Part 1: The Airy Fairy Side to Stonehenge

Stonehenge on windy Salisbury plain under an umbrella of whispy clouds and is breathtakingly beautiful !! It is still a big mystery how the rocks got there in the first place. You think it's just a bunch of rocks, but it's much more than that. I have always wanted to come to Stonehenge just to say that I have done it. That it was another thing to check off on my overachieving list of things to do in life and places to see. But, upon seeing Stonehenge I really was inspired.

I went on a tour which is really the best way to see it. I also saw on the way
Windsor Castle and the elegant historical Georgian City Bath. Stonehenge was the last on the the things to do that day. The guide said once I had seen them I would not want to come back. But, I beg to differ I would like to go back during the Autumnal Equinox. Apparently, there has also been many pagan weddings that take place. I think it would be interesting to see Stonehenge to appreciate the historical connection it has with the Druids and the pagan community in England.Historically, The Druids had nothing to do with the construction of the stone rings. Druids are known to have conducted their ritual activities mostly in sacred forest groves. Stonehenge is blocked off by a small low fence. There is no entrance right close up to Stonehenge, since there has been unrestrained Graffitti writing in recent years. Damn ! because I was hoping to do gongyo ( As a buddhist gongyo is the recitation of a chapter of the lotus sutra which is known to wake up the chakras and reveal your onw innate buddha nature) right near the rocks. I talked to a member a few years ago and she said she did morning gongyo with a group of Buddhists.
How cool is that ! I am bit jealous of her. That would have been an unforgettable spiritual experience.

Supposedly the stones are said to have healing powers.
For example, the legendary Merlin tells King Aurelius:

Laugh not so lightly, King, for not lightly are these words spoken. For in these stones is a mystery, and a healing virtue against many ailments. Giants of old did carry them from the furthest ends of Africa and did set them up in Ireland what time they did inhabit therein. And unto this end they did it, that they might make them baths therein whensoever they ailed of any malady, for they did wash the stones and pour forth the water into the baths, whereby they that were sick were made whole. Moreover they did mix confections of herbs with the water, whereby they that were wounded had healing, for not a stone is there that lacketh in virtue of leechcraft.


There are many ways to get to Stonehege. You can take a train, bus, broom or car to Salisbury.But, I recommend going on an inexpensive tour with Gray Line Tour company for just £39 and £6.60 for public entrance. So about £46.60 to see one of the SEven Wonders of the World. There are many that will charge you upwards of £69. They leave from Victoria Station at 8:30 am. You can see Windsor and Bath along the way. Don't think you will sleep on the bus the tour guide Ursula is just as isightful about English history as she is hilarious. (She makes fun of the Royal Family especially that of Prince Charles, she thinks (well,most think) he has no taste in mistresses and presently Camelia is called "old trout" -Laugh !!)


Click on Photo to Enable Slideshow with Photos of Gorgeous Stonehenge





STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT LONDON DIARIES
on THE HISTORY OF THE PUBS-
Jane Austen in Bath
The Great London Cathedrals.
HOW TO SAY Thank you Part 2.
Dating in London: I can't be botheredd
Stonehenge Part 2 The Facts Man just the Facts

( If I don't write you.. you'll konw why I am too busy writing my blogs !)

A Rainy Day in Oxford England

I had to get away from my Italian boyfriend he was buying me too many gifts and hugging me to much ( damn all that loving it's not good for your health !) so I spent 3 days in Oxford but it was mostly raining so I was not up for doing a big walking tour. I shopped around and putzed around, but did really nothing of consequence. I simply enjoy walking around imagining I am some important scholar in the renaissance times. London is only 1 hour from Paddington station on the fast train. There are plenty of vacant youth hostels. Many Spaniards arrive in Oxford to learn English
and reside in these hostels.


Oxford is known as the 'city of the dreaming spires' - a term first coined by poet Matthew Arnold in reference to the gentle spires and harmonious architecture of the city's university buildings. As the oldest university in the English-speaking world, Oxford is a unique and historic institution. There is no clear date of foundation, but teaching existed at Oxford in some form in 1096 and developed rapidly from 1167, when Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris.

Because of this famous school Oxford in which many great minds and scholars have attended, it's a town brimming with much intellectual activity and cultural stimulation. On a given day, you can see a new avante garde plays. A rendition of Romeo and Juliet was going on at one of the Colleges. As well as afternoon concerts of Mozart Concerto No. 5 (I am confusing it with Chanel No 5),and Vivaldis Four Seasons. The whole mentally chareged atmosphere is in the air and the whole aura of Oxford. I compare it to where I am from in America, Berkeley California. In my opinion, Oxford has that Berkeley feeling without the patchouli and the marijuana. Like Berkeley a vast majority of the people ride their bikes(like me), which I just love.(I have rode my bike Fee Fee for 4 years before moving to London.Now, I don't dare ride a bike on these crazy London city streets but I still love people that ride their bikes).I still love that old world, old fashion feeling Oxford has and can't wait to get back on another day trip, hopefully this time it won't be raining ( yeah right!). So watch this space, Oxford Part 2.

How To Say Thank you in 15 Languages

In my opinion, the phrase, "thank you", to me is very important and often rings music to my ears. I remember growing up and my big brother would often tell me," Thank you Sabrina!", just for washing the dishes. I remeber it made me feel so special and appreciated, just over a small task. But, my brother was smart because it also reinforced my chances of doing the dishes again (lol). Not only that those small things in my childhood reminded how important it is to not forget your manners, even in the most smallest of moments. Those details of one's childhood often find their way into the fabric of your adult life. How often do we forget to say, "thank you" and the small acts of kindess towards our well being. Or how often do we stop and slow down so it comes from the heart. Good manners is not some thing to be done like automaton behavior ( we aren't robots), but should be expressed from our natural instincts when something happens that we are grateful for. Perhaps, when we want to show appreciation and joy to someone when they do something for us for our well being and happiness.

My new Pakistani friend, Salma ( like Salma Hayek),that works at the Palymyra News ( The 24 hour Magazine and Off license shop),how to say," Thank you!" in her native language Urdu, which is "Shukria".There are so many different cultures in Bayswater, the area I live in that I figuree I should at least learn how to say in a different language,"Thank You!" Since then, I have learned how to say "Thank you" in 15 languages.

How To Say Thank you in Ten Langauges:

1. Shukria(Urdu)
2. Shukran ( Arabic)
3. Shukriya( Hindi)
4. Shukur (Kurdi spoken Iraq, Iran)
5. Gum xia Hokkien (Chinese)
6. Merci(Iran,Afghanistan)
7. Toda raba (Hebrew)
8. Spasibo (Russia)
9. Nandri(India, Southeast Asia)
10. Tesekkür ederim (Turkey, Northern Cyprus)
11. Tashakkur (Uzbekistan)
12. A dupe (Nigeria)
13. Asante(Southeast Africa)
14. khob-kun-Ka;If you are a woman; khob-kun-Krub,if you are a man(Thai),
15. Arigato ( Japanese).

Take a note that in Farsi, they say " Merci" like
the French, say "Merci Beaucoup!". It's probably the only French
influence on the Iranian language. Also, the prefix for "THANK YOU !" is the same in Urdu (Shukria),Arabic (Shoukran), Hindi ( Shukriya),Shukur (Kurdi).
Nonetheless,it's very easy to get confused and so I often tell the Hindi person person Shoukran and Arabic person Shukriya. It's interesting because Urdu has elements of the Arabic language. Urdu (اردوUrdū, IPA: [ˈʊrd̪uː] ( listen), historically spelled Ordu, Ordos dialect) is a Central Indo-Aryan language[1][2] of the Indo-Iranian branch, belonging to the Indo-European family of languages. It is a derivative of Hindustani, owes its roots to Sanskrit and is the national language and one of the two official languages (the other being English) of Pakistan. Spoken in five Indian states, it is also one of the 22 official languages of India. Its vocabulary developed under Sanskrit, Persian, Arabic and Turkic. In modern times Urdu vocabulary has been significantly influenced by Punjabi and even English.

Of course, my favorite "Thank You!" is in Hebrew, " Toda Raba", because "todo" means "all" ( Spanish), and "raba" sounds like roba, which comes from the infinitive robar means "to steal". I find it funny !!It doesn't make any sense, but it's interesting to find out how the different languages sound the same. It's even more interesting to discover how similar cultures share similar langauges roots. The best part is that it's even more fun to start talking in a certain language and connecting with people on a different level just because you speak their language.

Oh and "Thank you" for reading this blog.

Stay Tuned for more LONDON DIARIES

London Diaries: Some Language Differences I Find Funny

London Diaries: Some Language Differences I Find Funny