http://toptoysite.co.uk/outdoor-toys-perfect-for-summer-play/

When I was a child playing outside in the summer and winter was normal. Most of our play was make believe, playing families, doctors and nurses, cowboys and Indians, or we would play hide and seek, football, cricket, kick can, set off on our bikes. Or we would take a picnic and spend all day in the park in the summer holidays playing tennis, putting or splash about in the paddling pool. Idyllic days that many of kids today are missing out on.



Nowadays it doesn’t feel safe to let our kids out of our yards or gardens unsupervised by an adult and that’s a shame. Back then families were generally bigger so we all looked out for each other which gave us more freedom in our play. Children now spend a lot of time playing computer games and watching television instead of getting out in the fresh air and getting healthy exercise. Experts say that obesity in children is on the rise so obviously it’s better for the kids if we can find more ways of getting them out in the fresh air and exercising. Take a look at the linked article for a selection of some of the best fun and healthy outdoor toys for younger children.



http://toptoysite.co.uk/outdoor-toys-perfect-for-summer-play/

Top Blogging Tips

If you are thinking of setting up a blog, or working on a blog for someone else, there are a few tips that you might want to take on board that will help you become better at what you do, and at a quicker pace. This article seeks to outline those tips, and should point you in the right direction as regards making your blog stand out from the crowd.



First of all, make sure that your blog endeavours to help people. Don't forget that people surf the Internet looking for advice and support on a massive range of issues. Your blog might well fit in to that range of issues, but if it is not helpful, they will ultimately not find what they are looking for, so make sure what you write offers help. This could be simple tips that people could use in their hobbies or pursuits, or it could be your unique insight into a problem. Everyone is different, and if you can be helpful in your own unique way you are most definitely on track to succeeding.



Read more: Top Blogging Tips

Brexit Soft Or Hard? It’s Not Flipping Cheese You Know

Theresa May has constantly been accused of going for a hard Brexit yet all she has ever said is that ‘no deal is better than a bad deal’. I happen to agree with that. If I wanted to make a deal on a house and if I found out that it had no roof, windows or doors I would not give an arm and a leg over it’s value. If the EU keep demanding too much with little in return then it would be better for us to walk away without a deal. If that happened because of the EU trying to punish us then they would be cutting their noses off to spite their faces. For us at least we would be able to start making our own trade deals, it sucks that we are not allowed to until we officially leave the EU.

Soft or Hard?

I’m getting rather fed up with the terms soft and hard as far as Brexit is concerned and think that they are just words used by the remoaners who want to stay in the EU or think that the single market is the be all and end all. I don’t believe for one minute that the negotiators from either side are going into it with plans for a hard Brexit. Unless they are fools than the negotiating teams should try to get the best deal for both sides.



Brexit Soft Or Hard? It’s Not Flipping Cheese You Know

Some Of My Favourite Seaside Resorts In England – Where To Go

England has always had some great seaside resorts and despite the unpredictable weather you can have some really enjoyable breaks along the English coast. This year like myself, more than half of the population are planning to enjoy a staycation and holiday in this country. Following are some of the wonderful places to spend a great holiday in England, what do you think?

Scarborough

Founded by a viking raider, Scarborough has it’s own ruined castle, retains some of it’s fishing industry and even has it’s own annual beach rock and pop festival, a great place to visit. Not far away is the smaller and quieter seaside resort of Filey, another good place for a vacation.



On the North Yorkshire coast Scarborough is one of my favourite seaside resorts. The average summer temperature is 19°C so quite warm. I’ve been really lucky and whenever I’ve gone there it’s been blazing hot during the day and lively at night! I’ve sunbathed there, shopped, been fishing, camped at the motorbike road races, stayed in a top hotel, holiday cottage, caravan and boarding house and loved every minute of every visit.



Read more Some Of My Favourite Seaside Resorts In England – Where To Go

Easy Recipes For Quick Savoury Snacks Or Meals

When you have a busy schedule like me it’s not always easy to find time to shop for, prepare and cook hot and healthy meals with fresh food. I’ve certainly found that anyway. Rather than go down the microwave ready meal route I’ve got a few favourite easy recipes that I make if I haven’t got much time and the ingredients are usually already there in my cupboards. Following you will find my 3 favourite quick and easy recipes:



Read on: Easy Recipes For Quick Savoury Snacks Or Meals

Pokemon Spring 2017 Collector Chest And Legends of Alola Booster Packs – Top Toy Site

The fictional creatures called Pokémon first appeared in a pair of
Nintendo Gameboy games back in 1995  and are still popular with today’s
children. Pokemon products now include video games, trading card games,
animated television shows and movies, comic books, and toys. Currently
the Pokémon franchise is the second best selling video game  to Nintendo
Mario. The Spring 2017  Pokemon Collector Chest And Legends of Alola
Booster Packs are new releases in the Pokemon world.

Pokemon Spring 2017 Collector Chest

A trove of Pokemon treasures this sturdy metal case contains more than a dozen special Pokemon goodies, including many not found anywhere else.



Read more: Pokemon Spring 2017 Collector Chest And Legends of Alola Booster Packs

Living With Osteoarthritis, How I Deal With Osteoarthritis Of The Knees

I was diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in my knees nearly 5 years ago and apparently it’s the most common form of arthritis in the UK. The condition Osteoarthritis is also known as degenerative arthritis or degenerative joint disease. Take your pick, whatever the name it can be very painful. Osteoarthrosis, is a joint disease resulting from the breakdown of joint cartilage and the underlying bone. The most common symptoms are joint pain and stiffness and don’t I know it!

Early Joint Pain

I have had problems with my knees aching ever since I was a teenager 40 odd years ago. I believe that it developed from damage caused by falling on my knees and then working as a sewing machinist from the age of 15 – my knees were terribly stiff after working for hours on a machine. I can remember my knees locking and it being quite painful to straighten my legs after 8 hours of sewing. My knees would make a cracking noise like when somebody cracks their knuckles when I straightened my legs. The doctor didn’t do anything, just said that it was damaged cartilages that would probably cause me a lot of pain when I was older.



Read more Living With Osteoarthritis, How I Deal With Osteoarthritis Of The Knees

Queen Elizabeth I Conspiracy Theory

Some conspiracy theories are quite bizarre others can be interesting. I have heard the following conspiracy theory about Queen Elizabeth I and her imposter before but not in as much detail:

The Mystery of Queen Elizabeth I’s Possible Imposter

One of history’s most unusual conspiracy theories involved Queen Elizabeth I, the daughter of England’s King Henry VIII and his second wife Anne Boleyn. During the first half of the sixteenth century, Elizabeth was born to the tyrannical English king. When she was about ten years old, she was taken from Henry’s court in plague-ridden London to Bisley, a small town Southwest of London, because he wanted to protect her from getting sick.



According to legend, young Elizabeth died in Bisley. Her caretakers panicked when they found her body, and knew that Henry would return sooner than expected to visit his daughter. Afraid for their lives, they anxiously searched the town to find a girl who looked like Elizabeth. After a futile attempt to find a read-haired girl, they found a boy with red hair who was about the same height as Elizabeth. This boy, whose name was Neville was actually a friend or relative who played with Elizabeth. They brought him back to their home and dressed him in Elizabeth’s clothes. Apparently, when Henry returned he couldn’t tell the difference between the boy and Elizabeth. So, the boy kept assuming the role as the dead princess and continued pretending to be the future queen.



Read more: Queen Elizabeth I Conspiracy Theory

Malta Holidays: What You Must Not Forget When Packing For Malta – Where To Go

The island of Malta is a great all year round holiday destination for people of all ages. There is plenty of entertainment for families thoughout the island and there is enough for history buffs to enjoy on their vacation. The nightlife is great in St Julians and Sliema, fun for night owls young and old.

Malta really is a fun packed place to travel to, but what are the most important items that you need to save room for in your suitcase? The following are ‘must’ items that I would take with me during the hot steamy summer months. essentials for comfort and pleasure:



Mosquito Repellent

For some reason I attract mosquitos when others on holidays in Malta with me don’t. Unfair but that’s life, so I have to prepare for the dreaded onslaught and especially if I am going to be anywhere near water at night (must stop paddling in rock pools after dark). I take a spray or cream mosquito repellent, but make sure that I choose one that doesn’t smell bad and spray all of my exposed bits when I go out in the evening and take it with me for a top up as I am usually enjoying the nightlife for more than a couple of hours.



On one of my Malta holidays, in a big rush to get out to the bars on the first evening I forgot to spray the bare bits in between my sandal straps and had so many bites that my feet became badly infected, very swollen and painful. I had to borrow some bigger sandals from my friend for the rest of that holiday. I also take a plug in mosquito killer for where I sleep. Cream and spray mosquito repellents wear off over time and if the slightest bit of juicy bare skin is exposed while you are sleeping it’s the signal for an all out mossy attack!



Read more:  Malta Holidays: What You Must Not Forget When Packing For Malta – Where To Go

Making Videos For Youtube And Learning From My Digital Ecourse

As I had been out of Internet marketing for several years I found that I had forgotten quite a lot about how to proceed with marketing my websites and attracting those all important visitors, so I took the opportunity of a 7 day free trial of an ecourse – Digital Marketing 4 in 1. The 4 in 1 topics are YouTube, Social Media, Website and Google.



When I had finished reading the first section on YouTube videos and marketing them to get views and traffic to your website I was rather pleased with the course, enough to pay the £19 fee for lifetime access. Maybe I could have read it all in a week but I wanted to use what I had learned from the YouTube training section before moving on to the next part.



I remembered some of the information but was surprised by just how much I had forgotten from my previous YouTube postings. I also learned a few new things, so the first part of this course was well worth the small spend. I’m now having fun making videos but more about that later.



Read on: Making Videos For Youtube And Learning From My Digital Ecourse

Holidays in Singapore, Night Views in Singapore

3 Top Resorts of the Turkish Riviera – Where To Go

 

 

Turkey holidays are extremely popular with British holidaymakers
and despite the troubles in that area of the world Turkey remains one of
the most visited holiday destinations. You can enjoy the Turkish
beaches and sunshine, visit the past history of the Ottoman empire or
simply relax and take in the beautiful scenery on your Turkish vacation. Following you will find details of 3 of the top Turkish resorts:



A spectacular stretch of coastline spread over 1,000 kilometres and
boasting some of the finest beaches in the whole country. This is one of
the most popular places to head for visitors to Turkey. Walks here take
you through idyllic towns and dramatic mountain landscapes, and you’ll
also discover ancient treasures dating back hundreds of years through
Turkey’s extensive history.




There are a number of resorts in the Turkish Riviera that are well
worth visiting next time you are in Turkey. Walks to any area of the
Riviera will provide you with some amazing experiences, but if you
manage to pass through any of the three places listed below you won’t
regret it.



 Read more: 3 Top Resorts of the Turkish Riviera – Where To Go

A Quick Guide to Art Materials

I recently took some drawing and watercolour painting classes and
enjoyed them so much that I decided to buy my own art materials. I
wasn’t sure which was the best that I could buy so I turned to this
article A Quick Guide to Art Materials for some advice.

Easels

When choosing an easel, firstly you need to decide where you are
using it. If it will be outdoors on rough ground then perhaps you will
need a style easel.

If you are using it on a table then a table easel (or box easel) will
suffice and is slightly cheaper. While if you are in a studio then a
studio easel is better built and slightly more expensive but well worth
the money.

Read more: A Quick Guide to Art Materials | Britster

Gina Miller, General Election & Thwarting Brexit

I don’t pretend to be the most intelligent person or think that I
know it all but I can see well enough how remainer Gina Miller is trying
to thwart Brexit regardless of the fact that the majority voted to
leave the EU. This woman has taken the government to court and now Gina
Miller is crowdfunding to raise money to use in the general election to
prevent the UK from a hard Brexit.

Hard or Soft Brexit

Fact is that a hard or soft Brexit will come down to the negotiations
and how much our government can get Brussels to back down from their
threats and demands – even I a humble shop worker know that. If the EU
insist that we retain free movement and or obey their laws in exchange
for being in the single market I’m sure that the majority of voters will
not find it acceptable and would prefer to walk away with no deal
rather than one that ties us to the very things that we voted against.
We are more likely to be offered a bad deal if the EU negotiators can
see that the country is divided and that is common sense.



Read on Gina Miller, General Election & Thwarting Brexit

You Want to Write Kids Stories

When writing kids stories you have to decide exactly which age group you would like to write to. When deciding on which group it helps you decide what kind of writing you will need to do.



You have decided on what age group now you need to decide what kind of book you would like to write for the children. A spooky story would be good; it would make the children squeal as they were reading. Maybe a chapter book is something that would appeal to you. Chapter books take longer to write, but it keeps the child reading for hours so they can see how it ends.



There are even easy reading books that you could write. This basically means the print is bigger and the words are simple words since the children are just learning to read.



Read more: You Want to Write Kids Stories

Why is Running the Universal Exercise?

 

Running is a great form of exercise and almost anyone can do it. As
a child learns to walk, he or she will eventually learn to run too. At
first in play and then as a way to promote fitness during
school physical exercise lessons. Some continue to run as a hobby or
sport as they get older, or take it up again when they feel a need to
kit fit or lose some extra inches.




As a testament to this, there are millions of runners all over the
world that practice this universal workout on a daily basis. There are
no true running tips to promote running for weight loss. The only thing
you can rely on are your own two feet and how much mileage you can take.
Some think that running was made to be Gods natural way of providing
people with a way to get in shape. You can just see that with the
benefits of running.



Read more  Why is Running the Universal Exercise?

Are World Leaders Mad Enough To Start World War 3?

On Thursday my heart sank when I saw the news headlines ‘US drops BIGGEST ever non-nuclear bomb’.
The bomb even has a nickname ‘MOAB’, or the mother of all bombs – sick
really to nickname a bomb. The article made frightening reading and was
not unexpected because of the posturing going on amongst certain world
leaders.




What was unexpected was that the target was Isis tunnels in
Afghanistan. As I read on I expected to learn that America had bombed
Syria again, or North Korea because there has been far more focus on
those countries than Afghanistan recently.




Donald Trump promised to fight terrorism, but bombing 2 different
countries in just over a week makes me wonder just how bad things are
going to get. Of course Russia has to get in on the act and brag about
their bomb, which is 4 times bigger than the bomb the US dropped, that’s
been nicknamed ‘FOAB’ or father of all bombs. Warmongers might think
it’s clever to nickname bombs and brag about who has the biggest (like
little boys in the playground), but those of us who have some common
sense do not think that it’s clever.



Read more  Are World Leaders Mad Enough To Start World War 3?

Book Review – Accident by Danielle Steele

In Accident by Danielle Steele
we start off playing happy families with 39 year old Page, 45 year old
husband Brad and children Allyson 15, Andy 7. They live in San Francisco
and as far as Page is concerned everything is near perfect, her
marriage, children and lifestyle. So much so that she wonders about
having another child before it’s too late.



Suddenly as is typical in Danielle’s novels their lives are torn
apart one dreadful Saturday night. Allyson sneaks out on a double date
with her school friend Chloe and two 17 year old boys Jamie and Phillip.
It is Allyson’s very first date but knowing that her parents won’t
approve of her going out with an older boy she and Chloe tell their
respective parents that they are at each others homes. They have an
enjoyable night; a meal and the boys drink wine but only half a glass.



Read more Book Review – Accident by Danielle Steele

Website Hosting First Time Round

Choosing website hosting isn’t as easy as you might think and especially when you are new to the Internet. I’ve made a few hosting mistakes in my time and mistakes that set my business back through my own unwise choices. Lets have a look at my mistakes and what I would recommend for a newcomer to hosting.

Free Hosting

Many newcomers believe that free hosting is the solution, it could be at least for a while but then if you are successful free hosting can become a problem. When I set up my first website in January 2001 I chose a free host but had some awful adverts from the host as headers on my site. As the site attracted visitors and earnings I was able to upgrade the account to paid, use my own domain name and lose the overpowering advertising. That was from http://20m.com and you can read my old review here. They are still around but I have no idea if they are as good now as they was back then. That was 16 years ago and I believe now that I was very lucky to have had a good hosting experience first time round.



If you search you can find other free hosting companies but usually they want to plaster their advertising across your site. A few don’t but freebies are usually used to attract future paying customers. I’ve only experienced 20m so cannot comment further on any of the other free hosts apart from saying that free hosts and the smaller companies may not be as up to date as larger companies. That matters when you try to use software or scripts that require the most up to date hosting.



Read more: Website Hosting First Time Round

Visiting The Temple Of Heaven In Beijing

When deciding what sites to see while visiting Beijing, the colourful Temple of Heaven is a must-see on your list. The literal translation from the traditional Chinese for this unique site is “Altar of Heaven.” Regardless of what you call it, you will certainly feel like you have found your own slice of heaven when you visit this unique site.

The Temple of Heaven is comprised of several buildings in the southeast section of Beijing, in the Xuanwu District. In addition, the buildings are based on Taoist beliefs which refers to a set of philosophical and religious traditions that have existed in Asia for more than two thousand years. It’s such an impressive and important structure that it was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.



History of the Temple of Heaven



The Temple of Heaven site was built in the early 1400s while the Yongle Emperor ruled the land. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, emperors visited the complex for prayer ceremonies. The ceremonies, which took place each year, were meant to bring a good harvest. The Yongle Emperor also built the Forbidden City in Beijing, which is another site that should certainly be added to your list of places to visit.



Visiting The Temple Of Heaven In Beijing

Back To Old Money, Imperial Weights & Measures Post Brexit?

There have been several articles in the press recently speculating about reverting back to pre metric weights and measures and old money once the UK leaves the EU. At first my reaction was that it was a great idea, but then I began to wonder. There is a well known British saying that goes ‘if it isn’t broke don’t fix it’ and I believe that they are usually wise words. I’m having a little debate with myself as follows:

Pounds, Shillings and Pence VS Decimal Currency

The decision to go decimal in this country was announced to parliament in 1966 after a very short conversation between then prime minister Harold Wilson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Jim Callaghan. Decimal coinage was gradually phased in until the last of the new coins were released on February 15th 1971. The banks even closed for 4 days to prepare for the final changeover.



Back To Old Money, Imperial Weights & Measures Post Brexit?

Buying And Registering A Domain Name For Your New Website Or Blog

What Is A Domain?

A domain is a website address like britster.co.uk or even google.com.
It’s what distinguishes your website from others just as your home
address does from your next door neighbour’s, but you get to choose it.
Your domain can reflect what your website or blog is about, be a vanity
domain as mine is, be the name of your company, or a brand that you are
building like Google or Yahoo.

Choosing Your Domain

If you are niche marketing then it is better for search engine
optimisation if your domain reflects what your website is about, for
instance like my toptoysite.co.uk blog.  A large amount of the search terms used by visitors to find the blog are ‘top toys’.


By picking the domain toptoysite.co.uk
and using ‘top toys’ in the title I helped to make it easier for the
blog to be found in the search engines. I could have done the same by
using a different domain and adding ‘top toys’ as a category or an
article but it wouldn’t have been so easy to get the site ranking for
those particular search terms.



Buying And Registering A Domain Name For Your New Website Or Blog

Pushkar Chaos: Camels, Sadhus, Snake Charmers, Lepers And Little Blue Boys Dressed As Lord Shiva

I entered the bizarre world of the Pushkar Fair: Camels, sadhu holy men, pilgrims, touts, tourists, snake charmers, lepers and little blue boys dressed as the Hindu god Lord Shiva. They were all there. The full moon of November brings a bit of insanity to the local atmosphere–fireworks, glitter, Rajasthani fashionistas–all side-by-side with the filth. But that’s India.



The novelty of the Pushkar Mela (or fair) never seems to wear off–this was my fifth visit in two decades. Each year the camel fair culminates on the final full moon day, Kartik Poornima. It’s a holy event, but one that seems to have become the capitalistic god-focus for the ever-growing onslaught of vendors from afar who are drawn to Pushkar’s sanctified lake this particular week . . . and to the money they can garner from selling their trinkets. Hotel rates can skyrocket as much as 500 percent during the even



Pushkar Chaos: Camels, Sadhus, Snake Charmers, Lepers And Little Blue Boys Dressed As Lord Shiva – Where To Go

Review of Trapped – Visual Adaptation

Trapped is the first visual adaptation of a story by Dean Koontz written in 1989. Published in 1992 by Eclipse it is a short story adapted by horror writer Edward Gorman and illustrated by Anthony Bilau. Think comics with a glossy card cover and brightly coloured glossy pages and you might be able to picture the effect.



Caught in the pool of light from my bedside lamp I could see the creature staring at me. The malevolent expression on the big white rat’s face was enough to make me shudder – or was that caused by the cold I wondered as I snuggled further into my bedcovers. On further inspection I could see that the rat on the front cover of the book looked cute rather than scary, especially as it’s red eyes look crossed.



Read on....  Review of Trapped – Visual Adaptation

The Melting Pot Called Baguio City

Baguio City in the Philippines became a chartered city over 100 years ago on September 1st 1909. Before that, the Kankanaeys and the Ibalois were the natives inhabiting the city which was then called bag-iw that translated to English means moss. This was because the Baguio that we know now as an highly urbanised city built in a tropical rain forest was once covered with moss and a prolific amount of natural resources.





The Melting Pot Called Baguio City – Where To Go

http://toptoysite.co.uk/puzzle-mates-portapuzzle-jigsaw-accessory/

I used to like doing jigsaw puzzles but haven’t done any for a while because of lack of space in my house. I like to be able to build a jigsaw puzzle up over several days or even weeks, just do a bit when I feel like it. I sometimes made them on my kitchen table but had 2 problems with that.



There were times that I needed to use the table and had to break up partly made puzzles to store them away. The other problem is my cat Tuppence. She seems to delight in sitting on tables and knocking whatever is on them on to the floor, bit like a naughty child really.



When I saw the Puzzle Mates Portapuzzle I knew that it was the perfect solution for my space and cat problem, it seems to me the ideal accessory for building, sorting, storing and transporting 1000 piece jigsaw puzzles. That’s because the Portapuzzle range has a unique specially designed lining that keeps puzzle pieces in place and also has the ideal surface to build your puzzle on.



Learn more: http://toptoysite.co.uk/puzzle-mates-portapuzzle-jigsaw-accessory/

Be My Valentine

It’s February and Saint Valentine’s day and the big love in is growing closer. February 14th is the dedicated day in Great Britain and many other countries world wide where love is celebrated. Couples of all ages send each other cards and buy each other gifts to show how much they care for each other. There are also many others who declare their love secretly with cards or gifts.



Valentine’s day originated in Western Europe as a Christian feast in honour of 1 or more early saint called Valentinus. It isn’t a public holiday anywhere, but it is recognised as an important cultural and commercial celebration in many regions.



Read on Be My Valentine | Britster: 

Shower Of Fear

I wrote this true story 20 years ago, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Shower of Fear

I was luxuriating in the sensuous feeling of water cascading over my body when it happened. It was Boxing night and I was thinking about the evening ahead working at the local pub. I really didn’t feel like working that night after an hectic Christmas Eve and Christmas day lunchtime behind the bar.

What I would rather do was curl up in front of the fire with a bottle of wine, a box of chocolates and a good novel. No television to disturb my quiet pleasure, at least not until later on.

Read more: Shower Of Fear | Britster: 

Just Who Are The Weaker Sex, Men Or Women?

 Just Who Are The Weaker Sex?

A young male work colleague was poorly with a cold (man flu?) a few
days ago. He didn’t carry on working throughout his shift like the rest
of us do when ill.

He went upstairs to sit in the office with his feet on the desk and playing with his mobile for at least 4 hours out of his 8 hour shift. His actions (or lack of) angered the rest of the staff and lost any sympathy that we might have had for him not feeling well.

It’s no wonder we women joke about man flu!



Read more: Just Who Are The Weaker Sex, Men Or Women? | Britster

Visiting Zambia in South Africa

 

Beautiful Zambia is a landlocked country in South Africa where you can enjoy a very rugged landscape and diverse variety of wildlife. The capital of Zambia is Lusaka and the official language spoken is English.



Although relatively peaceful for Africa there is still an underlying threat of terrorism in Zambia 60,000 British tourists visit there every year. It’s wise to take precautions like not driving outside the towns after dark and it’s a must to take out travel insurance before you go.



Visiting Zambia in South Africa – Where To Go:

Review Of Eva Fraser’s Facial Workout

 

Approaching her mid thirties, Lydia was terrified of looking and growing older. Then in the summer of 1991 I read in a national newspaper about a new book that had been released that could help you to look younger. Lydia’s birthday was the following week so I thought perfect and trotted off to WH Smiths and bought Eva Fraser’s Facial Workout for £3.99.



When I got home I was curious yet dubious about the content, especially as at the top of the front cover it states ‘Look fifteen years younger’. I read it through and it made more sense than the promises on the labels of expensive lotions and potions, so I kept that copy for myself and bought another for Lydia.



At the time I was training regularly at a gym and had learned that exercising the muscles in my body was helping to tone my skin up and diminish the dreaded cellulite. This book takes exercise one-step further and teaches you how to use the muscles in your face to tone your skin up.



Read more Review Of Eva Fraser’s Facial Workout | Britster:

Botswana in South Africa

 

Botswana is one of the most stable countries in Africa and has a population of just over 2,000,000.The capital of Botswana is Gaborone and the official languages are Twsana and English, making it easier for English speaking tourists to understand and be understood when they are on Package holidays in Botswana.



It is a comparatively small landlocked South African country with the amazing landscape of the Kalahari Desert and the Okavango Delta. The Okavango Delta turns into a lush animal habitat during the seasonal floods. The huge Central Kalahari Game Reserve, with its fossilised river valleys and grasslands, offers a home to many wild animals including giraffes, lions, hippos, cheetahs, hyenas and wild dogs.



See more Botswana in South Africa – Where To Go:

Southern Ireland

 

Southern Ireland (Eire, as the Irish call it, or the Republic of Ireland) is not part of the UK as Northern Ireland is, but both are located on the same island and if not for history would be one whole country. Partitioned under the government of Ireland act in 1920, Southern Ireland is the larger of the 2 parts of Ireland. Southern Ireland is also a member of the European Union and United Nations in it’s own right.



Northern and Southern Ireland map
Northern and Southern Ireland map

Situated at the mouth of the river Liffey, the capital of Southern Ireland is the cosmopolitan city of Dublin. One of the fastest growing cities of Europe, Dublin is popular among tourists for it’s nightlife and culture.



Southern Ireland – Where To Go: 

Wales Destinations

Although a country in it’s own right, Wales is also part of the United Kingdom or Great Britain. Originally a Celtic nation, Wales or Cymru is a bilingual country with both Welsh and English spoken. The largest city and capital of Wales is Cardiff which at one point was the worlds largest coal port.

Flanked on 3 sides by the sea, Wales has over 750 miles of beautiful coastline. The Welsh landscape is very diverse, from the beautiful heritage coastline to the impressive Snowdonia mountains and lakes.



Rea more Wales Destinations – Where To Go:

4 Main Fishing Villages In Halong Bay

 

Nature offers a moderate climate, which is really convenient for fishermen living among the ocean. Thousands of limestone islets jutting out from the sea make a nature border preventing winter strong wind and summer storms. The emerald seawater is ideal for aquiculture. The sea face is even more tranquil than Sword lake in Hanoi. Nestling beside Halong rocky islets, many fishing houses gather into the 4 villages living and working among this UNESCO wonder.

Among the 4 villages, Cua Van or Van Gia is the largest one, and also the oldest village of Halong bay. Now it’s the home to 176 households and 733 people, most of them live on fishing career. The boat is also their home, the school, the committee hall for all villagers. Cua Van is the farest living zone from the inland with the distance of 30km from Bai Chay tourist wharf. Although the deprivation, villagers are always happy with wind, sea and sunshine and smiles. Mostly quiet, calm sea, fishing boat anchors, nets, let the sentence, catching fish are their inspiration.

The establishment of the famous cultural center Cua Van has a great significance both economically and spiritually for residents. It is a model cultural center for the first floating fishing communities of Vietnam, not only to conserve, preserve cultural values through the fishing village activities as well as traditional works between local communities and tourists but also a place to create jobs for locals.

4 Main Fishing Villages In Halong Bay – Where To Go: 

Brexit The Theresa May Way

 

It seems like forever since we voted to leave the European Union but
at last we seem to be making some real Brexit progress. Today Theresa
May laid out her 12 point Brexit plan and I for one am happy with it. Of
course the serial remoaners Tim Fallon (who thinks that we aren’t being
democratic yet wants to remain in the undemocratic cess pool of the
EU), Nicola Sturgeon and Anna Soubry and their pals aren’t too happy but
blow them.

The UK has shown since the referendum last June that we can not only
survive but prosper outside the EU, not that the remoaners seem to have
noticed that. This country has defied the scaremongering tactics from
Europhiles and proven them all wrong. We should now be able to pull
together and make the Great in Great Britain strong again but the
remoaners are still complaining and making threats to derail Brexit in
the courts or otherwise.



Read more ... Brexit The Theresa May Way | Britster: 

Activities Around The Gwydyr Forest

Activities Around The Gwydyr Forest

 

The Gwydyr Forest, set in the Snowdonia National Park, is home to some of the most celebrated scenery of forestry, lakes and mountains. Its enchanting community Betws-Y-Coed is in fact the outdoors capital of North Wales. Here you can walk, climb, cycle and even face adventure courses, high among the trees.

One of the area’s most famous biking routes is the Marin Trail. Don’t be fooled by its attraction though, this 25km long track is famous for its tough climbs but exhilarating descents. With a red trail grade, it’s not a route for the faint hearted but a thrilling experience for experienced mountain bikers. Though it’s a long track you can always cut it short, but you certainly don’t want to miss out on the breathtaking views the whole journey offers, over mountains, trees and lakes. With smooth open paths to rough and rocky single tracks, some areas of the route can be more rewarding to different riders but time and time again the final descent is said to have riders grinning from ear to ear.

Read more Activities Around The Gwydyr Forest – Where To Go:

New York City For Travellers

Autumn in Central Park

New York, or as it’s nicknamed the Big Apple is home to around 8 ½ million people and rising. Made up of 5 boroughs with the densely populated Manhattan at it’s core New York City is one of the world’s top financial, cultural and commercial centres.

New York is sited where the Atlantic Ocean and the Hudson river meet. New York City is often claimed to be the centre of the world. That’s because about 800 different languages are spoken in the city and you can see influences of all parts of the world in this great place. Food, works of art and people sharing their culture from most countries in the world.

New York has most things including a magnificent skyline where you will see the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the New York Times building and other skyscrapers. Top locations to visit are the sprawling Central Park and the Broadway theatre in the neon lit Times Square.

Read more... New York City For Travellers – Where To Go: 

Party Bubbles for Party Favours

As far back as 400 years ago soap bubbles have been used in play. You can see that if you check out 17th century Flemish paintings that show kids using clay pipes to blow bubbles.

A painting of a child enjoying playing with bubbles by John Everett Millais was used by the London Pears soaps company in an advertising campaign in 1886. You can get your own copy if you click on the picture on the left.

In the 1940s Chemtoy, a company based in Chicago started to manufacture and sell a bubble solution which has been extremely popular with kids ever since. An industry estimate is that around 200 million bottles are sold each and every year.

I can remember blowing bubbles back when I was a youngster nearly 60 years ago. My mum used to top up the bubbles tubs with Fairy liquid and water to prolong my fun. Then when my daughter was around one I can remember sitting on the doorstep outside with her blowing bubbles together. She used to get so excited as the pretty coloured bubbles emerged.

Party Bubbles for Party Favour – Top Toy Site: 

The Top Five Ports for Cruise Holidays in the Caribbean

The Top Five Ports for Cruise Holidays in the Caribbean
By: Emily Collins

The Caribbean is one of the most popular destinations for cruise holidays. With its white sand beaches, swaying palm trees and laid-back atmosphere it’s hard to think of a more idyllic paradise. If the Caribbean is the best region to holiday in, then it has to be said that a cruise ship is the best mode of transport. Not only can you drift into port at sunset, with a sundowner in your hand, but you can also avoid the dilemma posed by most people considering a Caribbean holiday – which island to visit. On a cruise you don’t have to choose, you can visit several in one trip! Here’s five of the top ports of call:

Read more ... The Top Five Ports for Cruise Holidays in the Caribbean – Where To Go

Keighley, West Yorkshire – Where To Go

‘The dark satanic mill town of Keighley’ I have never forgotten that headline from a national newspaper in the late 60s. The article was about the Keighley rugby league team who are now called Keighley Cougars.
Back then wherever you looked on the horizon you could see mill chimneys towering over the rest of the town. The mill chimneys were gradually demolished and now as Keighley sits in a valley you can see fields and trees in the distance from almost any viewpoint.

Keighley in the West Riding of Yorkshire was a huge manufacturer of textiles, but now the mill buildings that have not burnt down or been vandalised have been converted into smaller units offering a wide variety of businesses or homes.

The population was over 51,000 at the 2001 census and apparently is the third largest civil parish in England. Approximately 18% of the population are of ethnic minorities, adding a multi cultural aspect to the town and some fine Indian, Italian and Chinese restaurants. Keighley is pronounced ‘Keeth lee’ but to the inhabitants annoyance many people outside Keighley insist on calling the town Keeley.

Read more ... Keighley, West Yorkshire – Where To Go – Where To Go

The Great British National Health Service

The National Health Service

I was reading today about the massive problems within the British National Health Service. According to the Red Cross NHS overcrowding is a humanitarian crisis after it’s worst week in 15 years sees A & Es shut their doors. The NHS is supposed to be the envy of the world but when you read about bed shortages and people dying because they have waited too long for ambulances, or for treatment then there is cause for serious concern.

The UK’s free health service was launched in 1948 and has been since then the source of great national pride. I’ve been treated by NHS doctors and had stays in hospital 4 times over the years and can say from experience that the doctors, nurses and non medical staff do a marvellous job under difficult circumstances.

Shortage of Trained Medical Staff

The problem for a number of years has been a lack of funding and a shortage of training places for doctors and nurses. Because of the shortage of home trained medical staff we have been hiring doctors and nurses from abroad, some of who don’t speak very good English. That puts patients health and even lives at risk and we should ensure that all of our medical staff speak and understand good English apart from having a high standard of training.

Read more The Great British National Health Service | Britster: 

Start Scotland Tours With Glasgow Attractions

 

The city of Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland, the third largest in the UK and a great place to start your Scotland tours. Glasgow offers something for everyone from fun at the Glasgow Comedy festival to the sophisticated at Kings theatre Glasgow.

Luckily for Glasgow most of the main attractions are located around the subway circuit. There is always something to see within easy reach of the city centre. Because the city has many hidden secrets around every corner, not all of them are as obvious on the top of a tour bus and are best seen on foot.

Read more  Start Scotland Tours With Glasgow Attractions – Where To Go: 

The Top Toys For Boys: Could They Be Mechanical Toys?

In this modern world where computer toys are so common and it seems like most children spend hours every week, sometimes every day, playing them, the mechanical toy is becoming so much more important. Mechanical toys are ones that boys seem to prefer as they learn to manipulate the outside world that they were born into. These toys are usually powered by all sorts of mechanical devices, from stretching elastic bands to compressing springs to spinning flywheels, usually you just wind them up and set them off.

Where the computer wins out in boy’s toys is that it captures their imagination, pushes their puzzle solving skills and their dexterity. Of course the manner and quality of the games they play really defines this. The mechanical toy however takes them out of this fixed zone and goes with them as they play, outside or around their play areas. Finding ones that spark the imagination is important and if it is done right will make them a firm favourite. Mechanical toys still occupy a number of places as top toys and remain as popular as ever, seemingly more important now as a balance against the virtual worlds of computers.

The Top Toys For Boys: Could They Be Mechanical Toys? – Top Toy Site:

A Review of Killing The Shadows by Val McDermid

 

I don’t think that I’ve read a book written by Val McDermid before so from the first page it was like starting out in unexplored territory, not knowing what to expect.

The main character in Killing The Shadows is Professor Fiona Cameron, in her late thirties and lives with crime thriller writer Kit Martin in London. She is a psychologist, teaches but also uses computers to build up crime linkage and geographical profiles to help the police in their search for serial killers. She works out where they may physically live and the links between crimes by inputting details into a specially designed programme rather than character profiles, an idea that I find fascinating.

A Review of Killing The Shadows by Val McDermid | Britster: