October 30, 2019

Book review: Notes from a Small Island by Bill Bryson

“There used to be a kind of unspoken nobility about living in Britain.” [253]

When I started reading the book, I knew I would laugh unstoppably, enjoy the off-track travel stories & sentimental retrospective mentions. But in this publication, I feel I discovered more; a land that the author calls home. His sentiment for the past times and warmth for the hidden paths & forgotten towns makes you want to immediately visit the exact same locations. And the fact that he travelled by public transport makes me want to hug him (yes, I’m a huge advocate for using public transport, bikes or your own legs)!

I found it extremely interesting that the book, which was written in the nighties, is so up-to-date today. The issues regarding conservation, heritage, nature, community, and public transport still need our voice and understanding.

I hope you enjoyed my short introduction to this fascinating read by Bill Bryson. What in Notes from a Small Island stroke your attention most? Do let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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October 23, 2019

Travelling corner: Bristol by bike (part 2)

In my humble opinion, Bristol is not the easiest place to cycle, as it’s quite hilly, but the bike trips I want to recommend today are not too challenging, they’re definitely family-friendly 🙂 I usually cycle with my family at weekends and we use a bike trailer for our two daughters who enjoy observing the world from there (or have a short nap, why not?!). My previous blog post on bike trips can be read here and today is part 2. OK, off we go! 3 bike trips are coming:

Shirehampton-Severn Beach (route no 41)

It’s a fairly easy ride, not too long. However, I highly recommended going on this bike trip on Sunday, as otherwise many lorries cross the route. It is always (at least in my case) windy in Severn Beach, so be prepared to have a break with your hair everywhere. Having said this, I do enjoy this cycling route, especially two moments; when you’re going among the trees and then the bridge view.

Shirehampton-Pill-Bristol Centre (route no 26)

I so wanted to go cycling on the other side of the river Avon (as I had looked at it many times from the train window) and this summer I finally fulfilled this desire! The cycling route is beautiful and it’s not very difficult, but I think it takes a bit longer to reach the centre than on the previous route. You will meet many cyclists, runners and walkers on the way, as it’s a popular way to enjoy one’s weekend, with the views of Clifton Suspension Bridge or the River Avon.

Shirehampton-Bristol Centre-Bedminster/Southville (Portway Road)

The cycling route goes along Portway Road which runs from Shirehapton to Bristol centre. There is a pavement, so the ride is comfortable, however, it’s sinusoidally up and down, so it takes some stamina to get to the centre. If you wish to go to Bedminster/Southville, then turn right on the small bridge, which I think it’s called Plimsoll Bridge. I usually go this way if I quickly need to reach the above destinations.

These are my favourite, most-used bike trips. Do let me know which cycling routes are your favourites. Leave your comment down below.

Kinga Macalla

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October 16, 2019

Learning a language: Learn Polish with BLS online & FREE!

As you remember, we introduced a new series of blog posts (see Spanish, French, German, Russian, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin Chinese & Arabic) where we teach you some useful phrases in different languages. Sounds amazing? And it’s POLISH today!

Do you want to be able to talk with your Polish family? Do you travel frequently to Warszawa, Kraków or Wrocław? Are you planning your summer holiday in Hel or Zakopane? Do you dream of exploring the Polish countryside? If so, we would like you to taste & learn some essential Polish first. Below you’ll find a list of useful phrases in Polish (greetings, polite phrases, closed question words, numerals and simple questions & sentences). We also video recorded Lucja, our Polish tutor, to help you with reading, pronunciation and accent (also available on YouTube). We hope you enjoy this series and that you’ll come and learn Polish with us! Good luck!

Which language would like you like to learn next? Let us know in the comments below.

Written by Kinga Macalla

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October 2, 2019

Series review: Better Than Us (Russian: Лучше, чем люди), Netflix

Better Than Us is set in Russia, in the near-future, where humanoid robots are being used to serve humans as cleaners and manual workers. A Chinese company creates a “bot” called Arisa (played by Paulina Andreeva), a bot which can understand human emotion – but also doesn’t follow the Three Laws of Robotics. In short, she can kill.

 

Russian robotics manufacturer Viktor Toropov buys the prototype Arisa, and intends to use it to cement his company’s place at the top of the robotics industry. There’s only one problem – Arisa escapes and bonds with a young girl, Sonya. Then follows a roller-coaster of a ride as Toropov tries to reclaim the fugitive bot, by any means necessary. Throw into the mix a group of anti-A.I. extremists, Arisa’s evolution as she starts to experience emotions of her own, and Sonya’s family’s private drama, and you have a series which stands head-and-shoulders above your standard sci-fi fare.
I personally give it a 9/10!

Darren Cameron

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September 25, 2019

Travelling corner: St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall

We visited St Michael’s Mount for the third time this summer. The first time we went there was actually our first time in Cornwall. The second time I was pregnant with our first girl, and the third time we went there as a family of 4 (I’m starting to wonder how many of us will go there the next time we decide to visit the Mount! 😉 St Michael’s Mount is a tidal island in Cornwall with a castle, chapel and a few houses. The island it still inhabited and can be accessed on foot (low tide) or by boat (high tide). We read on Wikipedia that historically, St Michael’s Mount was a counterpart of Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy, France (definitely plan to visit it, especially that the French island is more than 4 times bigger the British one!). We visited the island in peak season this year and this was the only drawback, as it was quite crowed when entering the castle and when waiting for the boat to go back. But, for the views, it was worth it.

Have you been to St Michael’s Mount in Cornwall or Mont Saint-Michel in Normandy? Do let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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September 18, 2019

Travelling corner: Jubilee Swimming Pool in Penzance

When in Penzance and in summer, you have to go to the most-famous open-air swimming pool in Cornwall.  Jubilee Swimming Pool. I had wanted to visit it for a while, so I used the opportunity this summer and travelled there by train from St Erth (it only takes 10 minutes). I have fond memories from Penzance, as I travelled from there to the Isles of Scilly about 2 years ago (highly recommended!) The lido is not far away from the train station, so I walked there and, after arriving, enjoyed some time in their pool café. The ticket prices are reasonable (in my opinion!) and the pool wasn’t over-crowded. My family and I found a place in the shade and we went off swimming. Well, it’s a sea water lido, so the water was freezing cold and it took us a good few minutes to get used to it. But, once we’d acclimatised, we had a truly pleasant and refreshing time in the water, and then a lovely time relaxing by the pool. If you’re an ice-cream lover, a short walk from Penzance, in Newlyn, there is a famous ice-cream shop with the scrumptious one-flavour vanilla ice-cream (what a taste!).

If you want to find out more about the Cornish lido, please follow the link.

What’s your favourite open-air swimming pool? Do let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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September 11, 2019

Book review: Wild by Cheryl Strayed

It’s a fascinating read. It’s a memoir of a young woman who makes the brave, yet vulnerable step and decides to hike alone the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). The author’s life became unbearably painful after her mother’s death and she began harming herself and others. The PCT became her self-discovery journey, where she had to overcome some physical pains and fears. But, even though she decided to walk the trail because of her inner scars, once she experienced the wilderness, she understood that being in nature or even part of nature was “powerful and fundamental” (p. 207) and a good enough reason to be walking the trail. I read the book while travelling in Cornwall, so you may want to read it when walking/being in nature, as it’ll add that extra spice to your outdoor experience.

Did you enjoy reading “Wild”? What was your favourite travel read this summer? Do let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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September 4, 2019

Getting back to learning languages

Where do you start with language learning when you’ve had a break? Yes, returning to language study is exciting, but can be confusing as we don’t know how much we remember, if we have the right resources or enough motivation. I’ve prepared some ideas to inspire you to get back to language learning at basic level and more advanced levels. I’ll refer to all four skills, listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Basic level

I think I would start really simple. Going through the alphabet, numbers, colours, simple verbs, and greetings. I would try to find simple videos (even for kids) where you can listen to the basics. I would read loudly some simple stories or phrases. To refresh vocabulary, I would prepare or buy  flash cards or a memory game. Then, try to imagine a conversation and use those phrases/words again. A good idea to practise writing is to write down the already memorised words/phrases, e.g. to practise writing months, days of the week, seasons. What sources should I use? I would useonline or self-made materials, unless you have some printed textbooks which you enjoy using. I wanted to refresh my French and use my secondary school textbook, but it didn’t work as it was too childish. I still enjoyed reading some texts from it, though. I have a friend who is raising her child bilingually (French and English) and when she speaks French I listen carefully and occasionally repeat what she says. I bought a book of French phrases which I read out loud, re-write and memorise (the book review is available here).

More advanced level

If your understanding is fairly good, then you have many options for how to refresh your language skills. My main advice would be to follow your interests. Let’s start with reading. I would choose a novel (maybe a translated novel, as usually it’s an easier read or maybe one you’ve already read in your first language), a scientific publication in the area of your expertise, or a magazine. I would try to read as much as possible without a dictionary (unless to check 1-2 words). Now listening. I would try to find a YouTube channel that provides some interesting videos or interviews, or you can follow your favourite sitcom/series if they have dubbing in the language you are learning. When listening, take notes of the phrases/words you found useful or didn’t understand. Once you’ve checked them in the dictionary, re-listen to the video to have a better understanding of them. Writing: Join a FB group or follow someone on FB/Twitter/Instagram and try to read their feeds and publish comments. If that sounds like too difficult a task, maybe consider writing an email or a text message to a person who speaks the language you are trying to learn. Now speaking. Join a conversation club or create one. Ideally you would have at least one native speaker to correct your speaking and provide some valuable feedback. If that doesn’t sound too appealing, then consider repeating loudly somebody’s speech in the language you’re learning (sentence after sentence).

How do you get back to learning a language? How do you maintain your language skills? Please share your comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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August 28, 2019

Travelling corner: We found our favourite family-friendly beach!

We went there once and immediately fell in love with everything we saw, so we needed to return the following day… Why!? It’s quiet, just off the coastal path, has soft sand, and it is just the right size (not too crowded/not too deserted). The sea is calm (with moderate waves), the water temperature is tolerable (no, it’s not freezing cold!) and it has a beautiful colour (greenish/blueish). The beach is located about 15-minute’s walk from the National Trust car park and a NT café (with some delicious local ice-cream—just saying 😉 ). And there is a bonus: on the way to the beach, you can meet many friendly cows!

Where is the beach? Barafundle Bay in South Pembrokeshire, Wales, UK.

What’s your favourite family-friendly beach?

Kinga Macalla

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August 21, 2019

Travelling corner: Bristol by bike (part 1)

In my humble opinion, Bristol is not the easiest place to cycle as it’s quite hilly, but the bike trips I want to recommend today are not too challenging – they’re definitely family-friendly 🙂 I usually cycle with my family at weekends and we use a bike trailer for our two daughters who enjoy observing the world from there (or having short naps, why not?!). I planned to include more bike trips in this blog post, but my post-partum stamina is still weak (another blog post with more bike trips is coming this autumn). OK, off we go! 3 bike trips are coming:

Blaise Castle (cycling route no 41)

It’s a fantastic place for the whole family. You can picnic there or have some serious fun on the playgrounds. How to get there by bike? We usually cycle from Shirehampton by cycling route no 41. The cycling route can be found just behind the Nova primary school. Later, you’ll pass the city farm in Lawrence Weston where you can have a short break (if you fancy doing so!). Once you’ve reached the street, turn left and then again left and up. It’s a bit hilly for the last few meters, but then you can race down on your way back!

Lamplighter’s walk

This is a short bike trip. You start by the Lamplighters Pub (there is a small sandpit playground behind it), turn left and cycle by the side of the River Avon. Nice views and a good place to have a picnic (you’ll find a picnic table in the middle of the route).

Portishead (cycling route no 26)

This’s my favourite! It’s long (for me!, cca 1,5 hrs one way), sometimes hilly, with some beautiful and wild nature. You start in Shirehampton at Lower High Street, you go towards Avonmouth and then turn left to go to the M5 motorway. Once off the M5, turn right and follow the cycling route no 26 to Portishead. In Portishead, you can relax in the park, have a walk around the marina or go swimming in the indoor or open-air swimming pools (aka lido).

What are your favourite cycling routes in Bristol? Let me know in the comments below.

Kinga Macalla

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