This time in Language Day we take up that one very sought after item during hot summer days - ice cream! Being a cold treat, the word “ice” is part of the word in many languages, so we give here also the word for ice, in brackets. Enjoy - your ice cream that is, of any type and flavor! And why not try this summer a vegan ice cream! ARABIC - Buaza (jalid) Continue reading

Battle of Brännkyrka, a painting by Johan Gustaf Sandberg (1830) In the year 1518, Swedish forces defeat the Danes in the Battle of Brännkyrka in southern Stockholm (Jul 27), a case of dancing mania breaks out in Strasbourg in Alsace, in which many people die from constant dancing (Jul-Sep), Kristian II of Denmark and his navy attempts to take Stockholm, and failing, leave Stockholm with hostages (Oct), the Tomb of Sikandar Lodi in Delhi, India, is completed - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

This time the female name in First Names First is Juliana, and along with it Julianna and Julianne. So, take your pick, and find some inspiring stories behind the names. Give this a couple of minutes – for lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us. Let them! Juliana Berners* nun/writer on heraldry, hawking and hunting – England (1388) Juliana of Stolberg* the mother of William the Silent – Stolberg, Saxony-Anhalt (1580/74) Continue reading

Munich - München in German - is our city this time around in Streets and Squares. The capital and most populous city of the Free State of Bavaria in southern Germany. As always, clicking on the address will take you to Google Maps, and clicking on the name to Wikipedia. And here’s first some German for you: Brücke (bridge) - Platz (square) - Straße (street) class=“streetsign-holland” - StreetView - Wiki Continue reading

In the year 1532, São Vicente is established as the first permanent Portuguese settlement in Brazil (Jan 22), Atahualpa wins the civil war in the Inca Empire, defeating his brother, shortly before (Apr) the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro lands on the northern coast of Peru (May 13) and captures him in Cajamarca (Nov 16), Niccolò Machiavellis The Prince is published posthumously, and the Paris Parlement arrests the city’s beggars and force them to work in the sewers, chained together in pairs - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

The Crusader States around 1240-1241. Map credit: Ziegelbrenner In the year 1239, Pereyaslavl in Kievan Rus’ is sacked by the Mongols (Mar), the Hungarian king Béla IV allows some 40,000 Cumans (pagan nomads fleeing the Mongols) to settle in Hungary after their leader has promised to convert to Christianity (autumn), a Crusader force under King Theobald I of Navarre arrives at Acre where plans are made to prepare an expedition against the Ayyubids in Egypt (Sep 1) the Kievan Rus’ town Chernigov is attacked and pillaged by the Mongols (Oct 18), the Crusader army led by Henry of Bar is defeated by the Egyptians near Gaza (Nov 13) – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Another one in the series First Names First! The male name Julian! Why not pick one of the names here, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about the person, and to see what if anything he could contribute your life with. Inspiration, passion, enlightenment, encouragement, empathy, etc. Spend a couple of minutes of your life with this. Lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us – let them! Continue reading

Marabou Symphony Chocolate! Oh that wonderful product that leaves our tastebuds craving for more! That notoriously calorie rich sweet that many of us love, especially in the cooler seasons when it will not risk melting, save in our hands, and mouths! So let’s celebrate it on this World Chocolate Day here in Journeys of Life as well by shedding some light on the makers of this treat! Cocoa - the basis of chocolate - has been around for ages. Continue reading

The Strait of Malacca (in red, in today’s Malaysia), the vital sea passage between China and India In the year 1511, Portugal conquers Malacca - the first city in Southeast Asia to be taken by a Western nation - and gains control over the Strait of Malacca through which all sea-going trade between China and India is concentrated (Aug 15), the Treaty of Westminster creates an alliance between Henry VIII of England and Ferdinand II of Aragon against France (Nov), Diego Velázquez and Hernán Cortés conquer Cuba, the first black slaves arrive in Colombia, the Spanish conquest of Yucatán begins - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

This time in Language day we embark on an imaginery journey through languages. We introduce one word in one language, and try to find the same word in another language, but meaning something else. We are looking for short stories of linguistic coincidences! When a Greek learns the Finnish word for thank you, Kiitos, he might be thinking of a whale - for that’s what whale is in Greek (although they do say φάλαινα as well). Continue reading

Construction of town walls in Celje (in today’s Slovenia) were started in 1450 and finished in 1473 In the year 1473, Leonardo da Vinci signs his drawing Landscape with a river, described as the first example of a pure landscape depiction in European art (Aug 5), Axayacatl, Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan, invades the territory of the neighboring Aztec city of Tlatelolco, the city walls and defensive moat are built in Celje, Duchy of Styria, extreme heat causes the Danube to dry out in parts of Europe - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Two weeks ago we had here in First Names First the male name Felix, so today’s female name is Felicia! It derives from the Latin adjective felix, meaning “happy, lucky” (and in the neuter plural form felicia it literally means “happy things”). So, take your pick, and find some inspiring stories behind the names. Give this a couple of minutes – for lives lived have all something worthwhile to tell us. Continue reading

This figure is from the journal article “Modelling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: progress and possibilities” and shows ten proposed disease mechanisms for ALS. Source: http://dmm.biologists.org/content/10/5/537 Did you know that today is the Global ALS Awareness Day? Celebrated every year on June 21st, by the International Alliance of ALS/MND Associations. A day of recognition of ALS/MND – a disease that affects people in every country around the globe. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - ALS for short - is a vile disease. Continue reading

After Bangor last month, another smaller city in these Streets & Squares. The lovely German city of Füssen, situated one kilometer from the Austrian border in Bavaria, along the River Lech that starts at the nearby Forggensee and ends up far away in Formarinsee in Eastern Austria. This town is known more than anything else for its castles, one of which you see pictured here - the Neuschwanstein Castle - very familiar to many for us from the world of Disney. Continue reading

Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) Journeys of Life is about the lives of people, any people. Most of us would love to tread that journey - however short or long it is - in a healthy environment. But sometimes it is made hard for us. How many of you know that plants that beautify our homes, offices and other public places, can also help us get rid of bad smells? Like that cigarette smell left by the previous resident or your friendly neighbor? Continue reading

In the year 1534, Jacques Cartier explores Newfoundland, while searching for the Northwest Passage (May 10), Copenhagen opens its gates to the army of Lübeck and the Hanseatic League (Jun 23), leading the Danish nobility to recognize Christian III as King (Jul 4), over 200 Spanish settlers found what becomes Quito, Ecuador (Dec 4), Martin Luther’s translation of the complete Christian Bible into German is printed in Wittenberg, the first book in Yiddish is printed, translating difficult phrases in biblical Hebrew, the Ottoman army captures the city of Baghdad from the Safavids – and all these fine people were born: 1534-xxxx Lodovico Agostini* Italian priest/ singer/composer - Ferrara (1590/c. Continue reading

Atahualpa (c.1502-1533), the last effective Inca emperor In the year 1533, King Henry VIII of England formally but secretly marries Anne Boleyn who becomes his second queen consort (Jan 25), and his marriage with Catherine of Aragon is declared annulled, not by the Pope though (May 23), Henry VIII is excommunicated by Pope Clement VII (Jul 11), the last effective Inca Emperor Atahualpa is executed at the orders of the Spanish conqueror Francisco Pizarro (Jul 26), Pizarro arrives in Cusco, Peru (Nov 15) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

This time in our series First Names First we have Felix! Below is a chronological list of some of the men born with that name. Pick one and then follow the Wikipedia link to read about these men, and to see what if anything they could contribute your life with. Give a couple of minutes of your life to this. Lives lived all have something to tell us – let them! Continue reading

June 6th is the Swedish National Day In the year 1523, Christian II is forced to abdicate as King of Denmark and Norway (Jan 20), Gustav Eriksson is crowned King Gustav Vasa of Sweden, whereby Kalmar Union is no more - and the modern Swedish nation is thus established, exactly 500 years ago today (Jun 6), Jan van Essen and Hendrik Vos, burned at the stake by Roman Catholic authorities in Brussels, become the first Flemish Lutheran martyrs (Jul 1), Chinese navy captures two Western ships whose cannons are later copied by them - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

This is the 50th Language Day article, and what better way to celebrate it than do it in honor of Tina Turner who passed away five days ago! We presents here the widely known three words of the song The Best - absolutely one of her most memorable melodies - in all the languages we have here. Kurdish is in for the first time. The song was originally performed by the Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler, but it was Tina who made it a worldwide hit in 1989, and it has never diminished in appeal since then. Continue reading