same in the exam if you are asked to describe a monument along with the life of any relevant person who could have lived there.

After that, you could go on listening to this great music composed by Falla! By the way, do you like Falla's music?