Digital Marketing

Educational Asthma Information to Consider Before Marriage…if You’re Both Asthmatics

Love can be a very strong feeling that can survive any difficulty that arises in a relationship. However, think carefully when it comes to deciding whether children are right for you if both you and your future spouse have asthma. Hereditary problems can increase the risk of having children who end up with asthma!

Is it love if two people knowingly bring a child into the world to go through life with the physical and psychological challenges of asthma? There are a lot of stresses and strains in a marriage without the problems of dealing with asthmatic children.

As you already know, children with asthma, like you, can radically change the dynamics of a family. One of the main causes of asthma is hereditary factors. In many cases, asthma is passed from parent to child. Therefore, if you both have asthma, one of you will most likely pass it on to your children if it increases significantly. This is not a certainty, but the chances of it happening are very high and it is something that must be taken into account.

Some experts have confirmed that a person who has a parent with asthma is three to six times more likely to develop asthma during their lifetime than a person who does not have a parent with asthma.

If this statement is true, then it is also true that if both parents have asthma, the chance of the child having asthma increases dramatically. Statistically speaking, 40% of children who have asthmatic parents will eventually grow up to develop asthma!

So am I saying couples with asthma shouldn’t get married?

Not necessarily.

Instead, couples with asthma need to recognize that this may be a very real possibility in the future. They must have a full understanding of what could be the result of getting married and be prepared to handle it.

There is no point in regretting it later in life when you start having children with asthma. It is best to know what to expect and be prepared to handle it.

Talk to your doctor and get their advice and prepare yourself on what you need to do to make the condition favorable if you do eventually give birth to children with asthma.

This is necessary because early detection of asthma can help protect your baby’s life than if you weren’t aware of it at all.

If couples with asthma knew what to expect, they would be better prepared to deal with it than if they were ignorant.

So before getting married as asthma sufferers, understand what to expect regarding the possibility of asthmatic children.

Relationship

5 Amazing Natural Remedies For Coughs And Colds For Young Children

It is difficult to sleep when you have a dry cough or stuffy nose. This leads to restlessness and irritability, which we all know is not good for anyone, especially children. If your child has a simple cough or cold, the best way to make them feel better is to make them comfortable while fighting the virus.

According to Catherine Tom-Revzon of Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, who is the Petdiatrics Clinical Pharmacy Manager, cough suppressants make children dizzy or hyperactive. She recommends trying some natural home remedies to relieve young children’s coughs and colds.

give him honey

According to recent studies, honey is ideal for relieving coughs compared to over-the-counter medicines. It is also known to help children sleep better when they are sick. Best of all, children love honey because it is sweet and delicious. Buckwheat or any dark honey are ideal because they have more antioxidants than other varieties.

Half a teaspoon is recommended for children ages 1-5, while children ages 6-11 may enjoy a teaspoon. Do not give honey to children under 1 year of age.

Prepare a salt water gargle

If your child is old enough and knows how to spit up fluids without swallowing, gargling with salt water is a good remedy for coughs and sore throats. Salt has powerful antibacterial properties, which is why salt water has long been used as a cough remedy.

Simply mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt with warm water and have your little one gargle the mixture.

keep it hydrated

Keeping children hydrated at all times is essential, what else if they are sick? Have your child drink plenty of fluids; this soothes a sore throat and thins the mucus, making it easier to cough. If they prefer something flavored, offer warm or cold juice or decaf tea with honey for older children.

Serve chicken noodle soup

Ever wonder why your mom always made chicken noodle soup every time you were sick? It’s because the warm soup helps loosen the mucus in your nasal passages, acting like a vaporizer. It also has anti-inflammatory properties, making it an effective remedy for coughs and colds.

Support your little one when he sleeps

Your child will be able to breathe better and sleep better if he sleeps in an elevated position. This allows the airways to open up, draining the mucus. Add an extra pillow under your toddler’s head at night to do just that.

Don’t worry, your little one will be better before you know it. Just follow these simple yet effective natural remedies for toddler coughs and colds.

Health Fitness

How to ride a bike safely on a busy road

The path to fitness is from the path itself.

Bicycling or riding a bike is steadily increasing in popularity as a means of transportation to get to school, office or work, and as a means of recreation. It also opened up many opportunities for sports enthusiasts to show their strength and stamina in cycling competitions or bicycle races.

Many of the studies done on the benefits of cycling show that a regular cycling routine helps reduce various risks and health problems due to our unhealthy lifestyle. First, it reduces our risk of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension and heart attack, among others. Secondly, it decreases the feeling of anxiety and depression that could be fatal if left untreated. Finally, it is also one of the important alternatives to lose weight. It burns our excess fat stored in our bodies and then turns this heavy baggage into muscle. In weight loss, it would be beneficial if exercise is accompanied by a healthy diet such as eating organic and nutritious foods. It would help a lot! But how to ride a bike safely on a busy road? Here are some friendly suggestions for your own safety.

Stay on track. There is nothing to worry about if we follow the traffic rules and regulations. Staying in a particular bike lane ensures safety from accidents or in between other incidents that may occur. Focus and open your eyes to some of the debris, humps, parked cars and so on.

Give a clue. The importance of signals when riding a bicycle reduces incidents, including crashes, bumps and other accidents. With the correct signals and with the right hand, it is also advisable to use vibrant colors to maintain visibility.

Get the most out of it. Of course, you will never be complete if you don’t combine your trip with fun and enjoyment. Feel the wind and let yourself be captivated by the beauty of nature. There is no room for aches and pains unless we think that physical exercise with joyous walking are the best partners for success.

Cycling has covered many miles and has already helped many people of various races, cultures, sizes, and shapes. It has changed the way we perceive managing our life to make it better every day. Therefore, it is not too late to include cycling as one of your daily routines. One pedal at a time and the finish line of the path to fitness is just ahead.

Legal Law

Top 10 Safety Tools for School Violence Prevention

After every school shooting on a K-12 campus, there is no shortage of tips, suggestions, or demands for change. Not all of these approaches are practical or possible; some are expensive, infeasible, and do not take into account the culture of the school district and the surrounding community.

Many experts offered by the media offer solutions that can hardly be done on most campuses: lock down every facility, hand out key cards to every student, install expensive cameras or panic alarm systems, try to monitor every visitor , ask the local police to place a full-time officer on site. So what will work to prevent these unpredictable (and rare but catastrophic) events?

It’s time to return to a calmer, common sense response to this national discussion, using tools and ideas that already exist or can be put to use on campus. This requires an approach to utilizing the critical components of school safety and violence prevention: safety planning, adjusting existing policies, installing cost-effective security devices, creating district-led threat assessment teams, and use of threat management protocols in real time.

We can also take guidance from the 2002 “Safe School Initiative” report created by the US Secret Service: Most shooters do not warn their targets directly; they tell a third party, and many of them feel disconnected, discontent, depressed and vindictive. A team is needed to run our schools and districts; a team will be needed to respond to the problem of school violence. Consider these must-haves for our K-12 schools:

1. Hire more school counselors (trained in threat assessment and response).

The ratio of counselors to students is painfully low. They are pulled in many directions and are not always able to talk to as many students in crisis as they would like. In addition to increasing their number state by state, they must be fully trained in best practices for threat assessment and violence risk assessment.

2. Parent involvement (in school safety and behavior problems).

The DARE drug abuse and violence prevention program uses a triangular model, soliciting the support of schools, police and parents. Parents are sometimes the least supportive and that helps the concept fail. Each campus must have current contact information for each student’s parent or guardian. They need to be brought in to discuss what they are seeing at home with high risk students.

3. Gun safety education (for kids, and urgent for parents to use trigger locks and safes).

College shooters often get their guns by stealing them from their families. Many people still believe that their children will not find their weapons, so carefully hidden in dressers, bedside tables, under beds and in closets. We need a national campaign to secure every gun in every home. We need to use federal grants or funds, and even giveaways with low-cost trigger locks or gun safes, provided by gun manufacturers.

4. Gold Star Program (reaching those children who have fallen into oblivion).

This unique idea is simple: During staff development days, print lists of the names of all the students in the school and post them on the walls of unused classrooms. Ask teachers to place a gold star next to the name of any student with whom you have not had contact. Patterns will emerge quickly, showing kids that they haven’t had support or interaction from anyone on campus (a risk factor in the Secret Service study).

5. Anonymous tip lines (for threats, pending fights, and other security issues).

Students who tell us after a shooting that they knew it could happen (another factor in the Secret Service study), demonstrate the need to be able to tell adults, anonymously and in a protected way. This includes recorded message lines, Twitter accounts, or other privacy-controlled social networking sites, where campus administrators can monitor, investigate, and determine the validity of the information.

6. Security officers and campus devices (cameras, better door hardware, classroom phone lines, etc.).

In a perfect world, where cost was not a factor, we would have the luxury of putting a trained, handpicked, and armed security officer on every campus. Until then, the use of trained, selected and vigilant security agents has deterrent and early warning value. Cost-effective security devices are available to create entry bottlenecks, stronger classrooms, and mass notification systems. Security is not someone else’s job. Every employee should know that he or she is in charge of keeping themselves and everyone else safe. Teachers and staff who raise potential safety concerns with the principal or police should be rewarded.

7. Media plans (already implemented).

Just as the police and military have a “go bag,” school districts should create multiple copies of an organized and up-to-date media kit. They need a trained spokesperson, who has already met with the Public Information Officer or local police chief, and can speak accurately on behalf of the district and its campuses.

8. Regular drills (evacuation, safe rooms, fire, earthquake, tornado).

Under stress we respond as to how we have been trained. If you’ve never been reminded to dial “9” first to get an outside line before dialing 911, or that if you dial 911 on your cell phone, the state highway patrol may respond, then under stress it’s may not respond. correctly. Students, teachers, administrators, and staff must participate in regular active shooter drills; lockdown/shelter-in-place/or safe room drills; and fire and disaster drills. The key to success against an armed perpetrator is safe evacuations, barricaded safe rooms, or fighting until the police arrive.

9. Daily police presence (and interactions with students).

If there is no assigned school resource officer, local police and sheriffs should increase their patrols of perimeters, parking lots, and even taking walks on campus, every day, at irregular times. The more they can see and be seen by students as a source of help, and not the enemy, the better.

10. A District-led Threat Assessment Team (which meets regularly).

As with workplace violence prevention efforts in organizations, there is great power and intelligence harnessed when stakeholders in a school district can meet in person or by conference call, for high threat situations. This includes bomb threats; gang problems; a student making veiled threats or creating disturbing essays or drawings; threats to or by the employee, including domestic violence; angry, disruptive, or threatening parents; or any event that poses significant liability or risk to the District, staff, and students. Members of the Threat Assessment Team (TAT) often include District administrators and school business officials, risk and security managers, principals, expert teachers, counselors, psychologists, attorneys, and security officers.

Lifestyle Fashion

Do you want to know how to cut your own dogs nails? Find out if you should

Do you want to know how to cut your dog’s nails? First, find out if you should! Here are 20 specific signs to help you decide.

“How do I trim my own dog’s nails?” is the number one question heard at the groomer from the conscientious dog owner. The real question is SHOULD you trim your own dog’s nails? The average owner doesn’t realize that clipping their dog’s nails can trigger a huge fear reaction in their furry friend. The feelings he provokes in his dog are similar to what a human child would experience when receiving a needle vaccination. Children often have tantrums and it is impossible to comfort them if they know that they will receive a needle vaccination. Dogs are no different with nail clipping, except that their tantrums involve biting down and releasing their intestines. This fear-driven behavior is usually a complete shock to the average dog owner, and the trust lost between dog and owner is significant and costly. Most dog owners find that the emotional and physical toll of clipping their own dogs’ nails is simply too high.

Here are the factors to consider when deciding if you’re in the 20th percentile of dog owners who can clip their own dogs’ nails without causing emotional or physical pain to your dog (or yourself).

Do you consider yourself an anxious person?

.Do new experiences generally cause you more concern than curiosity?

.Are you afraid of giving or receiving a needle vaccine?

Are you scared to see your own blood?

Scared to see your own dog’s blood?

Does the sight of your own blood or your dog’s blood scare your dog?

Can you stand your dog jerking and pulling while you hold him?

Can you bear to hear your dog whine and/or yell even when there is no physical pain?

Can you handle your dog experiencing the sustained fear that you are causing him?

.Are you the first person to offer sympathy to a friend or child when they are worried or hurt?

Do people tell you that you have ‘your heart in your hand’?

.When you try new things, do you tend to move more slowly than fast?

Does your dog have black nails?

Does your dog handle changes with great anxiety?

Does your dog get scared when you hold or manipulate its paws?

.Does your dog have bad experiences with nail trimming by you or others?

.Has your dog ever been scared enough to bite you or someone else?

Do you need a muzzle for your dog to brush?

Has the fear of making your dog’s nails bleed prevented you in the past from trying to trim his nails?

.If your dog’s nails bleed on your floor, furniture or clothes, will that bother you?

If you’ve answered yes to 5 or more of these questions, you may want to reconsider whether or not you really want to learn how to trim your own dog’s nails. Your dog may still feel anxious and worried during a professional nail trim, but wouldn’t you rather he felt angry at the groomer than you, just as a parent would prefer his child to be angry at the nurse with the needle? instead of themselves? And both the nurse and groomer have been trained (and hopefully experienced) in the quickest and easiest methods of keeping their subjects calm. Experience goes a long way when it comes to fear triggers, and nail trimming is the number one fear trigger for dogs in the grooming room. The fee for the nail trim is not prohibitive in terms of time or cost, typically ranging from $5-$20.00 per visit, and many stores like Pooch Parlor accept walk-in nail trims and perform this task in less than 5 minutes. . The cost of losing your dog’s trust in you far exceeds the cost of regular nail trimming at the groomer.

For those brave humans who are confident that they and/or their dog can try trimming their nails at home, check out the step-by-step written and video tutorial at http://www.thepoochparlor.net. Happy trimming!

Copyright 2010 DuAnn Lustig Chambers

Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you print the author information and keep all links active.

Pets

What is the Kindle with special offers and is it worth it?

What is this new Kindle with Special Offers that Amazon has been offering since the beginning of May? What features does it have? Is it better or worse than previous models? You will find all the answers right here.

How is the Kindle Special Offers device different from other Kindles?

This new Kindle is identical to the Wi-Fi-only Kindle that Amazon currently offers, in addition to the Wi-Fi and 3G Kindle. It has the same functions as the Wi-Fi enabled device, allowing you to freely connect to a wireless Internet network whenever you are within range of one in a cafe or in your own home.

How is this Kindle different from the others?

The device itself is identical in characteristics to the other models, but it has one big difference. Whenever the old Kindle device was idle, it would turn on a screen saver with an image of a famous author. But with the new model, you’ll see a full page “special offer.” Basically, it’s an ad that offers you a gift card or a significant discount on a product for signing up for a new credit card or making a purchase.

These ads will also appear on the bottom row of the Kindle screen when you’re reading your book. They are quite small and inconspicuous, so they don’t really get in the way.

How much is this new Kindle?

There has to be a reason Amazon can get away with showing ads on a device you paid over $100 for. It’s the fact that they dropped the price from $139 (the price of the Wi-Fi-only model with no ads). ) to $114.00. Basically, you’re getting the exact same Wi-Fi-enabled device, just for $25 less because you’re willing to look at or consider taking advantage of the ads.

What ads will I see?

The Kindle device with special offers will display ads from car companies like Buick, hygiene companies like Olay, and banking and credit card companies like Chase and Visa. Amazon also gives away coupons from time to time.

Which Kindle is the best option for my needs?

If you want to save money, you definitely need to get the Kindle on special deals, especially if you don’t need 3G access everywhere you go. If you were planning to get the WiFi-only version in the first place, save yourself $25 and get the Kindle on specials.

Remember, there’s nothing different about this Kindle than the Wi-Fi-only Kindle above, so you’re not sacrificing any quality or features. You’re simply skipping the regular screen saver option in favor of viewing offers and ads instead.

Real Estate

Need help creating a cleaning checklist for AirBnbs and vacation rentals?

Whether you’re renting your home through Airbnb or planning a family reunion at your vacation property, a cleanup plan is key. Before you pack a suitcase or post a listing, your residence should be clean, organized, and ready to enjoy. The following is a checklist of must-have cleaning solutions.

Cleaning checklist for your Airbnb or vacation home

1. The bathroom

Tub, shower, sink and floor tiles have been scrubbed, sanitized and shined between rental check-ins or vacation stays. The inside and outside of the toilet, under the rim and around the tiles should also be cleaned and disinfected. Don’t forget the mirrors. They’ll need that glass cleaner shine to make sure you or your guests’ reflections are sharp. Instead of a candle, use a complementary fragrance. Citrus or floral are the best options for the bathroom. Oh, and don’t forget to replenish the toilet paper.

2. The kitchen

Start with the sink and scrub with a bleach product. Next, clean and polish the faucets and knobs. Also, with garbage disposals, run it through baking soda and white vinegar. Now the fridge. Even if it’s empty, clean and sanitize it. One tip is to keep a box of baking soda with the lid ajar in the fridge between stays. Clean and disinfect countertops, including window frames and counter edges. You may need to take a toothbrush with baking soda or grout cleaner to the tile grout. The stove also needs attention. Clean the hood with a degreasing agent, as well as the inside of the range and the top of the range. If the range has a self-clean function, run it as well. A thorough sweep of the floor is necessary, especially in corners, before mopping with a sanitizing floor mop. Adding an additional fragrance will eliminate the cleaner smell.

3. The bedroom

Clean sheets and down are everything. He vacuums every part of the room, even under the bed. Dryer sheets in the drawers will also give off a fresh, clean scent. Make sure the drawer liners are clean and replace them if they are torn or damaged. You can also add a fragrance plugin here. Clean clothes are the best option. Don’t forget about the closet – you’ll need to vacuum and air it out. A partially opened box of baking soda or some dryer sheets in the closet between visits are also key to fresh, moisture-free closets.

4. Living rooms/common spaces

Living rooms, family rooms and dining rooms need a good vacuuming and/or sweeping and damp mopping between visits. It is also important to dust and clean all wood surfaces with furniture cleaners. Glass cleaner on the TV screen or glass cabinet doors is key, as is a light spray of fabric refresher on all furniture cushions. Be sure to check all light fixtures to make sure the bulbs are working, and don’t forget to dust lampshades both inside and out. Also vacuum and clean all air and heater vents.

Once the cleaning checklist is complete, you’ll want to take a tour. Think of it like walking into a new house or a hotel room and see what it looks like. Careful attention to every room will ensure a happy visit to your vacation home with friends and family, as well as happy Airbnb customers who will rate your space after their visit. You’ll want top grades every time!

Your best bet for top ratings and a clean Airbnb or vacation property is to hire a maid service. They’re not just for permanent homes and offices!

Shopping Product Reviews

Learn Japanese Phrases – The Most Useful Japanese Shopping Phrases To Get The Best Gifts From Japan

The Japanese language is not very easy to learn for a new person who is trying to become fluent. However, if you are planning to go to Japan for a visit, then you should try to learn some basic Japanese phrases, it’s actually not that difficult. Read on to learn the essential phrases to try and remember to make your shopping experience memorable and fun. Imagine telling your friends that you were actually able to speak Japanese to bargain and buy their gifts!

The vast majority of words used in Japanese are very different from English or any other language in the world. Still, there are some very common words and phrases in the Japanese language that we use on a daily basis in our conversation. Some of the commonly used Japanese words include samurai, geisha, karaoke, kimono, etc., and you can find even more if you look around. Here I will show you some of the basic Japanese shopping phrases that you should learn to have a great shopping experience in Japan:

1. Whenever you go to a market, the first thing you might ask is “What is this?” and in Japanese you can ask “Kore wa nan desu ka?”

2. You can ask the price of the item you choose by asking “Ikura desu ka?” which means “how much?”

3. If you are trying to find something useful or just window shopping and the store manager asks you if you need anything in particular then you can reply “Just looking!” saying “Miteru dake desu!”

4. When the store manager shows you something and you don’t like it, but you still want to see something similar, then you can ask “Anything else?” or in Japanese “Nanika hokani arimasu ka?”

5. If you find some items to buy and the shop keeper keeps showing you different items, you can end your shopping by saying “Sore de zenbu desu!” which means “That’s it!”

6. If you would like something smaller or larger than what is shown, you can ask “Anything smaller?” saying “Motto chiisai no wa?” or “Something bigger?” saying “Motto ookii no wa?”

7. If you think the store manager is asking a huge amount for the item, you can express your concern by saying “Too expensive” or “Takasu-gimasu.”

8. Also, you can apply for some discount on the item by using the common Japanese shopping phrase “Waribiki wa arimasu ka?” which means “Any discount?”

9. If you think the item shown to you is small, you can tell the seller that it is “Too small!” saying “Chiisasugiru”.

10. Similarly, if the item is larger than what you need, you should tell the store manager “Ookisugiru!” which means “too big”.

Just by learning these small but useful Japanese shopping phrases, you can easily go through the markets of Tokyo or any other Japanese city and find what you want to buy for your friends and family.

Sports

salad days

Some forms of salad have been eaten for centuries, originally made primarily of cabbage and root vegetables, flavored with vinegar, oils, and herbs. The ancient Greeks believed that raw green vegetables promoted good digestion, and the Romans agreed. The first records of lettuce appeared in the 6th century BC. C., although they looked little like our current varieties.

Salads have come a long way from the pedestrian version of lettuce, tomato, and cucumber. Today there is no end to the hundreds of varieties, toppings, and dressings available to our salad-crazed nation. In the 1920s, they found success when restaurant chefs created Caesar, Chef, Cobb, and fruit salads. Canned vegetables and fruits became more readily available and added to the mix, allowing Americans to eat salads all year long. Simple vinegar and oil made way for bottled dressings and mayonnaise, paving the way for “joined salads.” It sounds a little weird, but this category includes some of our favorites: Tuna Salad, Chicken Salad, Egg Salad, Ham Salad, Shrimp, and Crab Salad. Chicken came first, appearing in cookbooks in the mid-19th century, tuna much later with the advent of canned tuna. In the late 1930s, Spam made ham salad easy and egg salad a natural. With the introduction of Jello gelatin, molded salads took a colorful place in any lunch.

Restaurateur Robert Cobb created the salad that bears his name at his Brown Derby restaurant in Hollywood; The chef’s salad debuted at the Ritz Carlton in New York and originally included sliced ​​ox tongue along with ham and cheese. (Thankfully, in later years, turkey or chicken replaced ox tongue.) In the early days of Hollywood, Caesar salad was embraced by stars, who happily ate this trendy salad at some of their favorite restaurants. The creator, Caesar Cardini, eventually bottled and sold his signature dressing in the Los Angeles area. A favorite restaurant in Chicago, the Blackhawk, featured its signature “salad spinner” along with each entrée on the menu, served tableside.

French chefs prepared vinaigrette dressings with oil, herbs, chopped shallots, and paprika throughout the 19th century. Those especially adventurous added tomato sauce, which became the base for the classic French dressing. Kraft Foods, in 1939, introduced its popular, orange-colored version. Boomers remember it being sprinkled on iceberg lettuce. Miracle Whip appeared around the same time, labeled as a salad dressing, but used primarily to bind together chopped meat, poultry, or eggs for a tasty sandwich filling. In the 1920s, the Green Goddess Dressing Room was created in a San Francisco restaurant in honor of a play of the same name. (Good thing death of a seller did not start that same year.)

Colonial America grew lettuce in their home gardens, along with cabbage, beans, and root vegetables. A delicate seasonal food, it was enjoyed only in the summer and was not available year-round until the 20th century, when California grew and shipped head lettuce across the country. There is no doubt that enthusiastic President Thomas Jefferson experimented with a number of varieties that were served daily to his family and dinner guests, with vinaigrette dressing or a sprinkle of herbs and mayonnaise (his chef was trained from him). in France).

As Americans developed more sophisticated tastes, traditional iceberg lettuce took a back seat to romaine lettuce, arugula, endive, radicchio, and field greens. Originally, these varieties were considered elite greens due to price and expiration. Lately, retro salads are popping up with iceberg lettuce quarters and dressing. For Boomers who grew up on this stuff, it goes back to the 50s along with Spam salad, meatloaf, canned fruit cocktail, and popsicles.

With Americans’ love of pasta, it was only a matter of time before pasta salad emerged, first appearing as a simple macaroni salad, giving way to more sophisticated versions and add-ins.

European immigrants brought their potato salad recipes to America, both hot and cold, that used the inexpensive, easy-to-grow potato as a hearty base. Europe was serving potato salad as early as the 17th century, usually mixed with vinegar, oil, and bacon, the forerunner of German potato salad, served hot. Warmer climates enjoyed cold potatoes with cream and vegetables. Not far behind in the cooking department, the French went a step further and added mayonnaise, herbs, and mustard—Dijon, of course. (No self-respecting Frenchman would even think of using yellow mustard the way Americans do.)

Since the 1970s, when salad bars became of rigor, the humble salad has taken center stage, no longer an afterthought alongside an entrée. Supermarkets stock pre-packaged lettuce and salad toppings, boxed pasta salad mixes, and rows of colorful greens and veggies, all ready for dressing. No longer considered “rabbit food”, we can enjoy it almost anywhere. So come up to the bar and go for it.

Tours Travel

Glimpses of Siem Reap: The Gateway to Angkor Wat

The airport

For those of you who travel, most will agree that airports don’t get exclamations or compliments from those who pass through. Well I’m here to tell you that the little two bedroom Siem Reap airport is a real gem. Built in a minimalist style with smooth dark stone and richly colored wood, it truly is a breath of fresh air in airport architecture. If it was a fancy hotel lobby, I would not have batted an eyelash and been wowed. You know you’re in a special place when you arrive somewhere and you get really excited to see the city beyond, just based on the airport. Silly, I know, but in this case, it didn’t let me down.

Airport road and Siem Reap city

Siem Reap is a bustling city with grand hotels of all shapes and sizes, but none higher than four stories so as not to block the Angkor Wat sunset! Pretty. The airport road, which is the main thoroughfare from the airport to and around Siem Reap, apparently has one hotel project after another. Some are quite large resorts with Khmer architecture, while others are something of a hodgepodge of styles and appearance. The road is called best hotel row. Once in the city, there are a large number of hostels, inns, hotels and true resorts to choose from. I stayed at the Hotel De La Paix and I have to say that it was one of the best hotels I have ever stayed at. See article about Hotel De la Paix at http://www.thinktraveltips.com. Among the hostels that I saw and found them quite nice were Mom’s Guesthouse, Happy Guest house and Villa Siem Reap. There are countless guest houses and hostels in Siem Reap, so take a look at http://www.hostelworld.com for advice. As for hotels, there are a number of really luxurious 4 and 5* resorts to stay in that rival and beat many of its brethren around the world. The aforementioned, Hotel De La Paix (in Siem Reap city), the elegant Huber Amansara hotel (just a few steps from the city center) where Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie stayed just a few days before my arrival in Siem Reap, Le Meridien Angkor (approximately 1 kilometer from the city), Sofitel d’Angkor (1 kilometer from the city) and Le Residence (approximately 1 kilometer from the city). These last two hotels are quite large resort complexes. For a more intimate stay, there is the 4* FCC Angkor hotel, which is located in the residence of the former French ambassador. The hotel restaurant is one of the best and al fresco dining is a must if the weather permits. Then there’s the 75-year-old Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor and one of Asia’s most revered hotels. I remember reading about this hotel when I was younger. It sounded so real with the world’s social elite gathering in their restaurants to eat and drink. When I went for a cocktail I was taken in by the sense of history but I must say I was not overwhelmed by the public areas. The hotel is pretty safe, but something was definitely missing for me. I was talking to a hotel guest and his wife from Hawaii who came to Raffles for their honeymoon. They stayed in a deluxe suite and asked to change rooms twice before settling on a room that wasn’t “tired or looking its full age.”

the wats

Money is pouring into this small part of Cambodia as are tourists, en masse. I have no doubt that ten or twenty years from now no one will be allowed to walk inside the Wats themselves, looking at them from a distance, unless the number of people admitted is severely reduced. Simply put, these staggeringly beautiful creations, some built by man over 1,000 years ago, are crumbling faster than at any other time. Sure, it has to do with global warming and changing weather patterns, but millions of hands touching the walls of these wats, as well as going up, down and around have definitely taken a toll there. I even saw several places where the walls of many of these wats are covered in vandalism, which is very disturbing on many levels.

I cannot adequately describe the feelings I had when I first set foot in the first temple at Angkor Thom. You can see these architectural wonders on TV and in many of the travel magazines, but seeing them in person is overwhelmingly powerful.

After getting a Wat pass, good for 24 hours and up to, in my case, 2 temple complexes (cost was $40 USD), I took a 15-minute tuk tuk ride from my hotel to the first of several Watts. We skipped Angkor Wat because I was told it’s better to visit later when it’s less crowded. When we drive by, there must be thousands of people, no exaggeration, around the huge complex.

We headed to Angkor Thom, which was mesmerizingly beautiful. It looked like a land of the lost set, being that it was built in 1295. The good thing was that there weren’t many tourists clamoring for photos or anything else. I really had a chance to take it all in.

We then drove about 25 minutes to Banteay Srei, which was the oldest Wat we went to, built in the 10th century. It was small compared to the other Wats we saw, but visually impressive. The reds and oranges of the stone shimmered in the sun. It was eerily quiet when we got there and it gave me a chance to sit and look at the carvings which were, of course, done by hand. Going in and out of some of the temple chambers allowed me to see a wonder of the world up close and personal. Once again, I can’t imagine the Cambodian government letting people walk free. Foot traffic is too great. Yeah I know, there was no one there when I got there, but I have a feeling I got lucky.

A word about the bazaars that populate the areas just outside of Wats. You will be surrounded by people trying to sell their products. You can get cheap t-shirts and the like at these places, but for the most part the souvenirs are the same everywhere, so if you’re looking for cheap gifts, these roadside markets are the places to go. art, there are a number of galleries in the “city of bars” of Siem Reap, which I will write about in a moment.

After a late afternoon lunch of veggies and fish for about $3, I got back in my tuk and headed to Angkor Wat, which I was really looking forward to…and it did not disappoint in any way. The amount of people in the temple was bewildering, but Angkor Wat is so majestic that I was not going to get frustrated getting to the shrine itself. God, this place was huge. And so indescribable. Almost cry. It was a strange feeling. I always wanted to travel to Cambodia and to be more exact, Angkor Wat. I read it as a child in my travel anthologies that I used to read and in the Asia travel newsletters that my father subscribed to. I have been approached many times when traveling to Thailand and Vietnam, but there were always extenuating circumstances that prevented me from going. In the 1990s, it was the fighting that was still going on…and only about five or six years ago was it really safe to travel, although tourists have been visiting for many years at that time. As I walk through the first gate, you realize how large the Watt grounds are. Acres and acres of grass and other monuments lead up to the central Wat that is Angkor Wat.

The steps of the Wat are weathered to a beautiful patina. The walls are solid and the carvings are beautiful. In most places you can touch the walls and feel the history… and also the bullet holes that pierced many of the walls during the war. When I reached a very steep staircase that led to the central gallery of the tallest inner tower, I thought of the pyramids at Chitzen Itza, Mexico, where my brother, when he was very young, climbed to the top, but could not climb back up. bottom. We laugh about it all the time, but now, I wasn’t laughing. These were steep and narrow stairs and although I’m not afraid of heights, I don’t like the idea of ​​slipping and falling backwards. Needless to say, I didn’t travel all this way to miss the top of one of the most iconic architectural wonders. I went up and up and did not look up or back. I just focused on the steps. When I did, I felt triumphant and elated. The view was glorious. I wish there weren’t hundreds of other people there with me. But I have to say that everyone was equally amazed and excited to be there. Now going down was another matter. One could have waited in a 35 minute line to get back down using a chain link ladder or just walk down the incredibly steep incline without waiting at all. Of course others in my party just went down the steps like it was a game. Me, I waited and waited and waited… and I couldn’t have been happy. I can’t wait to go back.

A tip or two: bring wet wipes as your hands will be dirty as will your clothes, bring bottled water and very comfortable walking or tennis shoes WITH RUBBER SOLES. You will definitely find yourself slipping if you have anything other than rubber on your feet.

AFTER TOURISM

PUB STREET (SIEM REAP) and PUB STREET ALLEY

Talk about being in a small town in Cambodia and the first thing you hear coming out of a bar is Donna Summer’s McCarthur Park. The world is not that big. The now famous and some would say infamous Pub Street is a few blocks east of the “old market” and is a two block area that is cordoned off for all cars and motorcycles. These are small pedestrian streets and picturesque alleys, packed with restaurants (French, Thai, Cambodian, Indian, Italian, etc.), art galleries and bars of all kinds. From raucous shot bars to quieter and more exclusive jazz and piano bars. I had a great time walking around and taking it all in. Most bars and restaurants don’t start to fill up until, say, 5 or 6, but if you want some atmosphere, go around 9 or later. Some stay open very late. There are always tuk tuks to take you back to where you are staying.

Some fun bars and restaurants:

ivy bar

martini bar

the temple club

angkor what

Linga Bar

The Red Piano Restaurant

Karma Sutra Restaurant

Word of advice: watch out for the Happy Herb Pizza. Is what it seems.

Have fun, travel safe.