Tagged With "Gaspesian British Heritage Village"
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Re: Nov. 12, 2016: Memorial to Women of WW II, London
The Cenotaph in London is a remembrance of all the war dead from all the British Empire. Canada, India, Australia, South Africa and many more. They all send servicemen to represent their own countries in a march past. Did you know that Belgium has a parade of armed soldiers at the London Cenotaph too ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT6ChvVoPNQ
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Re: Dec 15, 2016: Kamloops, BC, Canada
British Columbia, if you've never visited, is a really spectacular destination. The BC tourism board uses the term "SuperNatural British Columbia" when describing it -- and if you don't know why you will after you visit. And it is a nice safe environment for raising polite kids. Canadians, as you known, are mostly polite to a fault (present company excluded).
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Re: Tickets: Check before you cancel!
British Airways are trying their best to hold on to their customers' money. We have had 4 flights from Frankfurt to London cancelled by them (on two separate bookings). Whilst by law they should simply refund the money to the credit card, they send you links involving only 'travel vouchers' and phone numbers with automated messages directing you to the same vouchers. It is extremely difficult to find anything to do with actual refunds, but I am persisting. I also am pursuing claims under EU...
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Re: 12 Countries ask vouchers instead of refunds
I have said it before and certainly have not changed my mind: why do airlines think they are above the law? There are plenty of other businesses suffering severely at present, but they do not have the option of hanging on to their customers' cash to keep themselves afloat. The way in which airlines have behaved over this issue is simply disgraceful and will have done nothing to engender goodwill amongst their customers. Indeed, many might - at a stroke - have destroyed the benefits of their...
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Re: St Stephen's Green, Dublin. (Where Gumbo was #137)
I have to admit that the first clue reminded me, in succession, of a spot in Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in Paris, of Prospect Park in Brooklyn and of Frogness Park in Oslo...it was only when the clues got more specific that I could rule them out, and only when the Fusiliers Arch appeared and I could search its text that I could find the answer. That arch, by the way, provoked a lot of controversy when erected in 1907; it memorializes a regiment in England's colonial war against the Dutch Boers...
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Re: Google Maps dominates the field
I’d never heard of OpenStreetMap, now in my favorites. Reminds me of the British OS maps which I love. As a map addict I firmly believe there’s no such thing as too many choices. Thanks Professor.
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Re: "Mind Your Manners!" VisitBritain Warns Hoteliers
Agree with the sentiments. Either a rookie journalist or else an overly politically correct bureaucrat making sure every possible aggrieved individual is covered in this. As I recall the French did something similar last year. I tend to find British people to be very polite as a rule. Present company excluded, of course, GarryRF
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Re: "Mind Your Manners!" VisitBritain Warns Hoteliers
No, no one is hacking them...and the "advice" was picked up by all the major British papers...usually with an air of slight derision. You won't find it on the public website, which is devoted to getting us to visit; it was distributed as guidance to hotel operators, and as a press release. Originally Posted by TatToo: It is not the author's list. The cited articles and various others on the Internet state that the list was originally published on VisitBritain's website. However, I am not...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #6
"A settlement of people" is interesting. How about trading settlements? There were many European closed settlements. The Dutch in Japan, the British in China (Hong Kong, Shanghai), the Portuguese in Malacca and Macau...there were probably (in fact I'm pretty sure) Arab trading colonies as well... I think we're talking about a bridge into one of these trading settlements.
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Re: A Visit to Ireland: Part 1) An overview of the Country and its People
The American addiction for "Ice Cold Beer" should not be applied to Guinness! Its a Stout - full of flavour - to be savoured - cool as the Pubs Cellar! Billy Connelly is the Scottish comedian who's observations of life have had us in stitches for years now. But like many Brits - he's felt the warm winters of LA and is reluctant to come back ! Is it uniquely British to actually enjoy cool weather? Perhaps the way we've been bred ! I do get odd looks in the Autumn when many North Americans are...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Dec. 4, 2013: Patterns from the Air
These photographs are just phenomenal. Thank you for sharing these. The how to link is very helpful. I always try to take pictures when I fly. A few times, when I have had my camera out mid-flight, flight attendants have asked me to put it away. When I have questioned this, they have insisted that this is covered in their training. I do not remember clearly, but I think that this has happened on British Airways flights. Has anyone else run into this ? Love the inflight pictures.
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Re: Cheapest airfare to Portugal and Spain
Can't speak too much about SEA-TAC strategies, but I'm sure you'll have to change planes at least once! Try to avoid any that change at London, because of the British Air Passenger Duty on the way home, and the huge hassle of Heathrow. I did a little random searching for next July, using an open-jaw plan: Fly to Lisbon, train to Porto, fly to Barcelona, fly home, and found fares around $1600 on offer. Lisbon is not that competitive a city, so one strategy would be to keep an eye out for...
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Re: Birmingham's Greatest Buildings
I enjoyed Birmingham's architecture a lot, it has changed and it is still changing in a pleasant way. Unfortunately many British people are stuck to the old image of other UK cities, the same can be said for other cities such as Manchester or Leeds. They are totally underestimated because people think they still are those kind of purely industrial minor cities devoted to production but it's not like this anymore. A weekend or day trip is enough to make you change your mind
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Re: Matcha Tea at Hokokuji Temple, Kamakura
A unique travel experience, SeeSaw! Interesting how similar cultures adopt similar practices. Many of my British friends like to sip their tea through a tea cube in their mouths to sweeten it.
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Re: Isle of Portland, Dorset, England (Where Gumbo Was #176)
Wonderful collection of photo's PHEYMONT. Lighthouses are full of history. You can tell where you are on the high seas by checking out the colours it's been painted. SatNav from the 19th Century. My cousin has done 30 years in the British Royal Navy and has moved on to Trinity House who control all the lighthouses around the UK. I thought they were all self lighting - but I suppose they all need painting too !
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Re: Brits on Beach behaving badly? Call (British) cops!
Sounds like the British kids are copying the "Spring Breakers" in Florida. With a hint of "Bikers Week" for the older ones.
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Re: Air Miles vs Low Fare Airline
Amazing the way these calculations work out. We're going to England next spring, using American Airlines points. The flight selection offered us flights on British Airways and American. The AA flights cost the points plus government fees. The BA flights cost the points plus the government fees, plus enough surcharges to make a $1000+ difference. If I only had the BA flights, I'd certainly rather find a low-cost carrier! It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming year as Aer...
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Re: Banksy Opens up a Bemusement Park in England
One thing I know Disney is thinking of is their British fans. They are some of the most devout Disney fans I've seen. They go to the parks and bring back tons of merchandise and they return. If they filed a suit, I think they'd get a lot bad press in Britain.
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Re: Udawalawe National Park, Sri Lanka
Fantastic bird photography Professor and those crocodiles look like they aren't missing any meals lately. If I compute correctly, 1000 rupees is equivalent to $6.43 or 4.66 British pounds. Seems the Sri Lanka currency has weakened quite a bit since 2014, so maybe a good time to get a value vacation there.
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Re: March 12, 2018: Halifax Town Clock
Good thing the British were in charge of designing and constructing it!
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Re: Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
On the 2 nights prior to the massacre, Indian Government buildings had been set on fire. Telegraph poles destroyed and railways attacked. Europeans - including a female English school teacher - had been attacked by mobs on the streets. Stripped naked, beaten and left for dead at the roadside. There were no British soldiers in the town. They were all in the mountains to escape the heat. The Ghurkhas' - Nepalese Soldiers - were trying to enforce the curfew that had been imposed following the...
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Re: Help with mobile phone for Morocco
I have a Mobell (same company as Mobal) UK sim that I got years ago, very convenient, phone bills charged to my credit card, rather than having to keep track of the balance and "top up". However, calls are relatively expensive although I don't mind for the convenience and limited use when I'm in the UK. Knowing full well it would cost me, about a £ a minute because I was in Italy, I allowed a British friend who was meeting me in Italy to call me when she arrived using her UK phone and my UK...
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Re: Help with mobile phone for Morocco
Mobell and Mobal are one and the same, divided only by a trademark issue. Mobell is a British-owned company, and had to use an alternate name for the U.S. to avoid confusion with the then-unified Bell System, aka AT&T.
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Re: Coming soon: Adjustable-width airline seats?
Keep in mind that the picture is the patent model...tricked out with real upholstery it may look very different. Other than fitting big people better, I think this may mainly be used on smaller airliners that fly as one- or two-class, as British Air does on a lot of European flights....business class there is pretty much just empty middle. This would allow flexibility. Be my guess...
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Re: Luftahansa's premium economy class -- worth giving a second look
To tell the truth, I've seen business class on British Airways European routes that didn't look that good! That's a premium economy with an actual premium to it...
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Re: Quaint English customs - a village scarecrow exhibition
PHeymont, suffice it to say that British food has greatly improved in the last 25 years. I could share with you tales about our 3 weeks there in the 1980s, but that's neither here nor there. But there's so much good stuff to see in the UK that everyone should visit it at least once in their lifetime.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 2, 2014: The Viceroy's Lodge in Shimla, India
Fascinating building, Mac! I was completely unaware of it. The story reminds me somewhat of Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka -- another cool mountain retreat the British loved.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 3, 2014: Metropole Hotel, Hanoi
I too am a fan of Colonial era hotels. The only ones I've ever stayed at were in Sri Lanka where, at the time, they weren't much more than a night at a Howard Johnson's. When you make your way to Sri Lanka, PortMoresby, check out some that island has to offer. You might be pleasantly surprised. Sri Lankan people I interacted with actually were quite grateful overall for the contributions the British made to their island -- tea plantations, roads, railroads, and government. And, of course,...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, May 3, 2014: Metropole Hotel, Hanoi
22 April 2014. A British woman has been arrested and is facing deportation in Sri Lanka over a Buddha tattoo on her arm. Naomi Michelle Coleman, 37, was taken into custody at the airport in Colombo, after she arrived from India. Ms Coleman, who has a tattoo of a Buddha seated on a lotus flower on her right arm, was arrested for ‘hurting others' religious feelings,’ a police spokesman said. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/new...n.html#ixzz30hahG27Y Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter |...
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Re: Portland Bill Revisited: Pictures from a small island
A little surprising not to find at least one surfer wanting to ride into that nice soft sandy beach, but maybe the waves don't "break" just right. Have the British never seen the epic movie "Riding Giants" (about those surfers who ride the monstrous 10 meter waves)? Nor a single wind-sailer out their either.
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Re: Euro airlines: Delays continue in compensation for delays
I'd agree with those expectations...but I also think that if the penalties are too harsh, then the airlines should move to have them changed, and enlist passenger support, not just stiff the passengers by evading the rules. And passengers CAN be won to support campaigns; it was not British Airways' lobbying, but a broad popular sentiment, that has begun dismantling the Air Passenger Duty.
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Re: Maritime and Prison Museum, Ushuaia (Where Gumbo was #339)
Interesting article DrF. The British Government sent young "Convicts" to Australia to work as unpaid Labour. Crimes like stealing a loaf of bread. Builders and engineers were a favourite catch as they were in much demand in Oz. Modern day Slavery.
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Re: Fort William Henry: A journey to the 18th century
Oh what a tangled web we British weave. Interesting read of a little known piece of History. Thanks Jonathan !
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Re: Homes of Leadville
Hi Garry. Regarding your comment, I think the Victorian era was one that was "special" in world history. It was a time when the sun never set on the British empire and the British influence on the world (mostly good in my opinion -- a common language, parliamentary goverance, etc) was at its peak. I don't think we'll have an Elizibethian II era nor a Charles era.
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Re: Where in the World is TravelGumbo (#132)
Looks like a castle or tower where the tyrant of the day dealt his (or her) justice. Most likely European. Looks a very cruel place so probably British or Germanic.
Member
Marinda Skynner
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Re: Sometimes a Trip is just a Walk in the Park
Garry's note about Olmsted's travels (and he was quite a traveler) set me off on a quick look to find the park he was referring to (which I didn't; apparently "people's garden" was a description rather than a name?) and found that Liverpool has more parks and especially top-class parks than any British city besides London. The article also mentioned that for reasons of health—and keeping social unrest down—the city commissioners set out on a park-building spree starting about 1833. Many...
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Re: Need help planning Morocco trip
If you're passing through Europe and plan to go directly on to Marrakech, keep in mind that the low fare carriers more often than not use secondary airports which will add to your travel time if go straight on. For instance, if you fly into London's Heathrow airport a low fare airline will likely use either Luton or Stansted. I believe British Airways has flights from Heathrow so check on the variables and you may find that with time and costs involved to change airports a bit more expensive...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Jan. 09, 2014: Roadside produce stand, Southern Sri Lanka
British Troops in hot countries swear by this stuff. High in Vitamin B. Gorgeous ! Yeast extract you spread thin on toast Mozzies hate the smell of your skin after a few days of indulgence. First time I've NEVER been bitten in Cuba !
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Re: I get to Boomerang to Spain ! Cheap !
Thanks for pointing this out! By the way, it is also possible to take a free stopover on the international end. For example, a couple of years ago, we flew from NYC to Copenhagen (the routing) but with a week stopover in Stockholm along the way. We've used that kind of routing a number of times. Adding to your point about Britain: Many of AA's European cities are actually served by their closely-tied partners, British Air and Iberia. With a little persistence, you can find flights that don't...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Dec. 19 2013: City of Chester, England
There are many "SPINTRIAE" for sale on Ebay. Many American in origin. Fortunately I've never been in the Armed Services and found myself in need of comfort. But you have to remember this is an "Italian" occupying force ! Wouldn't fit in with the "stiff upper lip" of the British ! Ha !
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Re: Not Again!? British Air Tax Increase confirmed
The ones who are hurt the most are people with family on both sides of the Atlantic; many families split between Britain and the Caribbean simply can't afford family trips because of it. And the British travel industry has complained of huge losses as well. Some of them have joined together to campaign against the APD and its constant rise, and they are asking the public to sign an online PETITION
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Re: Hawaii: Coping with Hurricane Ana
The Flag was adopted 70 years after the death of Cook. It was designed by the Head of the Hawaiian Navy. Who's previous employment was with the British Royal Navy.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, June 3, 2014: British Telepone Box, Malta
I enjoy these British phone booths! I'm not sure the last time I saw a phone booth in North America. Maybe at an airport somewhere, but they've all but completely disappeared (thanks to near universal ownership of cell phones).
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, July 24, 2014: Floral Clock, Niagara Parkway, Ontario
Outside Pietermaritzburg City Hall, South Africa is a Naval gun from the British Royal Navy Ship HMS Fawn. After the ship ran aground in 1850 the gun was relocated to its current location. It was fired to announce 1 O'clock to the surrounding town. A visiting dignitary asked how the time was kept to ensure its accuracy. "We have a telescope that looks into the local clockmakers shop. He has a 100 year old Belgian clock in the window that is famous for keeping perfect time" So the wealthy...
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Re: Finding Reiner #3: Inside Old Shadows
Mac-TG Guru--Fascinating story, yours. Your parents' romance reminds me of such fictional stories in the British series Foyle's War . Have you seen that? The show highlights romance between German POWs and English farm girls. I would love to know more of your father's history. I also wish I could interview your father or find other elderly residents who remember life here during the war. So much better when it comes from a resident than from a historian who was not here then. How long were...
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Re: Valletta, Why Do I Love Thee So?
The island of Malta became part of the British Empire in 1800. The French had invaded Malta 2 years previously and were unwelcome. The British removed the French and established a base there at Valletta to give them a port in the Mediterranean Sea. And it provided employment and security to the local people. In 1964 it voted for Independence. The Coat of Arms of Queen Victoria can be seen over the VICTORIA GATE photo - above. The current Queen Elizabeth ceased any connection with Malta in...
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Re: Where in the World is Gumbo #32: Solved!
Streetview shows the building, The Royal British Society of Sculptors, but the object is gone. It certainly does look like a mine, and while Mac sounds sure, despite it being politely presented as a question, I'd be disappointed if a society of sculptors would just drop a piece of "found" material by their doorstep without using it as a basis for further artistic exploration.
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Re: Looking for Historical Landmarks !
Yet another reminder that history doesn't happen only in black-and-white in a distant past! When I was a history teacher, one of the favorite lessons each year discussed the 1776 Battle of Brooklyn, one of the largest-scale engagements of armies up to that time. I used a handout map of the battle areas and the routes of the British and American armies across the borough, and the class plotted their homes along the map. We were then able to describe how the main British force went up King's...