Raw tea leaves are processed by oxidation and drying. To process a green tea, only a very small amount of oxidation can take place. This usually is done through steam or a gentle heat source. This tea only takes a day or two to process. To brew green tea you usually just drop the processed leaves directly into a tea kettles of hot water. The leaves will unfold to reveal their full shape. You can then use a filter to strain the leaves out of the hot water, or you can drink the tea with the leaves in the water. Some people enjoy eating the tea leaves after they brew green tea. Although you can buy green tea that has been packaged in tea bags, green tea is best when it is brewed from the whole leaf.
Tea has been a staple in Chinese and Indian culture since ancient times, but China is considered to be the birthplace of tea. In fact, tea was once used as currency in China.
Many cultures have come to love and enjoy the beverage. In China the tea ritual is part of the Buddhist religion. In England “tea time” and “tea parties” were established among the British. In England and Ireland it is common to drink black tea sometimes called “English Breakfast Tea” with milk and sugar.
There are a variety of tea beverage today including iced tea, Thai iced tea and Chai tea. Iced tea is very popular in the United States and has become so popular that there is an official iced-tea spoon for stirring the beverage. Today tea is the second most popularly consumed beverage ion the world. The only beverage more popular is water
The Trentino-Alto Adige region of northern Italy sits on the border of Switzerland and Austria. It is largely mountainous territory and you won't be feeling the spring in early March. But there's a lot to do and see in any season and before very long the weather will be warming up. Its food and the wine are often high quality. There's another interesting factor that you may not be aware of. This region, in particular the Alto-Adige subregion, is quite Germanic. In a sense you'll tour two countries for the price of one. Since we mentioned the word price, be forewarned; touring the Trentino-Alto Adige region does not come cheap.
You might start your spring tour at Bressanone, called Brixen in German, a city of approximately 20 thousand about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northeast of Bolzano. Enjoy its Gastronomic Week, which despite its name runs for more than two weeks starting in early March. For more than 30 years the local restaurants in Bressanone and the neighboring Valle Isarco/Eisacktal have run this festival to showcase Tyrol food specialties. Enjoy them with a local wine. Castelrotto (Kastelruth in German), population about 6 thousand of which 80% is German speaking, is located about 12 miles (20 kilometers) northeast of Bolzano. Starting on March's second Sunday it hosts A Week of Nostalgia, a competition of skiers from all over Italy and many areas of Europe. What is so very special about this event? The skiers' equipment and clothing are about one hundred years old. 
The town of Egna (Neumarkt in German), population about 4500, situated about 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of Bolzano plays host to the Alto-Adige Marathon on the second Sunday of April. This course is really beautiful, passing through the local mountain towns. At the end of the month Alto-Adige's capital Bolzano (Bozen in German), population about 100 thousand, located some 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of the Trentino capital Trento presents the Festa dei Fiori, a century-old celebration of spring. This Festa is held in the automobile-free Piazza Walther (Waltherplatz) named for Twelfth Century German wandering minstrel Walther von der Vogelweide who lampooned the papacy and supported the Holy Roman Emperor. His statue was removed during the days of Mussolini but returned to the Piazza after World War II.
Head to Trento, population over 100 thousand, for the Trento Film Festival whose watchwords are Mountain, Exploration, and Adventure for about ten days starting at the end of April. Bolzano presents a great wine exhibition in the Mareccio (Maretsch) Castle not far from the city center for a few days in mid-May. If you're in the neighborhood at the end of May make sure to visit the Speck Festival, celebrating this local specialty, cured and seasoned raw bacon. There are lots of other local foods and wines as well as costumed musicians.
If you are stuck in the hotels in Barcelona but wish to get in touch with nature, that is not a problem because the West Indian Continental-island country is very rich in various fauna and flora. The Caribbean island is home to many different kinds of beautiful and marvelous plants. Many Horticultural society and club were founded because of the lucrative hobby of gardening. Different garden houses were built on the isle, which gathers a lot of attention from tourists who want to enjoy the sights of beautiful flowers and plants available only in the country.
Barcelona hotels is rich in many colorful shrubs and has a wide range of flowering plants and other plantation. Almost each of the 7 parishes of the country has their own luscious garden to be proud of. The Parish of St. James has the Lancaster Great House Gallery and Gardens. The Andromeda gardens and flower forest can be found in the parish of St. Joseph. Because of the number of plant and flower enthusiast, the Barcelona Horticultural Society was founded by many plant aficionados. By joining this society, members can enjoy special invitations, discounts and other perks. Members of the Horticultural club only pay 5 BDS$ instead of the regular 15 BDS$ entrance fee for various garden spots on the country.
The nice weather allows much plant life to grow and blossom in this island. Trees like the Golden Palm is abundant in the isle, aside from palm trees, many frangipani and cordial trees offer a cool shade for other plants like orchids and other flowering plants to grow and blossom. Rare plants can also be found on the west-Indian continental country like the Rainbow Eucalyptus which has a varied colored tree bark. Plant enthusiast will really have an eye candy treat with the variety of flora growing in many of the country's gardens.
Vegetarians will also have stomach filling meals as the country offers many Bajan vegetables dishes for them to enjoy. Pumpkin Fritters is an ideal snack for those who love something sweet and spicy. Rice is often cooked with a variety of peas like pigeon peas, black eye peas or split peas. Vegetables like Okra and Asparagus are often sprinkled with lime juice and sautéed in butter. There are also unusual fruits for tourists to enjoy in local restaurants. A large green football sized Breadfruit which is similar to potatoes in taste and texture, is often served lathered in a butter, tomato and onion sauce or fresh cucumber and lime souse. Plantain may look unpleasant when uncooked but it is quite popular in local restaurants. It is a member if the banana family and usually served wrapped in bacon and baked. The sugarless member of the melon family, Chrisyophene is another unusual vegetable which is commonly served with cheese sauce.
The island has so many wonderful caves and gardens to explore. So after arriving in the country and finding hotels in Barcelona, get your gears ready and explore Mother Nature at her best in this tropical island.
So many people would love to see the amazingly beautiful and utterly other worldly paradise shores of Barbados. But people think that it would be just too expensive. However, there is really a way to go experience Barbados without the expensive wallet burn that will hurt one's financial status for half a year. Indeed, following a few smart ideas can help anyone get the affordable Barbados travel vacation that they have been waiting for.
Utilize the local Barbados commuting system - Most tourists will just jump the gun and hire taxis every time, but getting to know the public transportation system of Barbados will help save one lots of cash. First of all, know that one Zed vehicles in Barbados is one of the best ways to get around. Also, Zed Vans move so fast, one can get anywhere in time. The buses in Barbados are also decent, and for a mere seventy five cents, it is a bargain.
Barbados Rhum - Of course as a tourist, one is likely to order the usual cocktails or martinis from the bar. Don't. Instead, why not enjoy the local Barbados rhum which is a whole lot cheaper? Also, this rhum is world-class so one should definitely try it when one goes to the island.
Dinner at the St Lawrence Gap - The Gap is famous in the island and every tourist should go there. As a plus, the food is less expensive than food in other tourist restaurants or hotel diners. One can get the most authentic Bajan seafood experience accompanied by island party music that livens up the southern coast of Barbados along with the barbecues that are simply to die for. <
Friday Night Dinner at Oistins - This is another great Barbados tradition that most tourists to Barbados have enjoyed. This tradition of going to the Oistins bay during Friday is not just for the tourists but is also for the locals. The bay located at the southern coast of Barbados is famous for the Friday fish fry when so many stalls are set up right in the beach. Music is played and the whole affair turns into a big beach party with inexpensive and yet delicious fish fry for everyone. Why go to expensive restaurants with tourist prices when one can enjoy the local Bajan scene serving fish that was just caught at the very same day it is cooked?
Wait for the low season - Everyone knows that low seasons are the best time to travel to anywhere. In the case of Barbados, the low season for the island is usually between the middle of April up to the middle of December. After that, the high season starts and people tend to flock to the island. Of course, with more tourists, not only will it be more crowded, the high demand will also mean high prices for both airfare and accommodations.
Try Jet Blue Airlines - This airline is now going from the FJK to the BGI airport and will give its first time fliers low introductory rates. One should grab this discount opportunity as soon as it is still available. Also, one should book an early flight whatever airline one should choose since airlines give discounts to such early booking.
Before the advent of the computer and the internet, booking a hotel was not an easy task, and involved a lot of paperwork. But now, you can just email one of the agents specializing in short term or holiday hotel suite and have your pick of hotels to suit your needs. And hotel booking are not just available in Barcelona. You can go to other areas in the world and have the same convenience. How about a visit to Waterfront is the Alcatraz, a former prison for the notorious criminals in San Francisco? There are a lot of San Francisco hotels to book here. If you want to plan a relaxed holiday in Barcelona, Spain, don’t be nervous about the hotel choice, there are many Barcelona hotels that you can try too.
Another option is Traveling to Dubai from across the Arabian sea can be a rewarding experience. Many people have discovered this fascinating aspect in the last several decades and many more will continue doing the same in the years to follow. With so much of tourism headed towards Dubai, it was but logical for so many of the 5 star Dubai hotels to have got a foothold here. However, before planning out your next vacation to this part of the world, you should know what options you could choose from various hotel offers. Luxurious stay could be one of the options, only if your budget allows you to meet with the challenges lying ahead. There are so many low-end hotels on the other hand, that not only offer world class accommodation but also do so at a fairly reduced price.
Following down the line are cheap Dubai hotels that many of the visitors would be looking forward to having some information about. "Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach & Resort Marina", is one such 3 star hotel, that carries highly concessional rates, but offers rooms and services worthy of being called that of Dubai's status. The most noticeable feature of cheap Dubai hotels is their outstanding locations. One such example lies within the Meridien Mina Seyahi, which is just a few minutes away from the Mall of the Emirates and Ibn Battuta. It offers services such as: a health club, gym, steam room, kids club, sauna, aerobics etc. And all this fabulous booty starting at an amazingly low rate of $43 per night's stay.
All of this is available to you, and since you'll save money on lodging by booking a hotel, you can do a lot of other things.
There are ways to reduce your premiums without giving up coverage. One of the easiest things to do is get auto insurance rate quotes online. This will allow you to comparative shop stress free.
Cheap car insurance in California will vary depending on the insurance agency, your driving record, and the type of insurance you are looking to purchase. I you are looking for affordable car insurance or truck insurance then read on.
Raising your deductibles is the easiest way to reduce your rates. The higher the deductible, the lower the premium will be. The deductible is the portion you will have to pay in the event of accident, before your insurance coverage steps in. It’s important not to carry a deductible that’s more than what you are able to pay. Your insurance company will not honor its portion of the claim until you’ve paid your deductible. However, the higher your deductible the lower your premium cost will be, so you need to find a
Always remember to ask your insurance broker for any available discounts. Quite often we forget to ask and they don’t seem to volunteer the information. A clean record on the current policy for a certain period of time, having your homeowner's coverage with the same insurer, taking a defensive driving course, having an accident free driving record, and having an approved anti-theft device will reduce your auto insurance rates.
The type of car you drive can also reduce your rates. Stay away from cars that have a high class rating. Rates vary among the different makes and models of vehicles. The different rates are based on the risk of accident, cost to repair, higher theft rates for a particular model and replacement costs such as with a new vehicle. So be sure your vehicle isn’t going to be in a category that increases your rates too much.
A safe driving record consisting of no accidents and no traffic violations will get you the most substantial discount. Most insurance companies are very good at recognizing good driving habits. These are the drivers they want to insure because their risk is much lower.
Check around to make sure you are getting the best auto rates you can. Online auto insurance shopping has taken the guess work out of buying insurance and you can very quickly see if you are being hosed. So if your insurance is coming due now is the time to start shopping!.
If the car is old and not very valuable, comprehensive insurance is probably not worth buying as it can quickly add up to more than you’d ever receive in the event of an accident. You can save up to 20% by eliminating collision insurance. You may want to opt not to carry collision insurance as well which can save you and additional 20%.
In my teens, I traveled to France, “tourisme Paris” we call it, with my mother, father and grandmother for a month of sightseeing with a rental car. Michael Schumacher and Formula 1 have nothing on my father and our Opel rental car.
American fathers have an interesting if somewhat aggravating habit on trips. Yes, I am talking about the desire to see everything there is to see. This was particularly problematic in France, which has a gazillion things to see. For some reason, my memory is a blur! I’ll have to refer back to my Nomad Travel Journal, but here we go…
Paris, the city of love and a thousand other clichés, still holds a certain mystic. But no matter how many written words this great city has commanded - however familiar this town may appear - Paris will always remain an enigma, a magnet for millions of visitors from around the world.
When darkness falls the City of Light gives credential to its name. The monuments and bridges are illuminated, and the glow of old-fashioned and modern street lamps, the blaze of sidewalk-cafe windows, and the glare of neon signs flood the avenues and boulevards. Parisians start the serious part of their evenings as in other European people stretch, yawn, and announce it’s time for bed. Once the workday is over, most people go to a cafe to meet with friends over a drink and perhaps a meal. Later they may go home or even proceed to a restaurant or the theater; and much later, they may show up at a bar or a dance club.
The hottest Paris nightspots are in the city’s northeastern districts, particularly around Ménilmontant, Oberkampf, and Belleville, while the Bastille clubs and the Marais bars are still going strong. The Grands Boulevards and Pigalle/Montmartre are also bubbly places with plenty of theaters, bars, and concert venues. By contrast, the Rive Gauche is a relatively minor player, dominated by student pubs and jazz bars in the Latin Quarter and a sprinkling of chic hangouts toward St-Germain-des-Prés. The Gucci-and-Vuitton-clad jet set can still be found around the Champs-Élysées and Rue St-Honoré, with prices to match the ritzy atmosphere. In warmer months Parisians flock to the floating clubs and bars, moored along the Seine from Bercy to the Eiffel Tower. Midweek, people are usually home after closing hours.
After tired around paris, so we headed to one of the famous hotel which is called "Thalasso Biarritz." time for us to rest after a round and enjoy the beauty of Paris at night.
After a minor argument, we pulled up in front of a hotel in rome, we called “hotel rome” with vacancies and checked in. Family arrangements being what they were, my parents had one room while my grandmother and I shared a second. We all agreed to take a nap and meet a little later.
As I lay on my bed, I watched the rain come down hard on the windows.
