From the The Hai-Lu (1783-1797), as quoted on this page on this excellent site, again via TdiT:

Portugal (called Ta-hsi-yang, or Pu-luchi-shih ". . . has a climate colder than that of Fukien and Kwangtung. Her chief seaport [Lisbon] faces the south and is protected by two forts manned by 2000 soldiers and equipped with about [...]

Good to see civic leaders lining up to praise local rag, La Vanguardia, on its 125th, particularly since the former have just pushed through a crackdown on prostitution, while the latter derives a substantial proportion of its revenues from prostitution- and sex-related advertising and services.

OK, Jordanian Starbucks customers (via Taccuino di Traduzione). More on Arabizi and language death from Jordanian blogger Lina. I know an Itsi-Bitsi-Teeny-Weeny-Honolulu-Strandbikini bit about East African Arabic creoles, but this is new to me. I guess that there must have also existed Romance-Arabic creoles at some stage (Mozarabic was, of course, not one), but I’m [...]