Located in the village of Bresala, in the middle of an exceptionally fine area of jungle, the Kayon Jungle Resort had everything to make our stay a total “get away from it all” experience. I couldn’t even have dreamed a better environment for relaxing and taking my first flower bath. Or a more magical place to do a yoga course. How could anybody not go overboard about the luxuriant vegetation,…
I’d dreamed for a long time of going to Bali, island of the Gods. It’s so named because it’s a Hindu land in the middle of Muslim Indonesia, and also because the gods must have favoured it specially to make it so beautiful. Here you leave everything behind you, and lose yourself in what is essential. I went there with a girlfriend, and we booked via a travel agency so…
This is the chain of chilled food storage and distribution. Micro-organisms multiply rapidly in food at room temperature so the solution, to avoid food poisoning, is to make sure that the cold chain isn’t broken. Bacteria are everywhere in the environment, and some can affect the quality of products and be dangerous to health. Below 5°C, their growth is slowed down or even stopped. Maintaining standards for temperatures makes it…
Between publicity, lobbying, news, fashion and scientific reality, it’s often hard to choose the right path when it comes to food. Gluten is a case in point; at present, anything and everything is being said about it. Here’s why it’s essential to give it serious thought. GM crops and gluten We now know how GMOs, or genetically-modified organisms, can be harmful not only to our health but also to the…
As soon as I entered the Ritz-Carlton Istanbul, on this sunny Monday, I knew at once that this hotel would enchant me just like the other Ritz hotels. Ideally located in the very heart of the city, the hotel offers a magnificent panorama of the Bosphorus. How could anyone resist the magic of the place? When you’re surrounded by its Turkish-themed decor, it’s very easy to drift away amongst the…
For some months I was in a club with a very big membership – people who have difficulty sleeping. I’d been having trouble getting to sleep, and I’d been waking up in the middle of the night and then not being able to get back to sleep again. Being a supporter of gentle methods, that’s where I started to try to deal with the problem, with transformational breathing, meditation, herbal…
Apart from being an excellent alternative to starchy foods, quinoa is our partner for beautiful skin. This plant is not only a favourite with vegetarians and vegans; it’s also known for its healing qualities, its anti-aging effect, and as a food that helps resist spots and acne. Quinoa, a grain with real benefits for your skin Consisting of 70% carbohydrates and 15% proteins, quinoa is ideal for people with gluten…
I’m having an interesting sports experience that I’d like to share with you. For the last three months, I’ve been doing Pilates on a ‘Megaformer’ machine at Community Megaformer studio. I take two courses per week, on top of my usual routine. The Megaformer is often confused with the ‘Reformer’, but the Lagree method is different. (Lagree is the name of the Megaformer designer and coach). With Lagree, you do,…
Do you know Vienna? I’ve just spent a few days in the Austrian capital. I walked in the footsteps of Empress Sisi and Crown Prince Rudolf, and I admired the fabulous palaces and magnificent gardens. I also had the good luck to see Madame Butterfly at the Vienna State Opera. In Vienna, the grand story of Europe is still ever-present in the 21st century. If you’re planning a romantic/cultural getaway…
Located right next to China, Hong Kong and Macau have led their own lives for nearly two centuries in the one case and four in the other. Hong Kong was a British colony, more or less, for 155 years; and Macau was under Portuguese administration for four hundred years. About twenty years ago, they went back to being – almost – Chinese, as Chinese administrative regions enjoying a special regime,…