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A Monumental Journey Through History: Explore Queen Caroline's Temple in Hyde Park

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Queen Caroline’s Temple in Hyde Park is an impressive historical monument that has been standing in the heart of London since the early 1700s. As the story goes, it was built to honour Queen Caroline of Brandenburg-Ansbach, the consort of King George II.

The temple was originally constructed in 1734-5 when the area around the park was largely rural. Queen Caroline had the famous architect William Kent create this peaceful retreat for her so she could escape the commotion of court life. At one point, it served as the residence of the park’s keeper, but in 1976, it was restored as a monument.

Queen Caroline’s Temple is an integral part of London’s cultural heritage, and its presence in the park is a reminder of the city’s long and proud history. The temple stands out as one of the most beautiful buildings in the park, with its domed roof and white stone walls. It has a fascinating history and is one of the popular tourist attractions in London.

Today, Queen Caroline’s Temple is a popular tourist attraction. It has become a popular spot for picnics and a romantic backdrop for wedding photos. Visitors can also explore the grounds surrounding the temple, which are home to many species of birds and a variety of trees and shrubs.

The temple is also open to the public, and regular tours are available, offering a fascinating insight into the history and architecture of the monument. If you’re visiting London, be sure to check out Queen Caroline’s Temple – it’s a truly remarkable piece of London’s history.

PHOTO: Ham, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Attractions near Hyde Park

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While Hyde Park will provide plenty of attractions, fun activities, iconic landmarks and historical sites, you may also want to explore other nearby attractions. Here are some of the choices available.

Oxford Street

Oxford Street, located next to Marble Arch, is one of the busiest shopping streets in Europe. It is home to over 300 shops and receives more than half a million visitors annually. The street also hosts the city’s largest display of Christmas festivities lights.

Kensington Palace

The Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace are adjacent to the Park. Here you can feast your eyes on unique statues, the iconic Palace, and picturesque fountains. The Palace was built in 1680 during the reign of King William III. It has been called home by various royals in British history. It was also the birthplace of the grandmother of Queen Elizabeth, while Queen Victoria was born and ascended to the throne at the Palace. It has recently been home to Princess Margaret, sister to the current queen, and Princess Diana called it home.

Royal Albert Hall and Memorial

Queen Victoria commissioned the Albert Memorial to commemorate her husband, who died aged 42 because of typhoid. Other attractions nearby are the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum near the park, and they are all free to access.

While Hyde Park has plenty to offer, there are also some exciting attractions nearby you may look at.

The History of the Thai Green Curry

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If you are familiar with Thai food, you have undoubtedly come across a Thai green curry on your culinary adventures. It is a green in colour, sweet, savoury, spicy, and aromatic curry with an interesting history. Continue reading to learn more about the Thai green curry.

What is Thai green curry?

Green curry is usually prepared by combining meat with fresh green vegetables. As per the general perception, the dish is associated with chicken. However, nowadays, various ingredients such as fish balls, pork, beef, and shrimp are also used in the preparation of the green curry.

The dish is fondly known as “Gaeng Keow Wahn” in Thai, translating to “sweet green curry.” The curry is equally hotter as its red counterpart, but its sweetness and hotness are somewhat balanced.

The origin of Thai green curry

The green curry originated from Central Thailand, where green chillies and eggplants are blended in a green curry sauce. As the only Southeast Asian state to not be colonised by the West, Thailand was able to maintain its own unique cooking style (cuisine).

This does not mean that the cuisine is without influences, though. It is said that the cuisine learned deep and stir-frying from China, received chilli peppers from Portuguese missionaries, and was given a wave of new aromatic spices from India along with peanuts from central America.

The native fresh herbs and roots, however, remained key, giving Thai curries their unique palate.

Thai green curry recipe – ingredients and method of preparation

Fresh chillies are grounded into a paste and then mixed with ingredients like kaffir leaves, whole peppercorns, coriander seeds, turmeric, garlic, lemongrass, shrimp paste, and galangal. The paste is the heart of every Thai green curry as it determines the final flavour of the dish.

Coconut milk is another essential ingredient. It balances the spiciness of green chillis and offers creaminess and subtle sweetness.

Additional ingredients in this curry are highly versatile. They include a variety of vegetables, seafood, or meat.

Simple Thai green curry recipe for you to try

Recipe ingredients: chicken thighs or breasts, coconut milk, sweet Vidalia onion, garlic, ground coriander, ginger, shredded carrots, Thai green curry paste, zucchini, kosher salt, and pepper. Fresh cilantro and sugar.

To make the curry:

• Sauté the onions until softened.

• Add diced chicken to the skillet and cook until done.

• Next, add the ginger, coriander, and garlic and cook until fragrant.

• Add zucchini, carrots, coconut milk, Thai curry paste, pepper, and salt, and cook in low heat.

• After about 5 minutes, add all the remaining ingredients and serve while still hot.

Eating and serving Thai green curry

When served, this dish is decorated with fresh kaffir leaves and sliced green chillis. Plain steamed rice, traditional rice noodles, fried vegetables, and fragrant Jasmin rice are often served on the side.

Thai Food: What makes Thai food spicy?

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Most of Thailand’s popular dishes contain ingredients that make them spicier than any other food worldwide. The stinging, tingling, and burning sensation in the food comes from using chilli peppers, ginger, garlic, and peppercorn. In this article, we are going to help our readers understand what makes Thai food spicy.

Spices : Common Spices Used in Thai Food

Thai cuisines combine five basic tastes; sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and savoury (umami). All this brings in the spicy taste. Depending on how the family or guests love it, the ingredients used may cause a ‘heat’ sensation to an intense, fiery sensation. If eaten raw, ginger and garlic creates a burning sensation in the sinuses. On the other hand, black pepper comes from peppercorn and causes a sharp and irritating sensation on the tongue and the inside of the nose; it comes from a chemical compound known as piperine. The spicy and hot feeling emanating from chilli peppers comes from a compound known as capsaicin. Ginger gets its mellow taste from gingerol, while garlic’s taste comes from a chemical known as allicin. Other vegetable spices used in Thai cuisines are eggplant, tomato, broccoli, bean sprouts, and squash. They make the food more enjoyable and you will find them in any restaurant in Bangkok

Benefits of Spicy Foods

While these spices are used to make the food more aromatic and flavoured, they also have exciting health benefits to the consumer’s body. Looking at ginger, the product is a perfect remedy for stomach upsets and is effective for nausea treatment, morning sickness, motion sickness, and diarrhoea. It also contains antioxidants to reduce inflammations. Garlic is a useful component in treating the heart and circulatory systems such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. The consumer’s body gains better a better immune system. During the preparation, the cook may add whole cloves of garlic or crush it into a thin paste.

A short history of the Mayfair district in London.

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Everybody wants to own the Mayfair and Parklane properties on the Monopoly board, and to this day beautiful Mayfair is still about experiencing a taste of the high life.

 

A Short history of the Mayfair district in London

 

There is so much going for the enthralling and vibrant city of London, so it comes as no surprise that the British city has been named the best-rated destination in the world for 2019 by TripAdvisor.

This rating is calculated according to an algorithm based on reviews and ratings for places over a 12-month period.

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Many Places to Keep You Occupied

There are many exciting districts to explore in the UK capital, and Mayfair, an affluent area, is one of these. Mayfair is in the Borough of Westminster, situated to the south of Marylebone and the west of Soho.

Mayfair also has two underground stations – Bond Street in the north and Green Park in the south. This ensures that commuting across London is quick and easy.

Experience true British shopping in Mount Street with its antique shops, vibey cafes as well as local- and international luxury boutiques. One of the oldest shops on the street is Purdey, selling travel gear and handmade guns. It has been a landmark since 1814.

 

Its Poshness is Always being Revamped

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As if Mayfair wasn’t already posh enough if you stay in hotels close to Mayfair you’ll notice that there has been some costly investment in the trendy area. This is so you can expect more cool restaurants and better transport methods to bring people in.

Mayfair is a gem of a place and there are some excellent hotels in the area that give you easy access to everything you want to experience. The Westbury, St James’s Hotel & Club and Claridge’s are just some of the wonderful kinds of accommodation you can expect. The Royal Lancaster London is a magnificent icon in London, offering visitors more than 50 years of extraordinary hospitality.

This beautiful, upscale hotel overlooking Hyde Park is just a quick trip to all the best sight-seeing attractions. For business people, it offers excellent meeting spaces complete with gyms, restaurants, bars, smart TV – you name it – everything to ensure this hotel remains your number one.

Mayfair is a safe, desirable area of London, and the relaxed atmosphere makes it a great place to live as well as for a holiday. Eat at one of the many restaurants or go shopping – Mayfair is regarded as one of the world’s best places to hang out with excellence right on your doorstep.

 

What is the CRYO-OXYGEN FACIAL Treatment

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There is always that feeling of satisfaction walking around with a rejuvenated skin that has its texture improved. Cryo-Oxygen facial exudes that desired youthful look with direct injections of cold pressurized oxygen together with other rejuvenating ingredients into the skin. This treatment is done using a Micro-channeling roller that sprays the moisturizers that immediately hydrate the skin.

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Cryo-oxygen is instant hydration that not only leaves your skin feeling fresh and smooth in appearance, but also helps with severe skin infections like dermatitis. Thanks to Cryo facial’s anti-inflammatory nature, the more you perform this treatment, the better the results. This facial deemed to last at least seven days is a pain-free process which aerates the skin freshening the cells.

Though a bit costly, this facial treatment is necessary for the diffusion of cold oxygen to the cells. The procedure is so far the ultimate skin rejuvenation that marks the beginning of healthy skin.

 

The importance of getting that frozen oxygen diffused directly to the skin

The microcirculation of oxygen to the cells helps detox and make the skin firm. Due to its anti-aging factors, the treatment will restore skin inflammations and improve its tone. Furthermore, the moisturizers improve the skin’s radiance and leave it tighter after that. Research has shown that this treatment stimulates the production of collagen necessary for the glowing radiance and reduction of wrinkles.

 

How often should individuals do the Cryo-Oxygen facial treatment?

Whether it is to cure that severe skin condition or purely for beauty purposes, anyone looking forward to embracing this treatment must devote to a strict seven day moisturizing for a start then subsequently do one session for six weeks and after that a maintenance of one course lasting between 4 to 6weeks. Since you cannot achieve the glow in one sitting, adherence to the sessions is critical.

 

Reasons why you should rush and get a facial

The skin is arguably the most prominent body organ, and proper care of this organ needs enough surplus of oxygen meeting with the live cells on its surface. With the facial skin being the most seen, it is satisfying to make it sell a good picture for the rest of the covered parts. The collagen production enhanced by the Cryo-facial is the ultimate achiever of flawlessness and healthy skin.

 

This treatment offers a reliable promise to a healthy youthful skin

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The process with its involvement of active moisturizing ingredients helps the skin regenerate itself. The dermis which is responsible for wrinkles instantaneously gets its life back which as a result gives root to healthy and firm skin.

Since that glowing, radiant skin is something that will not happen overnight, hard work and persistence towards achieving that glam look should be put into consideration. The K West Hotel and Spa in Richmond way, Hammersmith, London is one place you can go and do your Cryo-Oxygen facial treatment.

5 of Florence’s most amazing churches

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Amazing Churches That You Need to Visit in Florence

The beautiful Italian city of Florence boasts amazing sites that you need to visit in your lifetime. The city has amazing church structures with striking architectural designs that demonstrate sophistication. Florence city is regarded as one of the finest cities that any traveller should plan to visit. Some of the top attractive churches include;

 

Top churches in Florence

 

Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral

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The Basilica was designed by Brunelleschi and is regarded as the largest brick dome in the world. The cathedral has a baptistery and a museum that boats a huge collection of the rich treasures that you can consider visiting by acquiring a full ticket. The inside has little art work but the cathedral is a great place to visit and take a stroll while admiring its great architectural plan.

 

  • Santa Maria Novella

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The Santa Maria Basilica was built in the 14th century for the Dominican Order and is only ten minutes away from the Santa Maria del Fiore Basilica. The basilica was designed by Architect Leon Battista Alberti while the pulpit and a wooden crucifix were all designed by Brunelleschi. The church also has an altar painting of Christ raising Jairus’ daughter which is an art work of Bronzino.

 

  • San Miniato al Monte

 

The church is located just outside Florence and is easily accessible by any means; by foot, vehicle or bike. The church is home to the Olivetan monks and offers one of the best views of Florence. The church was built between the 11th and 13th century and is regarded as one of the most beautiful churches due to its green and white marble that decorate the exterior walls.

 

  • Santa Croce

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The Santa Croce is famous for hosting the burial sites for well-known figures such as Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli who is famous for his book- ‘The Prince’. Part of the church is damaged as a result of the 1966 Arno flood; however, some renovations have been done to fix the church to its original state.

 

  • The church of Ognissanti

 

The Church is made from a 13th century building and is one of the churches that were destroyed during the 1966 floods. One of the famous parishioners of this church was Amerigo Vespucci; the famous navigator. He frequented this church together with his family members for mass. Some of the nice art work in the church include; a painting of Christ Crucified on the wood and also a ‘Last Supper’ art work.

 

Conclusion

 

The above churches in the city of Florence are a perfect destination that we highly recommend. You can opt to stay at the Fibnb apartments during your stay at Florence City. Not only will you see some of the best architectural designs but also give you a chance to understand about the rich history of the city and famous people who contributed to its spectacular beauty.

 

Traditional Wedding Foods of Bangkok

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Make Your Big Day a Memorable One!!!
 

It is no secret that every culture has its own unique way of celebrating marriage, and the wedding itself will showcase this. While a lot of people out there are moving away from traditional weddings; there are still many people who want to celebrate their culture and abide by them. One of the most integral parts of weddings in Bangkok is the food that is served and the venue: new in Bangkok for small and intimate weddings is the Lancaster Bangkok, just of Sukhumvit road.

 

Food is always a huge part of any Bangkok wedding. But, which traditional Bangkok dishes stand out?

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Since Thailand boasts of unique and intriguing cuisine, you can be sure that food plays an incredibly integral part at all Thai weddings. Bangkok weddings can go on for days, and throughout the course, guests indulge in various kinds of traditional Thai food. And what is even more surprising about Bangkok weddings is that the bride’s family won’t accept the groom at the wedding if he doesn’t present a particular dish to them. Here are some of the traditional wedding foods of Bangkok that you need to know.

Phuket Chicken Biryani Rice

The Phuket chicken biryani rice is commonly referred to as Kao Mok Gai, and it is a well-known traditional wedding dish in wedding hotels Bangkok. This dish has a distinct flavor from the neighboring countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia. The Kao Mok Gaiis usually prepared for special occasions such as weddings and Ramadhan. This isn’t a common dish to cook at home, but it can’t miss featuring on a Bangkok wedding menu.

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Khanom Kawaew

The Khanom Kawaew is a unique traditional Bangkok wedding dish since it signifies the official beginning of the union. No traditional Thai wedding can be complete without this dish. When served, the Khanom Kawaew dish shows that the bride and groom have joined together in matrimony forever. This dish features sweet bread that is plaited together.

Foy Thong

Also known as “golden silk threads,” it takes a lot of practice to prepare this dish. Just like the Khanom Kawaew, all weddings in Bangkok must have this dish since it also has a special meaning. Made of sugar syrup and eggs yolks, the threads are usually long to symbolise the everlasting love between the couple. Typically, the person preparing the Fay Thong should try to get the longest threads possible.

Khan Mahk

The groom must present this meal to the bride’s family for the wedding to take place. This dish is always included in the parade of people from the bridegroom’s family to the bride’s family on the wedding day. Khan Mahk is simply a special tray that is prepared as a gift to the parents of the bride. The tray usually contains different betel nut chew ingredients such as tobacco, betel leaves, whole betel nut, and some flowers.

Bangkok is a beautiful city that attracts thousands of people from all over the world. Although it is one of the most developed cities in Thailand, Bangkok manages to maintain its historic architecture and unique traditions dating back to hundreds of years.