A taste of Dondurma, Turkish Ice-Cream

If you have not tried Turkish Ice-cream, you should give your tongue a taste of it! This gummy & yummy sweet treat from Istanbul is so unique due to its texture and taste. It can be found all around the world and people are always looking for this Ice-cream, called the Dondurma. It got its name from the word 'Freezing' and it is made of milk, sugar, salep, and mastic. This ice-cream is normally more expensive than the normal one due to its resistance from melting under the hot sun. It won't melt easily, so you can take your sweet time to eating it! This ice-cream would surely blow your mind! Below is a recipe on how to prepare a Dondurma:

Ingredients:

3 cups of double cream or whipping cream

3 cups of full fat milk

1 1/8 cups of sugar

3 teaspoons of salep (level)

7/8 - 1 teaspoon of golden gum mastic, ground

Methods:

First of all, grind the mastic. Mastic is normally sold in drops of resin that can stick to the mortar and pestle during grinding. Freeze mastic for 15 minutes before using and place it along with 1-2 tablespoons of the sugar in the mortar. Then, grind with the pestle.

Secondly, beat 1/2 cup of the milk with the ground mastic (and sugar used to grind) in a mixing bowl it is completely blended. Dissolve the salepi in 1/2 cup of cold milk. Warm the remaining milk in a saucepan over low heat. Beating the mastic mixture at high speed, add the warm milk, then the dissolved salepi. Add remaining sugar and cream to it.

Next, transfer the mixture to a saucepan and boil it over low heat for about 20 minutes. Make sure you stir it frequently to prevent any sticking and clumping. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.

If there is no ice cream maker, quickly transfer it to a metal container, cover with tightly fitting lid or foil and place in freezer. Remove it from the freezer every half hour and transfer to a mixing bowl and beat with a hand mixer until frothy. Quickly place back in the metal container and put in the freezer. Repeat three more times.

Finally, remove it from the freezer 10 minutes before serving.

Serve alone, with a syrup topping or spoon sweet, and sprinkle with chopped almonds.

Enjoy!

5 FAMOUS HAUNTED BUILDINGS

1. Stanley hotel in Colorado

Remember the movie "The Shining", based on a novel written by Stephen King? The book was inspired by a stay at the Stanley in Estes Park, Colorado. King claimed that he heard ghost children playing in the hallway of the Stanley hotel. In fact, many spirits are said to haunt the place, while guests and employees claim to have heard faint music coming from the ballroom and seen the piano keys moving. Interesting huh? Definitely to me.

 2. Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

A haunted place in the US, this nearly 200 years old prison used to keep prisoners who were mentally and physically tortured. Up to this day, people are still talking about how these prisoners were abused. This haunted building attracts tourists from all over the world. If you are interested, why not take a tour around the place? It would be an unforgettable experience ever!

3. Waverly Hills Sanatorium

A famous sanatorium in Kentucky, which is well-known to be haunted by unrest spirits, is one of the top haunted places in the US. There are many stories spoken about among the locals about this creepy place, but one of the most famous is the story of the Room 502. According to the locals, a crazy patient actually murdered a nurse in this room. She would roam around the hospital’s front door in her white gown, screaming at the top of her lungs. However, there was no report of that incident. Another legend tells a story of a nurse who was made pregnant by one of the doctors, and then killed herself in that room. 

4. The Tower of London

The Tower of London is very famous among the locals for being haunted. Many executions took place in this beautiful building and one of the most famous executions was the execution of Anne Boleyn. She was executed in this tower after being accused for practising witchcraft. Anne was beheaded in front of the public and it was said that her ghost returned to the tower, headless. Catherine Howard was also beheaded in this tower for her affair.

5. Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel

A former bellhop was forced to retire and soon after he was asked to do so, he died in the year 1978. Since then, the hotel was believed to be haunted by the ghost of Sam Macaulay and his spirit roams around the hotel. Well, at least he was sort of like ‘Casper’, the friendly ghost. Guests have reported that they were helped by an old man when they lose their room keys; the man they were referring to was probably Sam Macaulay.

NO MORE ROAMING CHARGES

If you are looking for a product that can help you to save on your roaming charges, there is one product that is ready to serve you. Travel with LocalSIMKad™ of your destination and enjoy great savings when travelling abroad! It's really simple. With just 3 simple steps; Book, Collect, and Activate, you can make calls instantly without having to worry about roaming charges. 

LocalSIMKad™ is a local Telco prepaid SIM card embedded with value added services targeting inbound tourists. Travellers can book it online prior to departure and collect it upon arrival at the destination airport. With LocalSIMKad™, travellers can enjoy great savings on all incoming and outgoing calls within their destination country with no roaming charges at all. Travellers can get connected immediately and avoid the hassle of looking around for a local SIM card. With just a pre-registration, travellers can activate and terminate their LocalSIMKad™ number anytime they want. LocalSIMKad™ has no hidden charges; so travellers only pay for what they spend. Furthermore, they get to enjoy competitive rates. Like the sound of that? If you wish to save on your roaming charges, make sure you book your LocalSIMKad™ 3 days prior to your travel date.

To get your own LocalSIMKad™, simply visit the product’s official website. LocalSIMKad.com is a booking platform for global travellers to book their LocalSIMKad™ before travelling abroad. Travellers can book LocalSIMKad™ regardless of which country they will be departing from. The booking process is simple. Simply fill out all personal and flight details and you will receive your LocalSIMKad™ voucher.

To check out the amount of savings when using LocalSIMKad™ compared to paying for roaming charges, there is a savings calculator that you can play with. You will be surprised with the amount of savings that you will get! You can also top up, check your credit balance and check out your total spending; it works just like a normal prepaid card.With attractive value added services,this winner for the Best of Tourism and Hospitality offers a homely experience for travellers going abroad.

Visit www.localsimkad.com to book yours now! Cheers

Try the Tabbouleh!

Did you know that Tabbouleh is a special delicacy of the sham countries? It is a salad made of bulgur wheat, tomato, cucumber, and parsley. In 2009, the largest dish of tabbouleh to date weighed 4,324 kg (9,532 lb 12 oz) was recorded. Previously, Lebanon was one of the Guinness World Record holders for the largest tabbouleh (October 2009).


Here are the steps to prepare a Tabbouleh by Mahalo cooking:

Step 1: Gather Your Ingredients

The main ingredient of tabouli is bulgur, a whole grain which has been processed slightly to make it quick to cook. To make tabouli, the bulgur is soaked and drained, then mixed with dressing, herbs, and vegetables.

• 1 cup dry bulgur
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
• 1 red onion
• 2 cups fresh parley
• 1/3 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Step 2: Prepare Tabbouleh

1. Stir together the bulgar and boiling water in a large bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.
2. While the bulgar is soaking, chop the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley and mint.
3. Drain the bulgar and stir in the tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley and mint.
4. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil.
5. Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture, tossing well to coat.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about one hour.
8. Serve and enjoy!

Tabbouleh Variations

1. Use green onions in place of the red onion if desired.
2. Add in one teaspoon of cumin for a robust flavor.
3. Add in a few cloves of minced garlic for additional flavor.
4. Serve over lettuce as a side dish alongside chicken.
5. Add 2 tomatoes, diced, and 4 green onions, chopped.
6. Soak the bulgur in tomato juice instead of water, for additional flavor.
7. Add 1 cucumber, chopped.
8. Serve topped with grilled shrimp or chicken

Enjoy!! =D

Lend a hand to children of Africa

Most of us would think of poverty when we hear the word “Africa”. Yes, it is undeniable that the African children face challenges in life; lack of food, clean water, medical aid, clothing and proper housing contribute to their daily struggles. African children are beautiful, just like u and I. They are also like us who are trying to survive in this life filled with hardship. As survivors, we must also help these helpless kids to go through life. Let’s give them a beautiful life by lending our hands to help them. You can make a difference now. After all, sharing is caring.
To donate, visit http://www.thejuliaproject.com/african-children.html

Here is a short poem by Olumide Damilusi:

CHILDREN IN AFRICA (C.I.A) .

Every single day in Africa
There's a child out there
Who's hungry and sick without meds.
And also without shelter and clothing
Needing for your love and succor

Every single day in Africa
A child goes hungry to bed
Looking badly malnourished and ill-fed
Not sure where and when the next meal comes
Lives in slums in unhygienic conditions
In a bid to break barriers and above par

Every single day in Africa
A child drops out of school
Due to Abject poverty and starvation
And an inability to pay school fees
Which results to disillusionment

Every single day in Africa
A child is psychologically abused
Sent out on the cold streets
To eke out out a living for his family
Inspite of very imminent dangers on his way

Every single day in Africa
A child wakes up to harsh realities
Sold into prostitution, slavery and crime
Against their own very wishes
To a world of hate and bestiality

Every single day in Africa
A child is faced with humiliation
Despair and suppression of own voices
He cant be heard and he's preyed upon
In a world where he seeks protection and love

So many have lost hope.
Some have had their trust damaged
Some are living for the day
Waiting for what tomorrow brings
In a cruel world that care less
About the future of the Africa Child... 

                              

The Nohkalikai Falls

Did you know that the Nohkalikai Falls is one of the tallest waterfalls in India? Can you imagine jumping down the cliff? Pretty extreme isn’t it? There’s a story behind it. According to a legend, a woman named Ka Likai remarried. But, her new husband was jealous of her love for her daughter. While Ka Likai was out working, her new husband killed her daughter and cooked her flesh into a meal. Her husband didn’t tell her the truth and before she went out, she decided to eat. After eating, she found her daughter's fingers in the betel-nut basket. In despair, Ka Likai threw herself off this cliff giving the falls its name: "Fall of Ka Likai".

Travel tips

Travelling to another country is an exciting experience, especially when you are travelling with your loved ones. Travelling, however, can be a bad experience if we aren’t aware of the local laws, customs and environment of the country of visit. It’s wise to do your research about the country that you wish to visit first. Travel tips, of course, would also come in handy. Here are some travel tips for smart travellers like you.

Arrival

You are vulnerable wherever you go. You have to always be alert because you are not travelling alone; you have all your cash, cards, documents and anything else valuable with you. First time travellers tend to feel insecure and anxious, especially when they have never been to a particular country. It’s perfectly normal to be nervous, but you don’t have to show it. This is to avoid you from getting cheated by people who want to take advantage on you. Proper planning is essential before leaving for your trip. Make sure you have enough information about your flight and also the destination airport. Change some money into the local currency before you travel. Make sure you have small change which shall be used for your transportation fare. It is also advisable for you to take the airport limousine or taxi which are available in most airports. Watch your pocket; you don’t ever want your wallet to go missing! Most importantly, don’t forget to get LocalSIMKAd™ of your destination for a smooth telecommunication. 

Hotel

When choosing a place to stay, it’s best to check in hotels with tight security. Four and five stars hotels are normally safe; with guards and surveillance cameras around the hotel. However, things do disappear sometimes. So keep your valuables properly. Don’t let them walk away from you! Lock your luggage bags and closets whenever you go out. Never leave valuables in soft material bag. This is to avoid thieves from cutting your bag with a sharp knife. Most importantly, never get drunk and invite a stranger to your hotel room; he could be a psycho killer!

Backpacking

If you’re a backpacker, the most important thing that you need to know is your map! A travel guide book will come in handy. If you are unsure of where to go, ask the locals to help you around. Try to estimate the time that you may take to arrive at your destination. The weather in certain countries is sometimes unpredictable, so be sure to always follow up with the weather report. If you’re travelling to a country during winter, wear comfortable winter coat and jacket to keep you warm. Carry a mini umbrella or raincoat with you, just in case it rains when you’re going around town. Avoid carrying too many things.

Money Management

Credit cards would help you a lot when travelling abroad. Make sure that your credit cards are valid, with a credit card company’s logo on it. Use them instead of debit cards as most restaurants and clothing stores do not accept debit cards. Avoid unnecessary spending; be prudent instead. You don’t want to return home with debts all around your waist! Keep your money, ATM and credit cards properly. Never lose them.