HIMALAYAN MIRROR GANGTOK, WEDNESDAY 06 AUGUST 2014 Bohemian elegance A t the end of my two-day tour in Prague, I was still complaining of not having enough time to see all that The Czech Republic Capital has to offer. With so much to see, the complaint was easily understandable. But for those who wish to see the whole and the best of Prague, I would suggest to take your place in the Prague All Inclusive Tour that shows you the ‘best of Prague’ or stay here for at least three days. Prague Castle is the most visited attraction in the city. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, The Prague Castle — The King of all Castles — is the largest coherent castle complex in the world, with an area of almost 70,000 square meters. A UNESCO World Heritage site, it consists of palaces and ecclesiastical buildings of various architectural styles, from Roman-style to Gothic. The castle has three huge courtyards, so allow yourself at least a few hours when visiting it. It is the castle where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and Presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept here. The sheer beauty and magnificence of the entire castle will leave you spellbound. Prague’s heart beats in the Old Town Square. This famous square was the stage of many major events, tragic or glorious, throughout Czech history. The present day square is a magical place, with an unmistakable atmosphere, perhaps because it is as old as the city itself. The square is filled with tourists, terraces, souvenir shops and galleries. It is also the starting point for the horse drawn carriage rides or meeting place for different city tours. One can see buildings in different architectural John of Nepomuk! You will notice it by its plaque, polished to styles that lend this place a unique atmosphere. The Rococo a shine by the many tourists who have already touched it as it Kinsky Palace, the Gothic Tyn Cathedral and the monumental is supposed to bring good luck. Baroque St. Nicholas Church are the known buildings. The Right by Charles Bridge is Kampa Island where you can Square is dominated by the monument of Jan Hus, one of the have a wonderful stroll. Beautiful vistas of the river, Charles most important Czech reformers and River, castle, palaces, museums Bridge, the Lesser Town and the Old nationalists. Town open up from here. You will I was tempted to just sit down in and islands…Prague has come across an artificially constructed one of the pavements cafes that dot everything a tourist could ask for canal called the Devil’s Canal. The first the entire square to fully appreciate Prague mill delivering flour even to the the beauty of it. After coming here, one should not miss to Prague Castle used to be on Kampa. The original huge millclimb the Old Town Hall Tower for a stunning 360 degree view wheel of Smeltry Mill from the 13th century can be seen here over the square. The medieval Orloj (astronomical clock), one when it was the property of the knights of St.John. Nowadays of Prague’s best-known monuments, outside the Hall Tower, is it’s considered to be the most picturesque corner on the whole very popular for its intricate construction. Every hour a small of Kampa. While strolling you might come across Lenon’s trap door opens and Christ marches out ahead of his disciples Wall too which was once a normal wall since the murder of — the 12 Apostles, while the skeleton of death tolls the bell to Beatles’ John Lenon. It’s filled with Lennon-inspired graffiti a defiant statue of a Turk. and pieces of lyrics from Beatles’ songs. Tourists make their Walking on the Charles Bridge or taking a cruise on the river own sketches and get themselves photographed too. Vltava is yet another must-do thing in Prague. The river winds Another place to take a stroll is up the Petrin Hill which is a through Prague like a silver ribbon. It divides the city into two landscaped hill above the left bank of the Vltava River. To and without it, Prague would not be Prague, and probably reach the top, I took the Funicular Railway, which departs from would not exist at all. Charles Bridge is the most famous and Ujezd Street in the Lesser Town but one can take a taxi too. most stunning of all Prague bridges built on the Vltava River. There is a Petrin Observation Tower which was built as free Spanning 16 arches and lined with 30 Baroque statues of reli- copy of the Paris’ Eiffel Tower. It is 60m high, five times smallgious figures, the bridge is 1,700 ft. long and imparts a gor- er than the Eiffel Tower but it gives a magnificent view of geous view of the city and the river. Every afternoon, painters Prague. While in Prague, one must take a leisurely walk on the and hot-dog vendors line up here and so do tourists who soak famous Neruda Street, one of the quaintest streets. Named after in the best views of the Vltava River. If you arrive at dawn, you Jan Neruda, an important Czech poet, writer and journalist, the will beat the crowds and enjoy a glorious sunrise. You can have street is a living textbook of Baroque style houses which are your portrait sketched by one of the street artists, or peruse the decorated with lovely, ornately-shaped gables and, in places, many stands of photos, prints and paintings of Prague for sale. with pretty portals. Every building could tell a story about the But on your way don’t forget to stop and touch the statue of St. extraordinary lives of its owners, including famous people. How to boost your metabolism W hether one is planning to lose weight or wants to maintain current weight, boosting metabolism is always of concern. The key lies in maintaining the right balance between exercise, caloric intake and managing stress. There are several ways to give your metabolism an extra push. Today, Shachi Sohal, H.O.D of the Dietetics Dept at Dr. B.L. Kapur Hospital, tells us the top 6 ways to boost metabolism. Add breakfast to your daily meal planner: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. By skipping breakfast your body assumes that you're fasting and as a result it responds by slowing down your metabolism. Each morning, your body needs to rev up its metabolic rate and breakfast does exactly that. It keeps your hormone levels stable and helps regulate your blood sugar level, burning more calories. Eat more protein: It has been seen that the body requires 25% more energy to digest proteins as compared to carbohydrates and fat. However, the diet should be a balanced one, so try to substitute carbohydrates with proteins (e.g. potato with soy- bean, French fries with chicken). Also make sure you are eating healthy snacks. This will keep your blood sugar levels stable. Small frequent meals at regular intervals are always advisable. Water should be your best friend: The most forgotten nutrient 'water' is crucial for overall health. Water is also a natural appetite suppressant and washes out surplus amount of sodium and toxins from the body. An ideal healthy diet should include adequate amounts of liquids, such as fruit juices, skimmed milk etc. This is because if a person is dehydrated, he or she tends to feel more fatigued. Beverages like sweetened sodas, ultra sugary drinks should be avoided. According to a study pub- lished in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 'green tea has thermogenic properties and promotes fat oxidation beyond that explained by its caffeine content per se.' Be stress free and burn calories. Studies suggest that stress poses a major hindrance in losing weight. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, a minimum of 20 minutes of exercise on a daily basis can reduce stress and improve overall health. This is because of a great mind-body connection. A body under stress has heightened levels of the cortisol hormone in the bloodstream, which suppresses the immune system and slows down digestion. So, the first step in boosting metabolism should be to cope with any stressful conditions. Certain spices are believed to increase metabolism but increasing spices to increase the rate of metabolism can be hazardous to health as it may cause hyperacidity, ulcers etc. Workout with weights: The more lean muscle you have, the more calories you'll burn, even while resting. Gaining muscle mass boosts your metabolism and makes losing weight much easier. In a bid to give a boost to your metabolism and tighten your body on the whole, you must lift heavier weights for lesser number of repetitions. The tension in the body by lifting heavy weights will tone your body adequately. Get enough chromium in your diet: Chromium is a vital mineral naturally found within the body and in some foods, such as apples, broccoli, green peppers, mushrooms, potatoes, and brewer's yeast. Many studies have revealed that the mineral helps in losing weight. It actually increases insulin's power to decrease the amount of body fat.The University of Maryland Medical Centre recommends only 600 mcg of chromium per day, if you are taking it in supplement form. TRAVEL/LIFESTYLE/ FOOD Mad over food Y ou name it. They’ve tried it. No. these are not stuntmen we are talking about. These are two crazy guys who decided to embark on something more adventurous than an adrenaline rush – food! Rocky Singh and Mayur Sharma, India’s official foodies, are back and this time with their own show FoodMAD on their favourite topic again – food. Promising to tempt you with everything good, the duo have canvassed the length and breadth of the country, travelling more than 1,20,000 kilometres and sampling more than 7,000 different dishes in the last eight years. So they decided to make a show out of all their expertise. Mayur says, “We gave our best to ensure our viewers satisfy their food craving. “Seeing it on television puts it on a new perspective. People will get to see all the places we relish and come with us at least visually to these scenic landscapes with some of the most wonderful food to offer.” Rocky adds that this is the life. “We get paid to eat and do one of the coolest jobs in the world. The show presents us in our element – surrounded by the choicest food of the country. It’s also fantastic having our own show. This is a promise of a culinary road trip like no other.” The duo further comment: “If you want to discover the real sights and sounds of India and go on an adventure with food from across the country, watch our show. We hope to inspire people to love our nation’s diversity of food and cherish every bite with us. We also hope to make them very hungry since we thoroughly enjoy ourselves on camera. So make sure you got something to munch on when you watch our show.” The challenges were many, they say. “We went on a recording spree doing at least four episodes a day and eating a Arthritis cases among Indian youngsters rising: Expert T here has been a rise in the number of young Indians diagnosed with knee arthritis and other problems of joints and ligaments, a health expert said Monday. "Arthritis or the damage that sets up in our body joints is considered a problem associated with ageing. Loss of cartilage, depleting calcium, wear and tear of the ligaments, or excessive weight have contributed to the onset of arthritis. "However, we are now seeing a rise in the number of younger patients with osteoarthritis, Rajeev.K. Sharma, senior consultant and orthopaedic and joint replacement surgeon at Apollo Hospital, said here in a press conference on the occasion of the "National Bone and Joint Day" Monday. Sharma highlighted on the need to create awareness among young people and having a healthy lifestyle. "Obesity, lack of exercise, injury in bones or muscles, hereditary defects in alignment of legs, faulty lifestyle and absence of physical activity lead to early degeneration of muscles and cartilage around the joints," he added. According to experts, though the number of young patients with arthritis might be barely 10 percent, it is important to encourage youngsters to walk, cycle and perform regular exercise. BIRTHDAY GREETINGS Name:............................... cost Free of Age ..................................... Date of birth:.................... Address :- ......................... Jaya Singha All you have to do is fill up this Coupon, attach the desired photograph in the space provided. Completed coupon should reach our office Seven (7) days before the birthday. Office address : HIMALAYAN MIRROR, Gairi Gaon, Tadong, Gangtok, PIN: 737102, Email :[email protected] The country's official food lovers return with a show that captures India's cuisines at their best weighed them all and we just kept going. When it’s food, nothing is going to stop us,” laughs Mayur. They even paid a visit to Bangalore’s famous Meghana Biriyani. “It’s one of the best Hyderabadi biriyani joints we have tried outside Hyderabad. It was fun in Bangalore with so many food joints and foodies – a definite must visit for every food lover.” Looking back, Rocky says: “Our journey into food started ages ago. We both have been friends for a long time and discovered our common passion Giving birth, adjusting to a new place or handling sexual abuse - budding artists and graduating fine arts students focus on issues close to women in a city art exhibition. It isn't easy being a woman in a man's world. From her sexuality to giving birth to moving cities for studies as well as work — women face problems at every stage and that's what graduating fine arts students have focussed on in their works at an exhibition in a city art gallery. Monika Bijlani from University of Hyderabad has made two abstract art works capturing the essence of birth and it is a rare empowerment for them. "Both the works go together in a series. Nature has given women the right and power to nurture a child in her womb and she is the only one who knows who the child belongs to. I want to say that though men are considered to be all glorious, they too are vulnerable at many levels. They may be depicted as powerful all the time but still they have their share of weaknesses and insecurities that they need to accept and deal with," says Monika. For Faiza Hasan, art is her way of talking about issues that are close to her heart. "I have been working with issues about women and violence. I have used embroidery, kitchen napkins and other household material to make my art work as they have some domesticity attached to them and are strongly asso- E PHOTO minimum of 20 full meals daily. It took a toll on our bodies and we gained quite a lot of weight. But our passion out- was for food. So we decided to embark on a journey. If you traverse the country, you will find a superb range of food around every corner. Every joint has something to offer. Our diverse cultures and food is what we wanted to discover. That’s what kicked off this adventure.” The duo also brings out a book on August 8 and 9 in Bangalore based on their shows Highway On My Plate2 which is a compilation of their adventure. “This has never been done before. No one has ever put together an Indian guide to roadside eating. So this documented book on the diversity of cuisines in the country is the first of its kind. And yet, it’s still not enough to put everything into it.” So whether it is the midnight hunger pangs or on-the-go food that you desire, Rocky and Mayur promise to take you to the ultimate destination and make you eat to your stomach’s content. FoodMAD features every Saturday at 9 p.m. on NDTV Good Times. Sex, city and a clutch of artists HAPPY RETURNS OF THE DAY 5 ciated with women. The idea of doing embroidery through paper is in itself a violent and destructive technique — something that women deal with everyday," she says. Ask her what inspired her to talk about such issues and she says, "It all spurs from the kinds of incidents I see happening around me. Every time something happens, it threatens my safety no matter where I am. Also, I feel let down by the society as well as government because they are unable to do anything to make life safer for women." The students have also touched upon the fact how more and more women are moving to cities for studies as well as in search for work. Purbalakshmi Borah, who hails from Assam and moved to the city for studies says, "It isn't easy being alone in a new city especially when you are a woman. When I moved here, I had to deal with a lot of new things. Initially, I couldn't adjust and tried hard to find a balance. It was big challenge to be away from home and feel safe. And that's what I am trying to reflect in my work." Akshata PN, a student from a Baroda University, also had to deal with loneliness and many challenges when she moved to Baroda. "Being alone isn't easy at all. You have to be with yourself and that's when I started finding life in mundane objects and discovered how everything has a story behind it." Not just women, a few male artists too reflected woman power in their art work. Girish Chandra Behera, who hails from Orissa and has completed MFA from a city university, says, "Being away from home used to make me feel sad and lonely. But when I saw independent women around me who too are away from home, it was like an inspiration. It gave me energy and I asked myself, 'If they can, why can't I?' It was like a hope to survive in the city." British women carry make-up worth hundreds very woman owns a few make-up products and a new study has found that the average British woman carries 231 pound worth of cosmetics in her bag. According to a research from Hairtrade.com, women carry 16 items on average with the average value reaching 231 pound the same price as an iPad Mini. The survey found that only two percent of women would consider their make-up bag a valuable item despite the high cost, reports femalefirst.co.uk. When it came to knowing how much their makeup bag is worth, 98 percent agreed that they wouldn’t treat it the same as they would other items with a similar value such as a mobile phone, tablet or expensive jewellery. “British women love their beauty products, and that’s clearly reflected in the weight and worth of their well-stocked make-up bags. Women like to prepare for every eventuality, so having a range of products in your bag means that if you want to go on an impromptu night out with colleagues for example, you can," said a spokesperson for Hairtrade.com. “That means that lots of women carry their makeup bags around with them, but many don’t consider them to be expensive items. It is important to consider how much you’d lose if it were to be stolen or get lost and make sure you keep it safe," added the spokesperson.