Something interesting about London

Did you know London only reached its pre-WW2 population level in 2015? Today central London is so crowded that the traffic moves at the same speed as horse-drawn carriages a century ago. One aspect in which London is yet to catch up to the past is in coffee shops. There were nearly 3,000 coffee shops in London in the 1700's, double the 1,500 in 2012.

Being an old city, London has some interesting traditions. When British warships enter the Thames they are required to present a barrel of rum to the Constable of the Tower (the man in command of the Tower of London) in the 'Ceremony of the Constables Dues'.

Another interesting one is where because of an old superstition, several ravens are kept at the Tower of London at all times. These ravens are enlisted soldiers of the Kingdom, and have occasionally been dismissed for bad conduct. While wild ravens live for 10-15 years, Tower ravens can live past 40 years.

Pamukkale

Pamukkale has been made eternally famous by the gleaming white calcite travertines (terraces) overrunning with warm, mineral-rich waters on the mountain above the village – the so-called ‘Cotton Castle' (pamuk means 'cotton' in Turkish). Just above the travertines lies Hierapolis, once a Roman and Byzantine spa city, which has considerable ruins and a museum.

Unesco World Heritage status has brought measures to protect the glistening bluffs, and put paid to the days of freely traipsing around, but the travertines remain one of Turkey’s singular experiences.

While the photogenic travertines get busloads of day-trippers passing through for a quick soak and photo op, staying overnight allows you to visit the site at sunset and dodge some of the crowds. 

This also gives time for a day trip to the beautiful and little-visited ancient ruins of Afrodisias and Laodicea, and to appreciate the village of Pamukkale itself.

Theory of death

After his father's death, the Son decided to leave his mother at old age home and visited her on and off. Once he received a call from old age home….Mom very serious ….. please come to visit. Son went and saw mom very critical, on her death bed. He asked: Mom what can I do for you? Mom replied… “Please install fans in the old age home, there are none…. Also put a fridge because many times I slept without food”.  Son was surprised and asked: mom, while you were here you never complained, now you have few hours left and you are telling me all this, why? Mom replied….."it’s OK dear, I've managed with the heat, hunger & pain, but when your children will send you here, I am afraid you will not be able to manage!"

The nelson lakes national park newzealand

The Nelson Lakes National Park is the northernmost part of the Southern Alps.

This area has a huge range of short and long walks which you can enjoy from a short stroll through the beech forest to remote mountain passes to challenge the experienced solitude-seeker.

The Nelson Lakes feature two beautiful lakes-glacier-carved Lake Rotoiti and Lake Rotoroa.

The Nelson Lakes National Park offers fantastic hiking, walking, fishing, kayaking and boating.

From every angle you will find you need to stop and photograph the impressive native beech forests, river valleys, glacial lakes and craggy peaks.

Nelson Lakes National Park is home to over 16 lakes including the Blue Lake –

recently discovered to have the clearest natural freshwater in the world.

Christmas celebration in Russia



In Russia, Christmas is annually celebrated on January 7th, thanks to the Russian Orthodox Church that has made it an official holidayin the country. Previously the occassion was observed on December 25th in much the same way as it was in the rest of the world, complete with Christmas trees and Christmas gifts, Saint Nicholas and the like. But after the 1917 Revolution, Christmas was banned throughout Russia, along with other religious celebrations. It was much much later, in 1992, that the holiday began to be openly observed again.



However, the church in Russia still uses the old Julian calendar which is 13 days behind the Gregorian calendar used in the Western nations. This is why,Christmas is celebrated in Russia on January 7th. But these days, a few Russians have begun to celebrate Christmason the 25th of December.



Today, Christmas is celebrated in the country in a grand fashion, with the faithful participating in an all-night Mass in Cathedrals. The main religion in Russia is called Russian Orthodox. The Russian Orthodox Church is more than one thousand years old and most of the Christian population in the country belong to it. In Russia, many people don't eat meat, eggs or milk from a few weeks before Christmas and it is customary to fast until after the first church service on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve dinner is meatless but festive.



The menu usually depends on the wealth of the families. A typical Christmas dinner however, includes delicacies such as hot roast Pirog (Russian pies made out of meat or cabbage), and Pelmeni (meat dumplings). The most important ingredient is a special porridge called kutya. The traditional ingredients that go in its preparation are wheatberries (or other grains which symbolize hope and immortality), and honey and poppy seeds which ensure happiness, success and peace. The kutya is eaten from a common dish to symbolize unity.