Tuesday 21 April 2020

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 21-4-2020: Bangkok

21st April, 2020.


Yes: I have dreams!

And, yes: I get earworms!

When I got up?

I had the Sugababes singing away in my head: why I do not know.



Right now, though?

Linton Kwesi Johnson’s taken over!


At least I can say I’ve got a bit of variety in there … !

~≈¥≈~

Something else I DO remember?

Is having a dream: it’s not often I remember them.

Well, I say ‘a dream’.

More like a snippet of a dream.

Of starting work in Harold Wood Library.

A version of it the size of a large caravan.

You know … I THINK I’m over doing the cocoa!

~≈¥≈~

Let’s move on, shall we?

Yesterday’s Teaser saw Trevor*, Olga† and Debbi‡ putting in their answers: with all three scoring five out of five.

Let’s see how everyone does with today’s questions, shall we?

Here they are, along with the How To, License and video

Q1) The city of Bangkok was formally founded on 21st April: of which year?
Q2) It is the capital of, and largest city in, which Asian nation?
Q3) That nation has also been known as which S?
Q4) What was it called when it was founded: Krung Thep, Rattanakosin or Ratonastick?
Q5) What is Bangkok called, in its country’s majority language: Krung Thep, Rattanakosin or Ratonastick?
Q6) The city was founded by King Rama the what: First, Second or Third?
Q7) Rajadamnan Stadium, and Lumpini Stadium, are major Bangkok venues for which martial art?
Q8) The Tasing Chan district of Bangkok is known for its floating … what?
Q9) The city’s known for its auto-rickshaws.   They’re usually called what?
Q10) Finally … ?   Don Mueang International is one of Bangkok’s two what: railway stations, airports or parks?
Here’s yesterday’s questions and answers …

Q1) 20th April saw the birth of actor, George Takei.   In which year?
A1) 1937.
Q2) In which US city?
A2) Los Angeles.
Q3) George’s current middle name was originally his first name.   What is that middle name?
A3) Hosato.
Q4) Who’s George’s husband?
A4) Brad Takei née Altman.   (They’ve been married since 2008.   Pointless trivia, the Buddhist minister who married them is a chap called Reverend William Briones.   I’m just wondering if he’s any relation of Isa Briones, who played Soji in Star Trek Picard.)
Q5) Finally … ?   Who did George play in Star Trek?
A5) Hikaru Sulu.
Here’s a thought …
“In Bangkok
At twelve o’clock
They foam at the mouth and run,
But mad dogs and Englishmen
Go out in the midday sun.”
Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Noël Coward.
And a song …


Today’s questions will be answered in tomorrow’s Teaser.

Have a good day.




*        You’re quiet, Trevor^: I’m assuming I’ve spelt everything correctly!   Oh, I’ve now put you onto the template I use …

†        Drat!   There’s no subtitles, as yet, Olga^!   And, I’m assuming there won’t be, until it hits the UK branch of HBO!   I may have to look up Spanish lessons: once I can find out how much it is!   Argh!   (Actually, those ten minute prequels can be works of art, in and of themselves.   Some of the Dr Who ones have been comic gems!)


‡        I still say Leo McKern was the №. 2, Debbi^!



^        Brad now goes by Brad Takei, so everyone knows.

3 comments:

trev-v said...

I take it that you like me have been watching the reruns of the great Michael Portillo's "Great Asian Railway Journeys". H covered Bangkok in great detail.

A1 1782

A2 Thailand

A3 Siam

A4 Rattanakosin

A5 Krung Thep Maha Nakhon[

A6 First

A7 Muay Thai (Thai boxing)

A8 Market

A9 tuk-tuk

A10 Airport (current main Bangkok railway station is Hua Lamphong station. This will close in 2021 and be replaced by the amazing Bang Sue Grand Station This new station will have tracks on 3 of the 4 levels. )

Olga said...

Q1) 1782
Q2) Thailand
Q3) Siam
Q4) Rattanakosin
Q5) Krung Thep
Q6) First
Q7) kickboxing
Q8) Market (It’s Taling Chan, I think, not Tasing)
Q9) ‘tuk-tuk’
Q10) airports
Hi, Paul. Yes, I’m not sure about the subtitles. Regarding Spanish lessons… Well, it’s something that one of the tutors in the teaching course I completed recently (and, by the way, I learned yesterday that I “passed”, although it won’t be official until Cambridge University can have their meeting and put their stamp on it, who knows when) suggested I could do, and she said at the school they were always looking for teachers. I’ve been gathering resources, etc., but it’s a bit tricky because all of my experience teaching (apart from when I was a tutor in my teens) has been in English, and also because at the moment I cannot go to specialised bookshops and look for materials and teacher books, coursebooks. Unfortunately, many of these types of books are only available in paperback format, and one doesn’t know if they’re worth buying unless one checks them. (Schools can access digital copies and those are available to their teachers as well, but here we are). I’m sure eventually things will become clearer, but do count on me, at any rate. (Instituto Cervantes is a good website to check for materials, and, of course, the BBC also has online courses of Spanish available).
Now, I can try and offer you a summary of what goes on in the episode. They are moving to a different headquarters, that’s why Angustias is so busy packing. Irene and Pacino come back from 1965, when it seems that some nuts were trying to get rid of the Beatles, because they thought their songs would corrupt Spanish youths (they performed in bullfighting rings both in Madrid and in Barcelona), and they’d managed to thwart their efforts, although it seems rather by chance (one of the baddies fell for Irene). Pacino leaves quickly but as Irene is on her way, alarms start going. Salvador tells her it’s nothing, but it seems there is a temporal slippage (imbalance, breakdown, gap, not sure which term would be the best to use), and there is a risk that the whole history will go South and all the things they have done to put things to right might have to be redone again. Irene is talking to Ernesto about his son and telling him that he shouldn’t spend so much time alone. Salvador tries everything and nothing works and then tells Ernesto and Irene, but although they check, they don’t find any information to help.
Angustias comes to the rescue and gets in touch with Benito Pérez Galdós, a famous Spanish writer, the centenary of whose death we’re celebrating this year. So when he comes, people congratulate him on the centenary, and he says they should have done it sooner. It seems that he’s an agent of the ministerio and very handy with computers, so he manages to sort everything out. Salvador tells him that he’s amazed that he has taken technology in his stride, and he tells him that he is going to write more Episodios Nacionales (national episodes, I guess, the name of one of his most famous writings, a series of historical novels), and Salvador warns him but he tells him that he’ll use a pseudonym. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benito_P%C3%A9rez_Gald%C3%B3s)
He identifies that the problem was in 1943, due to somebody called Eulogio Romero, but the name means nothing to Salvador. Irene and Ernesto investigate but can’t find reference to him, and eventually, when the system is rebooted, they find some information, and yes, they are all flabbergasted because the said Eulogio looks very much like Julian.
Take care!

Debbi said...

He was! Totally!

He was also great as Rumpole of the Bailey! :)

1. 1782
2. Thailand
3. Siam
4. Rattanakosin
5. Krung Thep
6. First
7. kickboxing
8. market
9. tuk-tuks
10. airports