Barbados, where the sea become blue

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barbados
The island of Barbados is the easternmost of those of the Lesser Antilles with one coast on the Caribbean Sea and the other in the Atlantic Ocean. The island is mostly flat with the high point being Mount Hillaby.

The capital city of Bridgetown is in the parish of Saint Michael. Other major towns include Holetown, Oistins, and Speightstown. A major proportion of Barbados is encircled by coral reefs while there are numerous limestone caves the most famous being Harrison’s Cave which is a major tourist attraction. Another is Welchman Hall Gully.

Barbados has two main seasons -wet and dry. June to November is wet with December to May dry. The island was colonised by the British and still has many English influences.

Cricket is the main sport with some major cricketing figures including Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Frank Worrell hailing from the small island. One of the major events on the island is Crop Over which is similar to carnival.

The festival features musical competitions and other activities and local calypso and soca music. A king and queen are usually crowned.

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The Grantley Adams International Airport is the main airport on the island.

Catherine Zeta-Jones among hottest women over 40

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British actress Catherine Zeta-Jones has been turning heads for almost two decades and is now being named as one of the hottest women in Hollywood over 40 years old.

Other women over 40 on the list include Gwyneth Paltrow, who is married to Coldplay lead singer, Chris Martin, British supermodel Naomi Campbell who is 43, Colombian actress Sofia Vergara who stars in the American sit-com “Modern Family”.

It is perhaps a blessing that good Zeta-Jones is still considered hot. The 43-year-old Welsh-born actress, who starred in this summer’s sequel, “Red2”, is reported to be about to split from her husband of 13 years, Hollywood legend, Michael Douglas.

The Oscar-winning mother of two children Dylan and Carys, has not been pictured together with her husband for the last four months.

Both 68-year old Douglas and Zeta-Jones have struggled with personal health issues within the last few years. Zeta-Jones revealed that she was suffering from bipolar disorder while Douglas had a very public battle with throat cancer.

The pair live in separate homes, Zeta-Jones in New York state and Douglas in Manhattan. Douglas is currently on the East Coast of the USA filming a movie with Diane Keaton.

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One Direction about to become two

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One Direction band member Zayn Malik is to be married to a fellow musician. Twenty year old Malik this week proposed to another 20 year old – Perrie Edwards – of the group Little Mix.

The UK band One Direction premiered its film “This Is US” last Tuesday and Edwards was seen wearing a ring at the premiere in London. The singer’s mother Debbie Edwards has confirmed that the pair did become engaged a week ago.

The band’s label, Columbia Records, has also confirmed that the pair is to be wed, but added that any further detail about their relationship is considered private. Both One Direction and the female trip Little Mix were formed on the British talent programme “The X Factor”. Little Mix won the competition in 2011 while One Direction finished third in 2010.

Despite their runner-up placing, the group has topped music charts around the world. “This IS US” shows some of the pain of the popular boy-band’s mothers who have to buy cardboard cut-outs of their sons because they hardly ever get to see them.

The band have made as much as £640 million in one year alone between album sales and tours since they became famous. The bands five members are aged between 19 and 21.

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Poached salmon

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Fish is known to be one of the most light-weight ways of adding protein to one’s diet and of course fish oils are very important. Salmon is renowned for being Omega-3 fatty acids and is a very tasty filling fish. Grilled, broiled, baked, or poached, salmon makes an excellent meal for dining in or out. For a quiet dinner for two at home try this poached salmon.

All that is needed is 1 to 1½ pounds salmon fillets, pin bones removed, Salt, ½ cup dry white wine, ½ cup water, several thin slices of yellow onion and/or 1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced, A few sprigs of fresh dill or a sprinkle of dried dill, A sprig of fresh parsley, and freshly ground black pepper.

To prepare: first the salmon fillets with salt. Then place wine, dill, water, onions, and parsley in a saucepan and sauté over a medium flame. Next add the salmon fillets with the skin-side down in the pan and cover, cooking for 5-10 minutes depending on the fillets’ thickness. Be careful not to overcook and serve with freshly ground black pepper.

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Antigua, the paradise

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Antigua is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea and is part of a twin-island country known as Antigua and Barbuda. The name Antigua comes from the Spanish word meaning ancient and was named by Italian explorer Christopher Columbus when he discovered the island.

Antigua is said to have 365 beaches – one for every day of the year- and the economy is heavily reliant on tourism. St. John’s is the island’s capital and largest town.

English Harbour in the island’s southeast is famous and is also site of a restored British Colonial naval station known as Nelson’s Dockyard. The area is famous for yachting and sailing. There is an annual sailing season – Antigua Sailing Week – at the end of April and start of May, which is a world-class regatta.

The island also has legalised, regulated, and licensed online gaming. Sport fishing is also popular and a number of big competitions are held each year. Among the other popular sports are wind-surfing and kite-surfing, both of which take place at Jabbawock Beach.

Several famous persons have homes on Antigua including designer Giorgio Armani, musician Eric Clapton, and cricketer Sir Vivian Richards. The island has one international airport, the VC Bird International Airport.

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British actors the hottest of 2013

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Some of the hottest young actors of 2013 so far have one thing in common – they are all British. According to UK Glamour, Andrew Garfield, Alex Pettyfer, Eddie Redmayne , Henry Cavill, Jack O’Connell, Jamie Bell, Jim Sturgess, Nicholas Hoult, Tom Hardy, Jamie Bower Campbell, Tom Sturridge, Tom Hiddleston, Max Irons, and Douglas Booth have rocked the television and film world so far this year.

Some of these actors have made the big time in the United Kingdom and America. Garfield, who was born in Los Angeles to British parents, was nominated for his role in the 2010 movie “The Social Network” and later won the title role in the 2012 movie “The Amazing Spiderman”.

Cavill has also played a super hero as this year’s Superman in “Man of Steel” after heating up TV screens as a Tudor in “Game of Thrones”. He will wear his cape again in the upcoming film “Justice League”.

Hoult hit screens as a young man alongside Hugh Grant in the film “About a Boy” before starring alongside Academy Award-winner Colin Firth in “A Single Man”.

Jamie Bell was introduced to and won the heart of a generation in the dance flick “Billy Elliot”. Now 27, Bell and his American wife, Evan Rachel Wood, welcomed their first child this year.

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British bands the biggest in the world

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The Beatles have long been confirmed as the biggest band in the world but now it seems the top bands in the world all hail from the UK.

The quartet of Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon crossed the billion albums sold threshold joining only single artistes Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson in the top three.

The top 20 artists in music history are The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Madonna, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, Pink Floyd, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, AC/DC, Whitney Houston, The Rolling Stones, Queen, ABBA, The Eagles, U2, Billy Joel, Phil Collins, Aerosmith, Frank Sinatra, and Barbra Streisand.

Of that number the Brits include Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, Queen, and U2. Some of the biggest solo acts are also British including Elton John and Phil Collins

The list of biggest selling artists includes those that have sold over 75 million albums worldwide

Except for the The Beatles, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson, only Madonna, Elton John, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd have sold over 250 million albums worldwide.

The Australian group AC/DC and Swedish band ABBA join those that have sold between 100 and 200 million albums worldwide.

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Cornish pasties, British delight

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Cornish pasties are a British delight loved in the isles and Ireland and make a good boxed lunch or a main course. To make the pastry it needs 4 oz all purpose flour, salt, 2oz butter, cubed, and 2-3 tbsp cold water. Ingredients for the filling are ¼ cup onion, finely chopped, 1/2 cup potato, cut into 1/4 inches, ½ cup swede cut into 1/4 inch dice, 4oz rump steak, cut into small cubes, salt and pepper, and 1 egg, lightly beaten.

Pre-heat oven to 425 °F and make the shortcrust pastry. First add flour, butter, and salt in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour with fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add water and use a cold knife to stir until the dough binds together. Add more cold water if the mixture is too dry.

Wrap the dough in Clingfilm and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes. Divide the pastry into 4 and roll each piece into rounds of 6-7 inches.

Add onion, potato, swede, and meat in a bowl. Season well with salt and pepper, then divide between each pastry circle and place to one side of the circle.

Brush the edges with a beaten egg and fold dough in half over filling so the edges meet. Crimp together to create a tight seal and brush with the remaining egg. Place on a greased baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes until golden brown.

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Thessaloniki, the summer in Greece

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Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece, the capital of the region of central Macedonia, and is famous for being the destination of two of St. Paul’s epistles in the New Testament.

The city is over 2000 years old and in its hey-day Thessaloniki was a co-reigning city of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire alongside Constantinople.

The city is well-known for its many festivals and cultural events with the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair and Thessaloniki International Film Festival held each year.

The city boasts many Byzantine monuments and has 15 listed Unesco World Heritage Sites including the Hagias Sophia and Hagias Demetrius which is said to be the largest basilica in Greece. It also boasts many Roman, Ottoman, and Sephardic Jewish monuments. The Aristotle University in Thessaloniki is the largest in Greece and the Balkans.

The city has many imposing hills, mountain ranges, and fault lines and is subject to earthquakes.

Thessaloniki has characteristics of both temperate and Mediterranean climates and has dry winters, fog, and very hot summers with humid nights.

Thessaloniki is a major transportation hub with the Macedonia International Airport and railways connecting the rest of Greece.

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British teens do better in franchise films

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Australian star Liam Hemsworth who is in this summer’s biggest bomb “Paranoia” crashed and burned on his first outing outside of last summer’s movie franchise hit “The Hunger Games”.

Several of the biggest franchise movie names including Daniel Radcliffe of “Harry Potter” fame and Robert Pattinson who made his name in the vampire series “Twilight” have also had starring roles outside of their better known series.

Radcliffe starred in eight Harry Potter films and has had some big splashes in the theatre since. He starred in the play Equus as well as “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”. He also starred in the movie “The Woman in Black” which gained mixed reviews and earned $127 million world-wide.

Radcliffe will next star as Igor in the upcoming film Frankenstein. Another British star, Pattinson, drew the crowds as Edward Cullen in Twilight but his other roles have been not so well received including his turn in the movie “Water For Elephants” alongside Reese Witherspoon.

He also starred in “Bel Ami” and “Cosmopolis” but neither film did well at the box office. Radcliffe’s Harry Potter co-star Emma Watson has had the biggest success so far starring in the acclaimed “Perks of Being a Wallflower” and “This Is the End”. 

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