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Showing posts from 2016

When home is not so sweet

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Running dogs “Home sweet home” is almost the first phrase that comes to your mind when you arrive home. New emotions to share, new photos to be thumbed up… Living in the old appartment house Everything goes fine if you live in a cottage, somewhere in the countryside free from blocks of flats with thin walls. What I want to say is that I am really glad for those lucky ones who are not woken up by the cacophony of a neighbour’s TV every morning, a raging pee sound in the next door bathroom, loud hippo-like voices talking on the phone for hours. What discomposes more Stress surrounds us everywhere. After a working day plenty of people find home the very place to relax and escape from hustle and bustle. As for the dwellers of a flat, it is not quite possible. Old flats with brick walls without any noise isolation open a new world of Neighbourland. Don’t you like watching TV? You have to listen to it. Don’t you want to listen to your neighbour’s singing? You have to e...

The Adolphe Bridge in Luxembourg

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Must see in Luxembourg Built between in 1900-1903 the Adolphe Bridge is a symbolic construction of Luxembourg. You can find the New Bridge (that’s the very name given to the bridge by the locals) in numerous postcards, T-shirts and mugs at any souvenir shop and you will do right if you buy any of these tourist little things to remember Luxembourg by. Adolphe Bridge in Luxembourg The Adolphe Bridge recieved its name from Grand Duke of Luxembourg reigning from 1890 to 1905. A guide will tell you that the Adolphe Bridge is 42 metres high and 153 metres long. Even though you are likely to keep these figures in your mind just for a few moments, just imagine that at the beginning of the 20th century the Pont Adolphe once was the largest arch bridge in the entire world! Best place to capture a scenic view Well, the best place to take pictures of the bridge is near the Monument of Remembrance in the Constitution Square in Luxembourg. The Monument is also known as “G...

Escargots Recipe

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Once you are in France, taste the traditional cuisine! You will certainly agree that the French cuisine is unforgettable: Escargots, Ratatouille, Soupe à L’oignon and many other special dishes. Escargots Recipe Escargots Recipe Today I want to share a recipe which I brought from France not long ago. Welcome snails in garlic and herb butter! In other words, “Escargots a la Bourguignonne”. (No “eww, yuck”, please! :)) For Escargots a la Bourguignonne You will need: - Canned snails (12-16 escargots for 4 first-course servings) - Bought-in-the-shop shells (they are already sterilized) - Softened unsalted butter (1/2 cup) - Clove garlic (1-2 small cloves) - Salt (2.13 grams or 3/8 teaspoons) - Black pepper (a bit, ¼ teaspoon) - Minced shallot (8.5 grams or 1 ½ teaspoons) - Chopped flat-leaf parsley (1 tablespoon) - White wine (dry wine, 1 tablespoon) Before preparing  Escargots a la Bourguignonne you should know Sometimes they add Fren...

Bern, Zahlen und Fakten

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Berner Muenster Wie du weißt, Bern ist die Hauptstadt der Schweiz. Gemäss Legende benannte Herzog Berchtold V. von Zähringen die Stadt nach dem ersten Tier, welches er auf der Jagd aus der Gegend erlegte. Im Jahre 1191 war es ein Bär! Zahlen und Fakten Währung: Schweizer Franken Sprache: Deutsch, Franzӧsisch, Italienisch, Rätoromanisch Einwohner: 139 930 Im Jahre 1779 hat J.W. Goethe geschrieben, ‘Sie (Bern) ist die Schönste, die wir je gesehen haben’. Im Jahre 1983, dank des schӧnsten Stadtbildes des Mittelalters wurde Bern in das Verzeichnis der UNESCO-Welterben angemeldet. Altstadt. Bern. BärenPark ist ein symbolischer Ort in der Stadt. Der BärenPark Park ist sehr beliebt. Kinder und Erwachsene besuchen den gerne. Zytglogge: Das ist eine riesige Uhrwerk. Das stündliche Figurenspiel ist wirklich ein Symbol von Bern. Zytglogge. Bern. Selbstverständlich hat Bern viel mehr Sehenswürdigkeiten wie der Botanishe Garten, das Rathaus, d...

Meaning and Origin of Surnames

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A surname or a family name stands for a name that is given to children from their parents. For years the use and traditions of forming surnames have been changed from country to country. Surnames. Photo taken in Israel. Surnames and Human Characteristics Most basic surnames were made up according to the ways of differentiating people. For example, in Finland if a person had a poor hearing he could get the name of Korhonen (bad hearing). In Italy, if a child was abandoned by his/her parents, he/she got the name of Esposito (Eng ‘exposed’). As well as, left-handed Italian people could likely get the name of Mancini. If a German has got a surname Hertz, it means that his/her ancestor was named in such a way for being big-hearted, as Herz is a heart. Surnames of Occupation and Social Position A family name's origin is greatly influenced by the social position and occupation of forefathers. For instance, the surname Archer is of English origin. It describes a person ...

Papier und Bäume

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Läßt Papier Bäume leben oder…? Holz  Um Papier herzustellen, wird Holz benӧtigt. Aus Holz wird der Hauptrohstoff, der zur Herstellung von Papier notwendig ist, gewonnen. Dies ist der Zellstoff. Läßt Papier Bäume leben oder…? Holz ist ein natürlicher nachwachsenden Rohstoff. So ist es mӧglich, Bäume zu pflanzen und nach dem Prinzip der Ausgewogenheit zwischen Natur und Bedarf zu bewirtschaften. Dadurch ist es mӧglich, Holz in ausreichender Menge zu erhalten, wenn der Wald pfleglich erschlossen wird, dichter Bewuchs gelichtet und Bestände standing erneuert werden. Darum kӧnnen wir sagen, dass Papier Bäume leben Läßt. Zellstoff Um Zellstoff zu gewinnen, verwertet die Papierindustrie darüber hinaus hauptsächlich das sogenannte Schwachholz. Dies sind Durchforstungs- und Bruchhӧlzer, Äste und Sägewerkabfälle. Also Holzabfälle, die ansolten keiner sinnvollen Verwendung zugeführt warden kӧnnten. Papier ist notwendig. Elektronische Bücher oder Flachbettcomputer ...

Мона Лиза, Джоконда

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Леонардо да Винчи  Леонардо да Винчи Образ Леонардо да Винчи не всегда можно чётко себе представить из-за огромного количества легенд, удивительных историй и домыслов, которые доходят до нас через века. Число полотен, принадлежащих кисти гения эпохи Возрождения, относительно небольшое. Однако Леонардо да Винчи наделил живопись всеобъемлющей формой сознания, которую он ставил выше науки и философии своего времени. Мона Лиза - мистический шедевр  Загадочная улыбка Моны Лизы «Мона Лиза» – является одним из наиболее известных шедевров мирового изобразительного искусства и в наше время. «Джоконда» считается портретом самым многозначным и неисчерпаемым по осмыслению, научному анализу, а так же впечатлениям, которые он оказывает на зрителя. Почему Мона Лиза без бровей?  Репродукция портрета "Мона Лиза" Облик изображенной дамы, написанной Леонардо да Винчи в 16 веке (1506-1515) соответствует бургундской моде. Это значит, что данная мода стремилась ...

Stonehenge: the Legendary Stones

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Knowing the history of any country you visit widens your outlook and helps you understand its culture and customs. Stonehenge The Iberians Great Britain has a long and rich history. About five thousand years ago the British Isles were inhabited by the Iberians tribes. Little is known about these early dwellers of the islands. Judging to the remains of their weapons, tools and dwellings, scientists say the Iberians could smooth various stones with sharp edges. Stonehenge The ability of Iberian people to work with the stone connects the Iberian period with a number of huge stone circles standing in different parts of a present-day Britain. The most famous circle of stones is known as Stonehenge. The stone circle dates back to 3000-2000 BCE. Upright stones, standing in groups, reach 8.5 meters high. Joined by heavy flat stones on top, which weigh about 7 tons, the standing stones represent a mysterious prehistoric site. Location of Stonehenge Located about 13...

London, glimpse of history

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Being the capital of the UK, London is one of the biggest ports of Great Britain. Present-day London is situated on both sides of the River Thames. London, the River Thames London: Glimpse of History More than two thousand years ago the early Britons established a settlement on the north bank of the Thames. The settlement was named Llyndin meaning a lonely port. After becoming a Roman province in the first century ADE, Llyndin turned into Londinium, a large and rich city with straight roads, beautiful palaces, shops and villas. 400 years of glory was changed by 400 years of remaining in ruins till 1066 when William the Conqueror settled in Londinium and made it the capital of Norman Britain. For half a millennium the Normans were at head of Britain. By the 17th century London had become a crowded city with picturesque buildings such as Westminster Abbey and Westminster hall. Unfortunately, the Great Plague of 1665 and the Great Fire of 1666 cleared away 1/5 of the popula...

Gomel, Belarus

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Gomel is the second-largest city in Belarus. It lays on the right bank of the Sozh River. First Gomel's dweller and the lynx Brief History of Gomel 12th-17th centuries Gomel is a very old city. The first documentary mentioning of Gomel dates back to 1142. Since the 12th century the city of Gomel has faced a lot. It was under Kievan Rus’, captured by Smolensk Knyaz Rostislav Mstisavovich and later by other knyazes. In the 13th century Gomel was greatly damaged during the Mongol-Tatar assault. Gomel belonged to the Great Duchy of Lithuania and Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth in the 14-15th centuries. At the beginning of the 16th century Gomel was joined to the Grand Duchy of Moscow, however, in 1537 Gomel occurred to be a Lithuanian possession. The year of 1560 became significant as the city got its coat of arms . During the 16th and 17th centuries Gomel had to survive numerous struggles between the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and the Russian Empire. Gomel. The Sozh ...

Autumn in Central Russia

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Autumn Sky With its various climatic zones, from subtropical to arctic, Russia has got four seasons which differ greatly from each other. It is hard and almost impossible to describe the beauty of ea с h season in all regions at once, because, as you understand, every area of this or of any other country is unique. Autumn Leaf Central Russia, or European Russia, as it is clear by the name, is situated close to Europe. There are such important cities and towns as Moscow , St.Petersburg, Smolensk, Pskov, Tver etc. Mosaic leaves' carpet Russian musicians, poets, writers and artists have been getting inspired from ‘Golden Autumn’ for centuries. The adjective ‘golden’ collocates with the notion of autumn due to the bright yellow, orange and red colours of deciduous trees. The autumn fall of the leaves looks like a golden rain, the leaves under your feet remind you about a mosaic carpet. Such a ‘golden’ time lasts from the end of August up to ...

Agios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece

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Town of Saint Nicholas Where is the town of Agios Nikolaos ? Agios Nikolaos is a Greek town situated 65 km east of Heraklion. (I would help. Heraklion is the administrative capital of Crete. Crete, in its turn, is a Greek Island.) Agios Nikolaos by Tatiana Vetrova Agios Nikolaos partially lies on the ruins of the ancient city which was known as Lato pros Kamara. The patron saint of the town is Saint Nicholas or Agios Nikolaos in Greek. The town faces the Mirabello Bay, a picturesque embayment of the Cretan Sea. Special places of interest Lake Voulismeni Lake Voulismeni is the most attractive natural wonder in Agios Nikolaos. You can enjoy looking at it from above in the park or simply walking nearby. Lake Voulismeni is connected to the sea, that’s why the lake has both saline and fresh water. Some legends say that the goddess of war, wisdom and courage, Athena, took a bath in its waters. Lake Voulismeni, Agios Nikolaos The Archeological Museum The Archeolo...

Garden Roses: facts and uses (Роза: факты и применение) by TSvetrovA

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Garden rose in my garden Garden roses Garden roses, being mostly hybrids, are one of the most popular garden flowers cultivated all over the world. Facts and Legends Roses have been grown for about 5 thousand years. The proof of it can be found in the paintings and papers belonging to the periods of ancient Babylon, Egypt, Greece and China. Since then a great deal of various sorts of roses has been bred. Garden roses by Tatiana Vetrova Some legends say that a rose used to be without its thorns till the Fall of mankind, in other words, till Adam and Eve were expelled from the Paradise. A rose is a symbol of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love, sexuality, beauty and pleasure. Traditionally the country which is signified with the rose is England. You can ask why, the answer goes back to the past. During the Wars of the Roses, 1455-1485, the flower became very prominent. The house of Lancaster had the red rose badges while fighting against the...