New Release: Cantonese Dictionary & Phrasebook

Although its total number of speakers (60 million) is merely a fraction of its behemoth sibling's, Mandarin (1025 million), Cantonese is still one of the world's most widely-spoken languages. It is an official language in Hong Kong and Macau, as well as a dominant dialect in the Guangdong province of China. It may not have the numbers that Mandarin claims, but Cantonese is nonetheless a major player in south China and among Chinese living abroad.

So where exactly does Cantonese pop up? Seemingly everywhere, if you're reading street signs, newspapers, or novels in Hong Kong. Maybe you're watching a Chinese film or listening to popular Chinese music. More often than not, these Chinese entertainment offerings will have also come out of Hong Kong, spreading spoken Cantonese to viewers and listeners across the globe.

Our new Cantonese Dictionary & Phrasebook serves as an indispensable reference for travelers, businesspeople, students, or anyone else interested in this notable language. Despite their similarities, Cantonese is not mutually intelligible with  Mandarin—it has a writing system all its own and uses characters not generally understood by non-Cantonese speakers.

So we've provided an easy-to-use guide that directs you through grammar and pronunciation. The phrasebook, along with the 4,000 dictionary entries, includes Cantonese characters and intuitive phonetics.

Get the most out of your trip with the newest Cantonese resource available! Pick it up at your local bookstore or purchase through our website, Amazon, or Barnes & Noble.

Updated Logo and Bulgarian Dictionary & Phrasebook

Two great things happening today: we're sharing our updated Hippocrene logo and the new Bulgarian Dictionary & Phrasebook that is now in stock!

Our original logo was inspired by our namesake, the Hippocrene fountain of Greek mythology that sprang forth when Pegasus' hooves hit the ground, and was hand-drawn back in 1971. After just celebrating our 40th year as an independent publisher (no small feat these days!) we decided to update our logo. The elegant redesign by Brittany Hince uses the blue of the water, and we hope to use for the next 40 years!

Bulgarian Dictionary & Phrasebook by Michaela Burilkovova is our newest addition to our growing "D&P" series. Bulgarian is used worldwide by a community of over nine million speakers, and is the originating language of the Cyrillic alphabet. Travelers, students, and business-people will have a concise dictionary and wealth of practical phrases at their disposal. Both the Cyrillic alphabet and Romanization are used so that you can translate signs and documents, if needed.

In addition, readers are provided with basic grammar and pronunciation guides, a short history of Bulgaria, and appendices for numbers and measurements.

Available at your local bookstore, and online at Amazon and our website!

Lublin: Historic Gem of East Poland

We’re excited to have a travel-related post today from one of our new interns, Robert:

Dzień dobry! Witam serdecznie w Polsce! (Good day! I warmly welcome you to Poland!) Today I invite you to come with me on a day’s journey through one of Poland’s oldest and historical cities: Lublin. The earliest historical records place Lublin on the map as early as the 8^th century. It is located in the southeastern region of Poland, and is the largest city in eastern Poland. It was used as a major military and trading center from the 10^th to the 12^th centuries.

Lublin's Cracow Gate 

Co można tam zobaczyć? (What can you see there?) Lublin is filled with museums (muzea), castles (zamki), restaurants (restauracje) and history. If you are looking to get away and visit a place that offers a rich cultural history, as well as a folksy hometown feel, then Lublin is the perfect destination. The town offers a culturally unique ambiance and an active art, music and nightclub scene due its large student population. Cracow Gate surrounding the majestic Old Town (Stary Miasto) is a well known symbol of the city’s storied past. It was used as a fortification system in the 14^th century and now serves as the main passage way between the Old Town and newer city. 

The Royal Castle of Lublin, now home to a museum.

Old Town is dotted with outside bars beckoning travelers to rest from walking and sightseeing and to enjoy a drink of fresh country raspberry, apple or blueberry juice and delicious Polish beers. The Royal Castle (Zamek Królewski) is also a must-see if you visit. The castle is the landmark of Lublin, founded and fortified roughly around the 8th century. The castle, along with the bridge connecting it to the Old Town and the parks around it are known as Castle Hill. The Castle has an art museum in its basement surrounded by what used to be a medieval prison and torture chamber. Visitors can visit the castle and wonder at the preserved living conditions from the 8th century.

Visitors can enjoy the quiet countryside just outside the city.

My memories of Lublin are filled with majestic sights. I especially loved walking the warm summer nights filled with people talking and laughing and street musicians lighting up the air with folk music throughout the Old Town. Sitting down for a drink at the rynek (marketplace) and listening to the music and bustling city enveloping you is the best way to become a local. Stopping by Złoty Osioł (Golden Donkey) restaurant is a must for any traveler wishing to try authentic Polish cuisine in a warm and inviting old stone enclave. The restaurant is located on the cobblestone path between the Zamek Królewski (Royal Castle) and the heart of Old Town. Eating the native Polish cuisine is an experience in itself! After a day of sightseeing, nothing is better than to sit down to tender chicken or beef cutlets (kotlet schabowy) smothered in onion and garlic gravy.


Side dishes usually include bright and refreshing cabbage salads mixed with carrots, beets, pickles, cucumbers, radishes, and, of course, potato pancakes. Travelers can also sample hearty sour cream and onion salads, a variety of soups including rich and luxurious goulash, reviving deep red borsch, and warm pierogi filled with everything from fruit to cheese and mushrooms. Bigos is another popular local and national dish, a stew of sausage, cabbage, tomatoes, pepper and carrots that mix together in a satisfying, spicy blend. And of course, all of this must be enjoyed with the best Polish beers: Tyskie, Warka, Żywiec, Okocim, and the delicious beer made in Lublin, Perła!

Here are some phrases to help you get started:

How do I get to …?
Jak dostać się do...


     Cracow Gate
     Brama Krakowska



     The Royal Castle
     Zamek Krulewski



     The Golden Donkey
     Zloty Osiol



     Old Town                              
     Stary Miasto


Is the museum / gallery free?
Czy muzeum / galeria darmo?


How much are tickets?
Ile kosztują bilety?

I’d like to order …

Chcialbym zamowic ...

     Beef Cutlet

     Kotlet schabowy

     Pierogi (dumplings)

     Pierogi

     Bigos (sausage and vegetable stew)
     Bigos


     Borscht (beet soup)
     Borscht 


     Goulash (spicy beef stew)
     Goulash 

What beer do you recommend?

Jakie piwo polecacie?

Learn more about Hippocrene’s Polish Dictionary and Phrasebook!

It’s also available at your local bookstore, and online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Fish Tourism in Sicily

Giovanna Bellia La Marca was born in Ragusa, Sicily. She came to the United States at the age of 10, and has kept her love for Sicily alive with frequent trips to the island. Now a retired art and Italian teacher, she devotes herself to writing, cooking, entertaining, traveling with her husband, and enjoying her grandchildren in Cliffside Park, New Jersey. She is the author of Language and Travel Guide to Sicily and Sicilian Feasts, published by Hippocrene Books.

I first discovered the beauty of the coastline of Sicily when I flew over it and saw the clear emerald waters against the craggy coast framed by the window of the airplane.Sicily is known as "La Perla Del Mediterraneo” or “The Pearl of the Mediterranean” . With its beautiful blue-green waters and magnificent coast, it has developed some very enticing tourist attractions. Its golden-yellow sandy beaches are among the most beautiful in the world. The appreciation and preservation of the coastline has led to a unique offering which is gaining popularity as a tourist destination in the form of Pescaturismo. Since its beginning, Fish Tourism has been very successful as a unique venture that gives visitors the opportunity to learn about fishing by going out to sea with experienced, local fishermen as guides.

In an effort to preserve the beauty of the land and the sea, the city of Trapani on the western coast of Sicily has been on the forefront of environmental conservation by setting up the Riserva Naturale dello Zingaro, a natural reserve that preserves not only the natural beauty of the coastline but also tries to keep the waters clear and unpolluted. To be close to nature in a clean and uncontaminated land and waters has certainly become a goal for many tourists who are looking for unique rewards in traveling to many of the unspoiled areas of Sicily.

The recreational initiative in which professional fishermen take tourists out to sea to have them experience and learn about the island’s most important industry is one aspect of Pescaturismo which is attracting people with very specialized interests also giving them the possibility of engaging in water sports which have become very popular in this area. Divers enjoy the crystalline waters, swimmers and snorkels delight in the clarity of the blue Mediterranean and in the richness of the marine life it supports. Scuba diving, explorations of the coast, and underwater photography are also sought after activities which attract visitors and locals alike.

Guided tours are available for novices as well as for the experienced who wish to see, visit, and explore the splendid coves, mysterious grottos, the reefs teeming with a wealth of marine life and the breathtaking cliffs rising out of the blue waters to photograph, draw or just to enjoy while creating lasting memories.

Helpful Phrases

Dove si trova il Centro Turismo? Where is the Tourist Office?

Che cosa e’ la Pascaturismo? What is Fishing Tourism?

Come si fanno le prenotazioni? How do you make reservations?

Quanto costa il biglietto? How much is the ticket?

Accettano carte di credito? Do you accept credit cards?

Useful Words:

Barca Boat

Traghetto Ferry

Barca a vela Sailboat

Pesca Fishing

Pescatore Fisherman

Scoglio Cliff, crag

Spiaggia Beach

Sabbia Sand

Piscina Swimming pool

Nuoto Swimming