Language & Geography: A Traveller's Disease

Escherichia coli

Traveller's diarrhea, abbreviated to TD, is the most common illness affecting travellers. Traveller's diarrhea is commonly accompanied by abdominal cramps, nausea, and bloating. Bloating means a swelling of the intestinal tract that is caused by excessive gas formation (in Spanish, inflamación intestinal).
TD is commonly caused by Escherichia coli. The primary source of infection is ingestion of contaminated food or water.

Colloquial names for TD

There are a number of colloquialisms for travellers' diarrhea contracted in various localities, such as "Montezuma's revenge", "turistas", or "Aztec two step" for travellers' diarrhea contracted in Mexico, "Pharaoh's Revenge," "mummy's tummy," or "Cairo two-step" in Egypt, "Kurtz Hurtz" in Uzbekistan, "Bombay belly" or "Delhi belly" in India, "kabulitis" in Afghanistan, "holiday tummy" in United Kingdom, although this is not directed at tourists in the UK but at British tourists abroad, "Bali belly" in Bali, or "Katmandu quickstep" in Nepal. In Canada it is termed "beaver fever". A recent local term in Pattaya, Thailand, is "Thai-dal wave". Peacekeepers to Arabic-speaking countries have called it "yalla yalla" (Arabic for "fast, fast") referring to the extreme urgency it causes.


Moctezuma II

Montezuma's revenge is the colloquial term for any cases of traveller's diarrhea contracted by tourists visiting Mexico. The name refers to Moctezuma II (1466-1520), the Tlatoani (ruler) of the Aztec civilization who was defeated by Hernán Cortés, the Spanish conquistador.
It is estimated that 40% of foreign traveller vacations in Mexico are disrupted by infection. Most cases are mild and resolve in a few days with no treatment. Severe or extended cases, however, may result in extensive fluid loss and/or dangerous electrolytic imbalance which pose a severe medical risk and may prove fatal if mismanaged. The oversight of a medical professional is advised. Not all water supplies in Mexico are contaminated and many hotels have water purification systems that eliminate risk.

History & Geography: Cleopatra's Needles

Cleopatra (69-30 BC) was a queen of Egypt, famous for her beauty, who became the lover of Julius Caesar and later of Mark Antony. When she and Antony were beaten in battle by Octavian's army, she used an asp (= a small poisonous snake) to kill herself.
Shakespeare's play Antony and Cleopatra is based on her relationship with Mark Antony.

Cleopatra's Needle in London

Cleopatra's Needle in New York

Cleopatra's Needle is a one of the two ancient Egyptian obeliks (=a very tall piece of stone with a pointed end) which were built over 3000 years ago. One is on the Embankment in London, and the other is in Central Park in New York City.

Geography & Literature: Dublin Writers

Dublin is the capital of the Repubic of Ireland. It is on the east coast, on the river Liffey. Dublin was the home of several famous Irish writers, such as Jonathan Swift, Geroge Bernard Shaw, Oscar Wilde and James Joyce.
The Dublin Writers Museum was opened in 1991 at No 18, Parnell Square, Dublin, Ireland.
The Museum displays a wide collection of Irish literature. It complements the smaller, more detailed museums devoted to individuals like James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, William Butler Yeats and Patrick Pearse. It functions as a place where people can come from Dublin, Ireland and abroad to experience the phenomenon of Irish writing both as history and as actuality. The museum also includes portraits of Irish writers, including fine originals by artists such as Patrick Swift, Reginald Gray, Edward McGuire and Harry Kernoff.
There are many well-known songs about Dublin, including a song called "Molly Malone" (also known as "Cockles and Mussels" or "In Dublin's Fair City"), which has become the unofficial anthem of Dublin City.

Language & Geography: Coventry

Coventry is an industrial city in central England. Its cathedral was built in 1962 to replace a very old cathedral that was destroyed by bombs in World War II. The University of Warwick is in Coventry.
Send someone to Coventry means to refuse to speak to someone as a sign of disapproval or as a punishment; ostracize.