A blueberry's silver-gray bloom is a protective layer that serves as a covering. The bloom is what keeps the berries fresh, so wait to wash them until you're ready to eat them.

Rio has been affectionately dubbed Cidade Maravilhosa, which translates as Marvelous City. Some of the reasons for this moniker include the combination of urban culture, magnificent shoreline, rocky peaks, and impressive forests.

Contrary to common opinion, the Eiffel Tower is not Paris' most visited landmark! The Eiffel Tower is the fourth most valuable structure in Paris. The Notre-Dame Cathedral comes in top, followed by the Sacré-Coeur Basilica and the Louvre Museum. When in Paris, make sure to visit them all!

Music can improve the way we exercise, according to a 2010 study led by sport psychologist C.I. Karageorghis. This can happen in two ways: it can make you feel less tired or it can increase the amount of time you spend working out. According to this study, music can result in “higher-than-expected levels of endurance, power, productivity, or strength.

More areas of the human body are affected by ulcers, which can take different forms including arterial ulcers, venous ulcers, mouth ulcers, or genital ulcers. The focus of this article is on the many forms of peptic ulcers.

Amateur astronomers look forward to the Perseid meteor shower every year in August, and NASA predicts that the 2019 event will be among the finest ever. The new moon will offer the best viewing conditions, allowing the shooting stars to shine, so we may thank it for that. The greatest Perseid activity occurs on the nights of August 12 and 13, however, the Perseids are visible from July 17 to August 24. For the optimum viewing experience, get away from buildings and city lights. You'll be oohing and ahhing as up to 100 meteors per hour zip by.

Consistently on the late spring solstice, a special ball game is played at the Growden Remembrance Park known as the 12 PM Sun Game. The game took place in Fairbanks, Alaska, and because the Sun was out for almost 24 hours on the solstice, there was no artificial lighting from 10:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The custom started in 1906 and has been played consistently beginning around 1960 by The Frozen North Goldpanners.

The phrase 'Thai massage' has become famous all over the world with good reason - you can find massage parlors spread across the city, catering to all kinds of budgets and needs. From hour-long reflexologists to day-long pampering, you're sure to find something to release that tension from your muscles. If you're looking for a luxurious experience, Urban Oasis, Health Land and Body Tune are some of the chains to look at. In the early years, Thai massage parlors were notorious for doubling up as brothels, but effective government action has ensured you can let your body unwind with complete peace of mind. 

 

Throughout history, Malta has been ruled by numerous empires, including the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights Templars, French, and lastly the British.

In any case, Athena had to avenge her house’s desecration. However, Poseidon was immortal and older than her. Therefore, Medusa had to take the punishment even though she was the victim. Athena turned Medusa from a beautiful maiden into a hideous beast, unable to stare someone in the eye without turning them into stone. The hair that once attracted compliments as the source of her beauty became venomous snakes. Medusa was now a Gorgon.

Because of 150 years of British colonial control, Chinese cultural traditions combine nicely with Western cultural values in Hong Kong. Feng-shui traditions are extensively practiced, as are other spiritual beliefs such as the belief that the numbers 3, 5, and 8 are auspicious and bring good fortune.

Being selected to have your own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is a big deal. It’s the ultimate sign of respect from the Academy and proof that you have truly made it. It’s also an expensive process. One of the many interesting facts about the Walk of Fame is that it costs money to have a star on the Walk of Fame. When a person is nominated, a benefactor must also pay for the star. How much does it cost you ask? Just a cool $40,000.

A student went 264.4 hours without sleep while still in high school, winning first place in the 10th Annual Great San Diego Science Fair in 1964. Randy said emphatically "no" when asked if he'd do it again. Others claim to have broken Randy's record, but none of their attempts were done under close scrutiny, as Randy's were, so there's no way of knowing if they're genuine.

Moses, according to the Bible, drew water from a stone in Wadi Musa, also known as the Valley of Moses. The water supply for Petra came from this location, which, according to Biblical legend, continued to gush water after Moses' miraculous act. Even though the architects of Petra were not Christians, the ancient city's proximity to Wadi Musa makes it an appealing pilgrimage destination for Christians.

On November 22, 1962, Averell Harriman, the US Assistant Secretary of State, and Duncan Sandys, the British Secretary for Commonwealth Relations, paid a visit to India. On this day, China proclaimed a unilateral cease-fire in its conflict with India. A clear signal was sent to India, which had only recently emerged from the worst month in its history: she needed to concede on Kashmir. The Kennedy and subsequent Johnson administrations considered'rebalancing' aid to Pakistan in exchange for India agreeing to'resolve' the Kashmir dispute.

If you’ve watched your little kitty charging around the living room when they’re feeling lively you know that cats are pretty quick, but you won’t believe this cat fact. They can hit speeds of around 30mph which is so fast that they could beat Usain Bolt in a 200-meter dash!

Do you believe The Walking Dead is a work of fiction? It is, but the government wants to be ready for a real-life version in any case. In 2011, the 31-page Counter-Zombie Dominance Plan, or CONPLAN 8888-11, was created. And, lest you think it's strange bureaucratic humour, the first sentence says, "This plan was not truly created as a joke."

The chia plant is fickle and requires highly specialised growth conditions. It cannot withstand frost, yet it need low temperatures to create large quantities of omega-3 fatty acids. Chia grows best between 23 degrees north and south of the equator. This region has some of the ideal conditions for growing chia seeds.

Hermione Granger was widely regarded as one of the most brilliant witches of her generation, but when she is reintroduced to fans during the post-Battle of Hogwarts time jump in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, she appears to be leading a very normal existence. Of all, there's nothing wrong with it, but she looked destined for more. In the years thereafter, Hermione has fulfilled her promise, rising through the ranks of the Wizarding World's governing body to become Minister of Magic in 2019, succeeding her predecessor, Kingsley Shackelbolt.

Apart from the normal male and female washrooms, you might come across a third-gender washroom in this liberal country. Thailand is one of the first countries to introduce these to transgender men and is known to be very accepting of the sexual identity and expression of its people. 

Saint Nicolas, a Christian saint and Greek Bishop of Myra, was born in Patara, Lycia, or what is now known as Demre in Turkey. Also, it is believed that the Virgin Mary's ultimate resting place is someplace near Ephesus.

The Dussehra celebrations in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, are another well-known event in India. To take part in this enormous festival, individuals travel from all over the nation to Kullu, also known as the Valley of the Gods. Beginning on the tenth day of Navratri, or Dussehra, it lasts for a week. Lord Raghunath and other gods are carried through the town in a procession to begin.

Bond, despite having witnessed some of the most deadly and bizarre events known to man, has a sense of humour. During the Never Send Flowers plotline, he went to the EuroDisney Resort (now known as Disneyland Paris) with his sweetheart. Bond was scheduled to remain for a few days, but he fell in love with the location and stayed for a week. The plot culminates with a climactic fight in the theme park. This demonstrates that even this cool and skilled MI6 spy/assassin has a childish side.