Great Britain, formally known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, has an area of some 244,027 square kilometres and is divided into 49 administrative counties. It consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Ranking about seventy-fifth in size among the countries of the world it has less than 2 per cent of the world's land area. Great Britain, the largest island in the north-west of Europe, is separated from Ireland by the Irish Sea, and from the Continent by the English Channel and the Strait of Dover. The surface of England and Ireland is rather flat while the highland area comprises Scotland and most of Wales. The highest mountain in the United Kingdom is Ben Nevis in Scotland (1343 m.). The rivers are not very long but they are deep. The chief rivers are the Severn (220 miles) and the Thames (215 miles). The Thames flows through London, and makes it a large sea port, though London is 84 kms away from the sea.
My favorite movie "Kate & Leopold". This is a touching story of how a young aristocrat from the early 20th century is by chance transported into the future in our time and meets with Kate. From the very beginning the film captures and makes watching the screen to share the adventure. Fits well as a Leo in our time, with his aristocratic upbringing and manners. It's just the perfect image of the Prince, which is a dream girl at all times. Of course, at first it seems strange to people who have to communicate with him, but as the story unfolds, he finds more and more friends. After all, it is not possible not to love and not to respect a man who can be honest, does not recognize any cheat, knows how to be polite and able to fend for themselves and if necessary to protect his friends. This role superbly played by a fine actor Hugh Jackman. Not inferior to him on the credibility and actress Meg Ryan, who created the role of Kate. She very accurately portrayed a normal girl, living in a big city and accustomed to the fact that sometimes you have to be able to show your claws, if you have faced with rudeness and indifference. Such films as"Kate & Leopold" is undoubtedly the right, and always give us many beautiful moments, learn to appreciate the love and friendship and taught to believe that miracles happen not only in fairy tale but in real life, and that the greatest miracle is love.
Santa Claus is not alone, he has relatives in many countries. The closest and most important of these is Santa Claus. And the story of Santa Claus, as Santa Claus starts with St. Nicholas.
Saint Nicholas is traditionally considered in the West and in America, a giver of gifts. In 1804 in new York under the patronage of St. Nicholas was founded the historical society. In 1809 Washington Irving published a satirical "history of new York city", where you mocked the Dutch past in new York (many traditions, including Saint Nicholas — the giver of gifts, came to new York from Holland). Every year on St. Nicholas Day on the street carried a wooden statue of the Saint (high, in a long robe) and sang a song about St. Nicholas — Sancta Claus (in Dutch Sinterklaas). In 1822, another new Yorker, Clement Clark Moore wrote a series of tales, in which he described that Santa Claus arrives in the country on eight reindeer. Clement Clarke Moore has also forced Santa Claus to climb into the house through the chimney to distribute gifts. In 1841, in Philadelphia, businessman Parkinson's, to attract customers, the store hired a man and dressed him Santa Claus. The first live Santa Claus sitting on the roof of the building, which housed the store, next to the chimney. In 1863, cartoonist Thomas knight depicted Santa Claus with huge whiskers and dressed in fur from head to toe. In 1869 came the poems of George Webster, where as a renter is Santa Claus mentioned about the North pole. The publisher Louis Prang issued a in America, the English tradition to send to friends and family for Christmas greeting cards. In 1885 he released a greeting card on which was painted a Santa Claus in a red suit. Since then Santa Claus increasingly began to paint in a red robe, not in furs or robes of any other color. Now Santa Claus caught on in many homes in Western Europe and America. Penetrating into the house through pipes and vents, he lays out the gifts in stockings hung on the fireplace, and the tinkling of the bells, as if heralding the arrival of the New Year.Перевод: Дед Мороз не одинок, у него есть родственники во многих странах. Самым близким и важным из них является Санта Клаус. А история Санта Клауса, как и Деда Мороза, начинается со Святого Николая.
Святой Николай традиционно считается на Западе и в Америке дарителем подарков. В 1804 году в Нью-Йорке под патронажем Святого Николая было основано историческое общество. В 1809 году Вашингтон Ирвинг опубликовал сатирическую "историю города Нью-Йорка", где вы издевались над голландским Нью-Йорка (многие традиции, в том числе и Святой Николай — даритель подарков, пришли в Нью-Йорк из Голландии). Каждый год в День Святого Николая на улицу выносили деревянную статую Святого (высокую, в длинной мантии) и пели песню о святом Николае — Санкта Клауса (в голландский Синтерклаас). В 1822 году другой житель Нью-Йорка, Клемент Кларк Мур написал серию сказок, где описал, что Санта-Клаус прибывает в страну на восьми северных оленях. Клемент Кларк Мур также заставил Санта-Клауса лазить в дом через дымоход, чтобы раздать подарки. В 1841 году в Филадельфии, бизнесмен Паркинсона, чтобы привлечь клиентов магазина нанял человека и одел его Санта Клаусом. Первый живой Санта Клаус сидел на крыше здания, где размещался магазин, рядом с дымоходом. В 1863 году карикатурист Томас Найт изобразил Санта Клауса с огромными бакенбардами и одетым в мех с головы до пят. В 1869 году вышли стихи Жоржа Вебстера, где в качестве арендатора Санта-Клаус упомянул о Северном полюсе. Издатель Луис Пранг распространил в Америке английскую традицию слать друзьям и родственникам на Рождество поздравительные открытки. В 1885 году он выпустил поздравительную открытку, на которой был нарисован Санта Клаус в красном костюме. С тех пор Санта Клауса все чаще стали рисовать в красной мантии, а не в мехах или мантии какого-либо другого цвета. Теперь Дед Мороз прижился во многих домах Западной Европы и Америки. Проникая в дом через трубы и форточки, он раскладывает подарки в чулки висели на камине, и позвякивает колокольчиками, как бы возвещая о приходе Нового Года.
The surface of England and Ireland is rather flat while the highland area comprises Scotland and most of Wales. The highest mountain in the United Kingdom is Ben Nevis in Scotland (1343 m.). The rivers are not very long but they are deep. The chief rivers are the Severn (220 miles) and the Thames (215 miles). The Thames flows through London, and makes it a large sea port, though London is 84 kms away from the sea.