Language is the dress of thought. So dress to impress!
Possibly the most obvious thing that has endured in Oxford is the architecture. That’s partly down to Oxford being lucky to face very little damage during the Second World War, unlike so many other of Britain’s medieval cities. Where, for instance, the medieval centre of Coventry was almost completely destroyed, Oxford survived. READ MORE
As legend has it, Rome, Italy, was founded by the twin brothers, Romulus and Remus, in 700 B.C. The former Caput Mundi, or Capital of the World, sits beneath Palatine Hill, where the ruins of its original incarnation are open for exploration.
Continue reading “Verbalists’ La mia Roma Italian language travel guide (VIDEO)”Spotted dick
They’ve tried calling it “sultana sponge” and “spotted Richard”, but why? It’s always been spotted dick! This soft suet sponge studded with currants is even better smothered in custard. And it was served at Hogwarts. Must be magic.
Steam this traditional British pudding until well risen and firm (no laughing at the back, please), then smother it in warm golden syrup and custard. Yum READ MORE
Germany is the top higher education destination among non-English speaking countries. Deutsche Welle recently published the list of the most popular universities for foreign students. READ MORE
Do you want to visit the most incredibly situated, let alone remote, monastery in Ladakh?
Continue reading “Unbelievable Phuktal Monastery in India”
The Uffizi Gallery is a museum in Florence, Italy. It is one of the oldest and most famous art museums of the Western world. Building of the palace was begun by Giorgio Vasari in 1560 for Cosimo I de’ Medici as the offices for the Florentine magistrates—hence the name “uffizi” (“offices”).
No trip to Florence is complete without a visit to the masterpiece-packed Uffizi Gallery. On a single floor, travelers experience a thrilling sweep through art history, spanning the 12th through the 17th centuries. In high season (particularly in July), waiting times can be up to five hours. Visitors who reserve a ticket in advance have a substantially shorter wait.
The language network’s most traveled member Rick Steves takes us on a tour through the Uffizi Gallery.
A chance to explore the Maltese Islands, the history and the landscape, with this great video made by Dave Byford.
Traveling across Malta by bus, ferry, Gulet (traditional Turkish yacht) and on foot, the film captures some of the highlights including Valletta, the Grand Harbour, Blue Grotto, Blue Lagoon, Mdina and all three Islands.
The Old Ferry Boat makes a reasonably good claim to being the oldest pub in Great Britain. They have been serving fermented beverages here since the 6th century and parts of the Inn date to the 10th century. Alcohol was definitely served on the site from 560, and archaeological records date the foundations back at least a further hundred years. But beyond that, it’s difficult to get conclusive proof of its actual age.
A little girl’s grave stone is ten feet from the corner of the bar and dates to the 11th century. The pub is right on the river and boaters turn up with some regularity.
Address: Back Lane, Holywell PE27 4TG, England
Music, balls, coffee houses, cakes and culture come wrapped in a small but beautiful package during a Vienna city break in winter.
“Perhaps I’m still saturated with pleasure and am feeling biased, but if you want to start the year fulfilling lofty resolutions by spending a few days surrounded by great art and architecture, dipping into coffee houses between museum trips and at night going to concerts or the ballet, I think Vienna can beat any of its art-city rivals. Particularly in winter,” Adriaane Pielou, Telegraph
How the Knights of St. John managed to attract to Malta the greatest artists of the XVII Century.
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If there’s anything more iconic than the New York City skyline, it’s the New York City tradition of the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
With a flick of the switch, a 76-foot Norway Spruce officially became the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree Wednesday (December 04) night after it was illuminated for the first time this holiday season with some 45,000 lights in a ceremony that’s been held since 1933. The tree, which made the 70 mile journey to its new home on the bed of a tractor-trailer, will remain on display until Jan. 7.
Performers appearing at this year’s event were Mary J. Blige, Jewel, Mariah Carey, the Goo Goo Dolls and Leona Lewis.
The workers who were building Rockefeller Center set up the first Christmas tree in 1931 with the first tree-lighting official ceremony held in 1933.
The tree pictured above was erected during construction of the building, when workers decorated a 20-foot balsam fir tree with a “string of cranberries, garlands of paper, and even a few tins cans.”
The magnificent Pantheon, built by the Romans as a temple to all of their gods is the Eternal City’s best-preserved monument. Engineers still admire how such a mathematically precise structure was built without modern technology. Standing under the massive solemn dome, you’ll gain a new appreciation for the grandeur that was – and still is – Rome.
Verbalists exclusively represent in the Balkans the leading Italian language educator. Our partner, school Dilit (Divulgazione Lingua Italiana), established in 1974, was the first school in Rome to teach Italian as a foreign language. Dilit is situated in the center of Rome and conveniently placed for travel to every area of the city.
The Verbalists Language Network has prepared with Dilit a set of unique courses that will give you the opportunity to learn and improve Italian in a creative and stimulating way, while immersing in the Italian art and culture. READ MORE
Photo: Steve McCurry
Stilt fishing is a dying art that is threatened by the very fact that it is so unobtrusive and therefore extremely picturesque: tourists visiting the area get attracted by the sight of the stilt fishermen, stay close by, bathe in the sea, in short, do all the things the fishermen have been trying to avoid for decades – namely disturb the fish.
Photo: James Gordon
This is no ordinary fishing, there might be several methods of catching a fish but this one is mind-boggling. Fishermen in Sri Lanka use stilts to catch a fish. Yes, stilt fishing is an old tradition practiced by around 500 fishing families in Galle, in southwestern-most Sri Lanka, especially around the towns of Kathaluwa and Ahangama.
It had disappeared after the 2004 tsunami that struck Sri Lanka and other countries bordering the Indian Ocean, but resumed after things got back to normal. Its a beautiful sight looking at fishermen balancing on a thin plank, but at the same time its tough too. All this effort and toiling only to preserve their old custom, wonderful!
They usually fish during sunset, noon and sunrise, with each one taking their elevated position and balancing about 2 metres above the water. As you can see in the picture below, there is a vertical pole engrafted into the sea bed, attached to it is a cross bar, called petta, on which the fishermen do the balancing act.