u/askepticalbureaucrat

I'm an Irish girl, and want to visit the region in January of next year. I'm really into nature, historical buildings, and cosy places to read my book. I'm used to the cold, shitty winter weather, but wanted to explore on my own. I plan to visit for 5 days or so.

A few ideas I had in mind:

- walk the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, whilst keeping out for winter thrushes, and other migratory winter birds (hopefully see snow/fog too!)

- people/cyclist watching on Chang'an Avenue

- reading my book at Voyage Coffee on Yangmeizhu Xiejie street

- visit the Drum Tower and Bell Tower in Gulou

- a wander around Sanlihe Park

- Mei Lanfang Memorial Hall (South Gate) for the siheyuan architecture

- wander the Mofan Bookstore

- walk in the Beiyudai and Dongsi hutongs

- Lama Temple and nearby METAL HANDS cafe (61 Wudaoying Hu Tong, 国子监 Dongcheng) to read my book

- reading my book at Cace 1901

- view of the Forbidden City from Jingshan Park

Would this list of things to do be feasible? Any advice, or recommendations on what to see?

Thanks!! ❤️

I'm from the south, but one of my favourite places is Gleno, and walking around there on a rainy day. I also adore Ian's Home Bakery in Belfast, for their Ulster Fry, and potato bread stack!

A walk near Sketrick Castle, or Strangford Lough in general, always eases my anxiety. Preferably when it's not lashing.

What are yours?

In this heartbreaking image, I wanted to pick out the Arabic words on the sign. I'm currently learning Arabic (you can check my post history to see), and believe the words are typed out in the Naskh script, and the أَريحَا [arīḥā] Jericho lettering made sense to me.

However, for the القُدْس [al-quds] Jerusalem, the letter س confused me. Would it be written as such, in photo 2? Where the teeth aren't as pronounced in the letter?

Apologies for this dumb question 🤦‍♀️

I found this quote here and wanted to work on my handwriting (not pausing to make it neat, but writing naturally as I would in English). Is my handwriting legible here? Where can I improve?

"איך יכול היה אדם שכה

אהב אור ופרחים, והציג

אותם בכישרון רב כל כך,

להיות כה אומלל?"

-- שאל קלוד מונה למראה

ציורו של ואן.

Thanks!! ❤️

I don't wish to hunt, but follow a guide who knows the area well. I read that autumn, and winter is the best time to see the deer, and I don't want to be a bellend who gets lost in the wilderness. So, a few questions:

- is a day enough for deer stalking, or should I stay in the area for a few days?

- what section of the park is best to stay?

- a car is also required, I'd imagine?

Any tips/advice from locals would be greatly appreciated! I want to respect the nature, the locals, so wanting to ask here, and hire a guide when I'm in the area.

Greetings from rainy Ireland 🌧👋

I'm trying to see if I got the way you'd say these words/phrases/sentences correctly in a real life situation (photo 2)? I also wanted to know if I translated these correctly as well from the bus ticket?

Thanks!! 🧡

I wanted to find this general location, with the view of St James in Louth. The alamy site listed South Elkington as the general location, but couldn't find it on google maps. Would the South Elkington Circular path provide a view such as this one?

Thanks!! ❤️

I've attempted to translate the following quote:

Remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies

Would the Arabic translation on the photo somewhat make sense? Where did I go wrong here?

Thanks!! ❤️

I handwrote this diary entry by the artist in Arabic:

"How beautiful yellow is! And how much better shall I see the north... Sunshine, a light which, for want of a better word I can only call yellow – pale sulphur yellow, pale lemon, gold. How beautiful yellow is!"

Does my translation make sense? How can I improve it? Also, is my handwriting legible?

Thanks!!

I'm Irish, and always wanted to head to this area when I lived in East London. Thus, I was thinking of flying from Dublin to Luton, then taking the bus to Dunstable.

Day 1

- walk the Dunstable Downs to Ivinghoe Beacon

- lots of stops to sit down, eat snacks, and read my book (weather permitting)

- end up in Tring for the night

Day 2

- pending on the weather, see the deer at Ashridge Estate (taking the 387 bus)

- head to Dockey Wood or Tring Wood

- lots of stops to sit down, eat snacks, and read my book (weather permitting)

- end up in Tring for the night

Day 3

- head to the Wendover Woods

- pint at the Bel & The Dragon at The Red Lion and read my book

- head to Coombe Hill for view of Chequers

- lots of stops to sit down, eat snacks, and read my book (weather permitting)

- end up at Wendover for the night (back to airport next day)

Any advice if this is okay, or too much?

The general idea is lots of trees, hills, and seeing animals in nature. I was hoping to see the rutting at Ashridge, and the jays, squirrels, migratory birds during my rambles.

Thanks!! ❤️

For the first one, I found here that it's by Frank Wootton, but doesn't specify a location. Would it be Polperro Harbour? Or, Port Isaac?

Also, for the second one, I found here that it's by Jack Marriot, but likewise, no location, and I figured it was Lamorna Cove? With exaggerated cliffs behind it? Or Lewinnick Cove?

Thanks!! 💜

Between lectures, I made an attempt to write out put the text in photo 2, but was unsure of the omega in φωτιά and I assume the writer was mixing in upper case, and lower case here?

Also, is κ' ας correct here? Is my handwriting also okay?

Thanks!! ❤️

I was wondering if I wrote the pronounciations correctly for each item, in the nominative form? Therefore, they are in the nominative case (marfu’), which typically ends in a dhamma (-u) or tanween dhamma (-un)?

Kuzbaratun for كُزْبَرَةٌ, and so on?

Also, if I were to ask someone at the store "one lemon, please" the noun would merge from nominative to accusative as it's the direct object? And, not the subject, as such?

لَيْمُونَةً وَاحِدَةً، مِنْ فَضْلِكَ

[laymūnatan wāḥidatan, min faḍlik]

Also, for قائمة التسوق is it pronounced as [qā'imat ut-tasawwuq] in everyday fusha, vs the more formal [qā'imatu at-tasawwuqi]?

Thanks!! ❤️

Je souhaite visiter le musée de l'horlogerie, puis passer quelques jours en pleine nature. J'aimerais aussi voir les alpages (nous n'avons pas ces pâturages en Irlande) et je pensais séjourner au Grand-Sommartel et dîner à l'Auberge du Grand-Sommartel.

Par ailleurs, la forêt au sud du Locle, le long des Ravières, est-elle agréable pour se promener ?

Je souhaite surtout lire, me promener tranquillement et profiter des sons de la nature ! Je suis preneuse de toute suggestion concernant l'horlogerie, les forêts et les fleurs en Romandie !

Merci à tous !!! 🫶

Apologies for the shite photo, but ever since I installed a bird feeder in the back yard, a handful of these wee fellas have shown up. It's hard to take a photo of them, as they're so tiny, and fast!

Anyone know? Also, anyone have any luck getting them to nest in a birdhouse?

Thanks!! 💜

I'm learning Arabic, and trying to decipher this receipt to practice my vocabulary. I wanted to get this Arabic handwritten text converted into Arabic text with English alongside it (if possible!). I can read the typed/printed words fine.

I got so far:

٢٥/٠٠٠ (25,000)

١ / ٤ (April 1st)

٣٠ / ٤ (April 30th)

٢٠٠٧ (2007)

Can somebody help me with the rest?

Thanks!! 💜

I was wanting to translate this popular WW2 propoganda slogan (photo 1) into Arabic, and handwrote my attempt (photo 2).

كثرة الكلام تؤدي إلى غرق السفن

Was I somewhat correct? How can I improve this?

Thanks!! ❤️