For non-native, hearing of English announcement in international airport is difficult.

I found a listening quiz page.

Airport Announcement

After listening to the announcement about 30 seconds, select an answer from four choices. I tried, and found it difficult. After try to select an answer, listen again with watching the transcript. Then challenge to further fill-in-the-blank question.

Try it.

In the Utada's album called "This Is The One", the song called "Me Muero" has a phrase below.

Oh my lover's gone away, gone to Istanbul Light as a feather

Why Istanbul? I tried to search by google.

Then, I found some comments that "I Love how she says Istanbul". it was interesting for me.
I have no idea why her "Istanbul" is nice. . .

I wrote an article, Doutor Arigato Fund, Dotor site was updated.

[original Japanese article submitted in 2009]

I found durians in the supermarket where I go sometime. It's imported from Thai.

I made a list of top 8 ruins I have visited. Only ruins are included and old temples and shrines are excluded. They are all listed in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_archaeological_sites_sorted_by_country.

Japanese TV program "Sekai Bikkuri Ryoko-sha" (World Surprising Travel Agency) introduced a life of Ait-Ben-Haddou (on-aired on May 5, 2009). Yes, some families are still living there. On the program, Akane Ohsawa, Japanese Actress, had a experience of Ait-Ben-Haddou life.

The recorder I bought from a child at Angkor Thom

At each Angkor ruins, children were selling various goods to tourists.

I bought this recorder at Angkor Thom from some child by $1. It's in a case made of palm tree leaves. It sounds seven notes, C, D, E, F, G, A, B.

I don't buy anything from children usually, but at Cambodia, I did.

Children sell postcards, accessory, etc.

I found interesting site while I was looking for airport ringtones.

freesound project

This site collecting various sound data file that can be distributed as creative commons. All data are posted by registered users. You can find many sound data files of an announce at airport, in a airplane, etc.

When I traveled to Peru, I learned Peruvian emblem from guide at the Cathedral at Lima. He explained the emblem that was drew on a wall painting at the Cathedral.

Guanaco I met in Patagonia

When I traveled south America, there were llamas in Peru. I was surprised that there were llamas in Machu-Pichu. In Patagonia, there were guanacos. There were alpacas and vicuñas in south America.