Traveling (Good news)

[Lyle]

Exactly! Guys, this is the place where we talk about travelling and not languages. I think you are at the wrong place.

Anyway, thanks for posting here.

Well, I'm sure you guys have some travel experiences to share here.

Fenek, tell us more about Poland. Lots of my friends have been to Eastern Europe, they told me that these countries are very beautiful and they spent less there compare with in Western Europe.

Ok, hope to hear from you soon.

Lyle

[Fenek]

Ok, Fenek, you have reason, I should have said western national languages, since in spite of its increasing influence, Catalan is not a national language yet, but a regional language with increasing importance.
Please, I don't want to discuss any idea about nation and region here...

If you don't want it, then why do you put it such a way that i have to protest?
Catalan IS a national language. Catalans are undoubtfully a nation. And the Catalan language is the official language of some parts of Spain and of Andorra. Catalan is as much national as is Brazillian Portuguese!

(I'm not really angry but I wanted to scare you with that face )

[Fenek]

Fenek, tell us more about Poland. Lots of my friends have been to Eastern Europe, they told me that these countries are very beautiful and they spent less there compare with in Western Europe.

Well, the foreign tourists always visit Kraków (Cracow), which is indeed a lovely city (my favorite Polish city as well), and Oświęcim (Auschwitz), where SSman's murdered thousands of Jews and Poles in their camp during the Second World War. Auschwitz remnants constitute a shocking but instructive evidence of human bestiality.
There are also mountains - Tatry, Pieniny (where I live), Sudety, Beskidy, Bieszczady. But personally, I prefer the Slovak mountains.

Of course, there are many other places worth seeing. It all depends on what you are interested in and what you like to do. I won't present them in such a brief note, but if you want to learn more, feel free to ask me.

Weldal was in Poland too! He told me that he had found Polish women beautiful and I agree on this! The women are the main attraction of Poland!

[Weldal]

As for Brazilian Portuguese, I must say that this is only a slight variation of the Portuguese language, in the same way as American English compared with British English: there are some spelling differences, even different words with different meanings, but the language is the same.
Ok, let correct myself again: western languages spoken in independent countries. Catalunya is not an independent country yet, for sure...
I'm not sure about Andorra, but I read somewhere that French and Spanish are widely spoken there, as Catalan too...

[Weldal]

Hey Lyle


I have read a lot of times people complaining about other subjects on the language forum, but this is the first time that I read someone complains on this forum about language related subjects...
Just kidding...
I am very happy that you show so much interest about Brazil and Portuguese language. If you want to ask something, there a lot of us Brazilian guys here in the Unilang Community who can help...Including myself...

[Weldal]

Yes, Fenek, Poland is very nice, but not only because of the beautiful women, but also for several other reasons: Krakow is a very beautiful historical city with many Middle Age buildings, the mountain landscape around Zakopane is also very nice. Food and things in general are much cheaper than in Western Europe. The Polish people in general are very nice, they like to drink beer and tell jokes... In just a few words, Poland is a country that one must visit...

[Fenek]

Ok, let correct myself again: western languages spoken in independent countries. Catalunya is not an independent country yet, for sure...
I'm not sure about Andorra, but I read somewhere that French and Spanish are widely spoken there, as Catalan too...

I still can't agree, because Andorra is an independent state. Its heads of state are the president of France and Spanish bishop of Seo de Urgel, but it should not cast the shadow of doubt on the Andorra's independence. The Queen of England is the head of state of all countries belonging to the Commonwealth (for example Canada, Australia, New Zeland), but no one claims that Canada or Australia are not independent countries. It is a mere symbol, the head of state does not possess any real power neither in Australia nor in Andorra.

Weldal is right, Spanish and French are widely spoken in Andorra. But Catalan is the only official language there.

Back to the travelling topic... I am sure Andorra is worth visiting too!

I am glad, Weldal, that you enjoyed being in Poland! I hope that all your journeys will bring you such a good impressions!

[Lyle]

Fenek,

Thanks for the information. I'll ask you more before I go there, I think it would be on my way to Republic of Czech. Anyway, can we meet in Poland if I really go there one day?


Weldal,

Nah, I don't mind you guys talking about languages here, so long as most of the messages here are mainly related to travelling.

I always say that Brazilians are friendly, this proven by 3 of my Brazilian friends in Londrina, Serra Talhada and ... Oops! I forgot the name of another city

Not forgetting another 3 new Brazilian friends here (Weldal from Rio de Janeiro, Expug from Bahia and Pittsboy from São Paulo).

Talking about Pittsboy, if you happen to read this message, please be informed that I still remember that you asked me to tell you "everything" about chinese language. I'll do it for you soon (of course not everything).

As for Portuguese language, I learnt some basic of its grammar from my friend in Londrina, but I stopped since I started my French classes, I was afraid I might mess up these 2 Romance languages.

This is something about me in Portuguese:

Meu nome é Lionel. Eu sou maláio. Minha família é chinesa. Meu apelido é “Long Long”. “Long” significa “dragão” em mandarim (This is because I was born in the year of dragon). Eu falo mandarim, inglês, “malay” e japonês (Also, a little bit of Thai and some basic of French). Eu também estudo português.

Hey, my portuguese is not that good yet . My friend, Marcel (from Londrina) translated it for me.

Keep well, guys!


Best regards,
Lionel.

[Fenek]

Thanks for the information. I'll ask you more before I go there, I think it would be on my way to Republic of Czech. Anyway, can we meet in Poland if I really go there one day?

OK, sure.

[Guest]

I heard on the news about the terrible floods in the Czech Republic and Austria as well as Germany and Russia after heavy torrential rains... Prague in the Czech Rep. is a very beautiful, medieval city worth visiting and I feel sad that the floods had to ruin them.

Daniel