Fascinating Facts About Turkey

Turkey is one of the most visited countries in the world and whether you’ve been many times or you’re a Turkey newbie, here are some fascinating facts about the country you might not know:

  1. Chicken in my dessert?

A traditional Ottoman delicacy is tavuk göğsü, otherwise known as chicken breast pudding. You might never imagine chicken being served up as part of the dessert menu, but this is an unusual mix of milk, sugar and boiled chicken lightly dusted with cinnamon. It’s surprisingly good too!

  1. A huge amount of cultural heritage

For one country, there is a massive amount of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Thirteen in fact! With another 62 waiting to be decided on. From biblical cities to WWI battlefields, it’s no surprise that Turkey tops the charts for most popular tourist destination year after year. For somewhere to stay on your next visit, consider Kas Villas from https://kas4villarentals.com

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  1. Santa Claus is from Turkey

You might think Santa would hail from the North Pole, but the person who the legend is based upon was born in Patara, Turkey. Saint Nicholas is not the only saint connected with Turkey either. It is believed that the Virgin Mary’s final resting place could be near Ephesus, Saint Paul was from Tarsus and Noah might have arrived at Mount Ararat in his ark.

  1. Tulips from Turkey

It is not known for certain where the first tulip originated but we do know that the flower became popular thanks to the Ottomans. It was they who introduced the flower to Europe. A Flemish ambassador to the court of Suleiman in the 16th century took the bulbs back to Holland and the rest is history. Whilst Holland is renowned for the flowers, it was Turkey who introduced them. Turkey also gave Europe cherries and coffee.

  1. One of Europe’s edgiest art scenes

The Istanbul Biennial show has been going for many years and draws hundreds of thousands of international visitors every year. It is so successful that it’s ranked as one of the top modern art shows anywhere in the world. The show spreads out on either side of the Bosphorus at many different venues.

  1. You can cross continents underground

Istanbul is impressive not only for the fact that it is Europe’s biggest city but it’s also the only place that is located in two continents. Over half of the city is actually in Asia. There is now an underground rail link under the Bosphorus Strait so you cross continents on an underground metro line.

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  1. New discoveries every 10 days

Turkey is an incredibly biodiverse nation with 80,000 animal species and 100,000 plant varieties. It is the ideal destination for bird-watchers and green-fingered botanists with a new plant species being discovered every 10 days!

  1. Turkey at the centre of the world

Yes, Turkey really is the centre of the world! From Turkey you can take a flight to just about anywhere on earth from Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport. It also boasts the Best Airline in Europe – Turkish Airlines – who have won the award for four years in a row.

 

 

 

Keeping your shower sparkly and clean

Whilst many of us will point to the pleasures of a good bath a nice shower can be just as restful and peaceful. The only thing that you need to worry about in a shower is the mess that one can cause if there are not decent panels in place to keep the water in. Plus keeping the shower clean is a bit of a chore but with a few things that we’re going to talk about here so you can maintain the shower in a tip top condition. It’s easy to keep 8mm shower glass panels clean and they do make a much better protection and solution than a curtain which will pick up mould and mildew after a while resulting in you constantly having to change it. Why not have a look at https://marvinandpinch.co.uk/products/8mm-clear-toughened-shower-screen-wetroom-panel-glass  to see what’s available. How then do you keep a screen clean?

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As you use a shower the water will naturally be thrown everywhere and whilst this is great at protection your floor and fixtures the water will build up and create water spots. It is essential therefore to have in the first instances a scraper to remove the excess after the shower is finished. This is similar to a window cleaning scraper and it will easily remove the water giving you’re a fighting chance of stopping anymore build up. One of the main problems with the water in certain areas of the country is it is described as “hard”. What this means is that where it is taken from the water as harmless deposits such as calcium carbonite. This shows it has a high mineral content after the rain water, which is soft passes through the natural rock of the area. If you live in a hard water area, and they are generally located in the South of England and the East then you problems with stain are more acute. How do we remove this from the Shower?

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It’s a case of using a bit of elbow grease and a cloth but you can use natural ingredients before you go and buy the more expensive options. A classic combination is that of Salt, vinegar white wine is best and baking soda. First of all you coat the area to clean with the vinegar. You need to leave this for a few minutes and while that is going on you should be mixing the salt, regular table is fine, and the baking soda together to make a nice paste. Once this is done you then apply the paste to the glass with a wet, but not too wet sponge. Rub this into the glass using the elbow grease and then rinse with cold water. It will come up a treat. After that, apply furniture polish, yes really, of the lemon oil variety to slow the build up from happening again.

The personality types in your team

There are many different personality profile tools that can be used to find out how both you and your team members all work best. Some of them give you some ideas on how to work well with others of differing personality types and some even break down your personality based on the types of the tasks that you may be performing and how pressured you feel.

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Belbin is one such team personality profile tool. It can be useful to know the personality types in your team so you can enhance the group dynamics in a positive way and make the most of any Scrum Master Training Dublin from https://www.althris.com/ that you may be thinking of undertaking.

Belbin depicts nine different behaviours that occur in teams and a highly effective fully functioning team needs to have access to all nine of these. All of the roles have their own individual weaknesses and strengths, but each is equal to the others. There is no one dominant role, each one slots into place like a well-planned jigsaw. In order to work out what behaviours you display it is necessary to complete a Belbin self-perception inventory.

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The nine behaviours are:

  • Resource Investigator – these individuals are naturally inquisitive and use these skills to bring fresh ideas to projects and tasks.
  • Teamworker – versatile individuals that play a role in the team gelling together. They take on whatever work needs doing in order for the team to complete their given task.
  • Co-ordinator – these people are delegators who plan out all of the elements of a project and ensure that they are completed by the best qualified individual.
  • Plant – highly creative individuals who think outside the box and often come up with unique ways to solve problems and issues.
  • Monitor Evaluator – they remain impartial and dispassionate and look at everything with a logical eye making them the perfect people to help in times of conflict or confusion.
  • Specialist – these individuals are highly knowledgeable and skilled in their respective fields.
  • Shaper – highly driven individuals who help to keep the team focused and on track to achieve their given goal. These people are key in keeping the motivation of the team high.
  • Implementer – these are practical and reliable individuals that will ensure that any plans are carried out and that any ideas are concrete and able to be implemented.
  • Completer Finisher – these individuals are usually used at the end of a task to ensure that all the loose ends are tied up and to scrutinise any work of errors.

BBC Dramas not to be missed this autumn

Now the summer is behind us, we can look forward to a great autumn schedule on the TV. There are some prime dramas currently showing on the BBC or set to arrive very soon, which gives us the perfect reason to put the heating on and settle down on the sofa after a hard day at work. Here are just a few examples of the amazing drama to grip us on these autumn nights:

Wanderlust

This drama is written by an award-winning playwright, Nick Payne and questions whether people are meant to stay in monogamous relationships for their whole adult lives. It is both funny and incredibly insightful. The story follows Joy, a therapist trying to keep the spark alive in her marriage after an accident. The bog scoop is that Joy is played by Hollywood actress, Toni Collette.

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Bodyguard

This action-packed, adrenalin-pumping drama was produced by Jed Mercurio and stars Richard Madden of Game of Thrones fame. The drama follows the story of a politician’s bodyguard, his past, his stressful present and uncertain future. He deals with post-traumatic stress and a frightening plot where the enemy could be any number of people, including MI5, the Metropolitan police, the government, terrorists or organised crime.

The Cry

Jenna Coleman stars in this heart-wrenching tale of lies, deceit and raw emotion and it’s a big departure from her previous roles. She plays a young woman struggling to cope as a new mother whose baby disappears on a trip to Australia.  The drama series was filmed in both Australia and Glasgow. Tragedy strikes, and the family is torn apart, but who is to blame and where is the baby? It’s a harrowing descent into the mental breakdown of a young woman and is a must-watch drama this autumn. Don’t miss any of this autumn’s great dramas due to problems with your signal. For Bristol TV Aerials, contact  http://aerial-installations-bristol.co.uk/installation-and-repair-services/tv-aerial-installation-bristol

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Killing Eve

This has already been a massive hit in the U.S and comes to UK screens this autumn. The story is based on a novel called Codename Villanelle by Luke Jennings and details the journey of an MI5 agent obsessed with hunting down a psychopathic female assassin. The assassin, Villanelle has carried out multiple murders across the globe and begins to obsess over the agent trying to catch her in what becomes a tense tale of cat and mouse.

Water Damage? How to Prevent Your Carpet from Going Mouldy

Leaks from flooding and damaged plumbing can often be the cause of costly repairs and a lot of upheaval in the home.

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Even a small amount of water damage can cause mould to grow quickly and contribute towards illness and allergies.

The treatment process can vary depending on the individual conditions. With numerous blogs and tips available online, it can be difficult to decide which course of action to take.

Some Useful Examples

1. Remove water as quickly as possible. It seems obvious, but prolonged exposure can cause lasting damage if not dealt with promptly. A wet/dry vacuum can be very effective.

2. Use fans to speed the drying process. It can take several days to completely dry an area. The fans can also aid in circulating fresh air. It’s important to remember that thorough drying out is essential.

3. Use a dehumidifier. These machines are designed to remove excess moisture from the air. It also helps to maintain a cooler air temperature, which limits the growth of mould and mildew. Using such tools can help speed up the drying times.

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4. Steam-cleaning – carpets and flooring can be left with an odour following water damage. Although things such as underlay may need replacing, the steam-clean will sanitize and remove lingering odours.

5. Sanitisation – this is essential to ensure no spores or bacteria remain. Floors, walls and skirting boards should all be treated. Soapy water and diluted bleach should be sufficient, along with a good deal of elbow grease.

6. Check your furniture – water damage can easily be overlooked when hidden under carpeting or rugs. Make sure you check every area well for signs.

These tips and suggestions were sourced online via a recently updated article. This and further information can be found on the website https://www.angieslist.com/articles/6-steps-prevent-carpet-mold-after-water-damage.htm/.

There are many specialised companies that are able to diagnose and treat mould and water damage.

One such company you may consider is a Cheltenham Carpet Cleaning Company. With 25 years of experience in domestic and commercial settings, a full range of services is offered. Further details can be found at their website at gnccontractservices.com.

Additional Information

Further reading is useful when selecting a company. Case studies and customer testimonials where available can give you a good indication of what to expect.

Protecting your car from the elements

A car is amongst one of the most expensive items that you will ever buy and in today’s world has become a necessity for getting to and from work, dropping children off to school and getting to and from the shops. But the outside environment can have an impact both on the running and aesthetics of your car. In particular sunlight, rain and snow. This where a Bespoke Oak Carport like the ones you can see at http://www.bespoaktimberframes.co.uk can help add a protective layer over your car. You can’t eliminate all the effects of the weather on your car, but you can make the most of the options available to you to reduce this risk and deal with any potential issues as soon as the occur.

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Sunlight and heat

If you leave any painted or coloured item out in direct sunlight for long enough, you will find that the colour starts to fade. Paint can also start to flake and peel away. This is not too much of a worry on cars unless you have an area of paint that has been damaged then the sunlight can penetrate through the bottom layers, then flaking may occur. Storing your car in a shaded area will help to reduce the instances of damage by sunlight as will regularly washing and waxing your car as you will remove any areas of dirt and grime that might start to affect the integrity of your car paint and exterior. The interior of car can begin to heat up when placed in direct sunlight and there is nothing worse than sitting in a car that has a seat that has been heated by the sun, a metal buckle on the seatbelt that could burn and a steering wheel that is too hot to handle safely.

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Rain and snow

Snow and rain can cause similar problems for your car’s exterior including damage to your paint and in severe cases if snow falls off a nearby roof onto your car it can cause dents and dips in your car body. Equally the salt and grit that is distributed on our roads to help make them safer during icy and snowy weather can have a impact on our cars. The salt can start to corrode away the paintwork and other areas of your car. This is why it is important to wash down your car and in particular your wheel areas even in the cold weather.

Why you use engineered wood flooring for your dream house?

Many homeowners who are remodeling or renovating a house are to make a decision whether they want carpeted floors or hardwood flooring such as engineered wood flooring. Installing wood flooring is not an easy DIY project to take on so it is best to have professional installers inspect the house and prepare the installation. The best type of hardwood flooring is engineered wood flooring. Many people prefer the look of laminate floors but the truth is that those are not real wood and they are not made to be durable and last a long time. On the other hand, engineered wood flooring is very high quality and is completely real wood through all the layers. The way that engineered wood floorings works it that they are built with multiple layers of plywood that are cross paired and they are tightly pressed together to create one solid piece which makes a high quality and long lasting product.

Engineered Wood Flooring Benefits

There are many benefits to having engineered wood flooring. The main benefit is that it is very resistant to humidity and levels of high moisture. This benefit makes this type of wood flooring very beneficial for damp basements or levels where there is naturally a higher humidity.

Another great benefit for engineered wood flooring is that the resale value is much higher compared to other types of woods in households. Generally, when a house is being sold, a wooden flooring design that is standard will have a lower resale value but engineered wood flooring systems are much better in regards to resale value.

Different Qualities of Engineered Wood Flooring

It is important to understand that like all products in the marketplace, not all products are designed equally. Interested buyers of wood floorings generally will believe that a standard ¾ inch or 1 inch piece of wood flooring is better than engineered flooring but that is far from the truth. Manufacturers make a variety of engineered wood flooring products from both ends of the price spectrum for every type of budget. Not all engineered wood flooring products are made equally and a lower price may not mean it is a bargain, but it is just a cheaply built setup. Many of these lower qualities builds are 3/8 inch thick and have paper thin layers which make them very weak and unstable. On the other end of the spectrum is thicker wood floorings pieces and these are generally solid pieces of plywood to create a study foundation.

The top layer is known as the “wear layer” in wood flooring and is used to track how much wood is taken off when it is sanded. A standard solid wood flooring wear layer is 5/15 inches. For an engineered flooring design, the wear layer is slightly less at 5/25 inches and can be sanded 4-6 times over the course of the life of the floor, which is on average 50-90 years. The wear layer may vary from one type of wood flooring to another and it is important as a deciding factor on what flooring you decide to go with. If you are installing these in a room with heavy foot traffic you may want to opt for a thicker wear layer otherwise you could stay with a standard thinner layer.

Engineered wood flooring systems are very good choices over a thick cheap solid wood flooring system for the many benefits. Whether it is a high humidity environment or there is a large amount of foot traffic, you will make the better choice going with engineered wood floors as they are also very long lasting and high quality.

Thinking of my 21st birthday

Sitting at the kitchen table the morning after my 21st birthday party I thought back to the incredible party that my parents had thrown me. Not only had they managed to keep the whole thing a secret but they had invited all of my friends, new and old and all of my family members. It was the best surprise ever. My parents had hired out a beautiful hall and had organised a DJ, catering for food and had also contacted a company to hire out a Rodeo Bull. It was impressive, all I can day is the Rodeo Bull Manufacturer really knew what they were doing. I wonder if it was from http://www.gsrodeobulls.com/ ? Anyway back to the party. The food was great. They had organised for all of my favourites to be served. There were mini Lasagne’s, pizza, tiny little cones of fish goujons and chips, some wonderful pasta salads and tiny little hotdogs. I was so surprised when I walked into the hall to see it all decorated with massive ‘Happy 21st Birthday’ signs on the wall.

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The whole thing got me thinking about surprise parties and how my parents had really catered everything specific for me. So, whilst I sipped my coffee the morning after I decided to do a little bit of internet research and stumbled upon some other ideas for a 21st birthday bash.

Theme parties – these sorts of theme parties seem to be all the rage at the moment with people having ‘Game of Thrones’ parties and ‘Great Gatsby’ inspired parties. You can get all kinds of decorations for whatever theme you choose and perhaps even ask your guests to come in fancy dress!

Think about the drinks – cocktail parties are also another lovely way to spend your 21st birthday. You could arrange for the birthday girl or boy to attend a cocktail masterclass with some of their closest friends or perhaps hire a mobile bar to come along to their party complete with a signature cocktail in their name.

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Adventure – if you have an adrenalin seeking 21-year-old year you could look into an action-packed party, perhaps take them away again with a select few to a skydiving centre or even a wing walking experience.

Entertainment – as I said my parents mixed up the entertainment a little with a DJ providing music for the party and a dance floor ready for me and my friends to show off our best moves, and they also arranged for a mobile rodeo bull to give everyone a little bit of a giggle.

Why Deep Carpet Cleaning Is Important For Your Health

A dirty carpet in your home can have numerous negative health impacts on you and your family. That’s because carpets can absorb all kinds of dirt, grime, bacteria, germs, and many other contaminants all of which can affect your well-being in different ways.

But when you have Rainier Chem-Dry carpet cleaning give those carpets a professional grade deep cleaning at least once a year you can reduce the effects of the type of potential hazards that can build up, cause any number of ailments, and exacerbate allergic reactions.

To help you better understand what’s at stake by letting your floor coverings gather all of this harmful toxicity, let’s examine the various reasons why deep carpet cleaning is so important for your health. When you read further and discover that what is hiding in your beautiful carpet is rather ugly, you may think twice about neglecting your duties of proper maintenance.

Dust Mites

You may not be able to see them, but a dirty carpet can house hundreds of thousands of these microscopic pests. Besides the fact that your carpet is teeming with tiny organisms (which isn’t something you want in the first place), these miniscule critters leave behind feces and body parts.

When you walk across a carpet filled with these things each step kicks it all up into the air and you can breathe it all in, resulting in allergic reactions. You may think you’ve eliminated all of these dust mites and their detritus with your vacuum but you would be incorrect.

Only a deep cleaning will fully wipe out those dust mites and their feces and body parts so you don’t have to inhale these contaminants into your sinuses and lungs on a daily basis.

Air Quality in Your Home

Those dust mites aren’t the only health hazard that a dirty carpet can release into the air. Your carpet’s fibers are excellent at gathering and collecting all kinds of things that can reduce your home’s air quality and force you to breathe in less than healthy air.

But a clean carpet doesn’t have these contaminants and deep cleaning can be 99% effective at eradicating the hazardous material that can get stuck in the fibers and ground deep down from weeks or months of heavy, consistent foot traffic through your home.

The more contaminated your carpet becomes, the worse it can be on the quality of air in your home. When germs and bacteria get caught up in your carpet, they don’t remain there. They can lift up and get airborne and that can harm your family’s health by causing major respiratory problems.

Lower Immunity

Our immune systems are designed to stave off any illnesses or infections that might do us harm but when you’re living with a a constant source of toxicity it can cause your system to work harder and longer than necessary which can actually make you sick over time.

Your body’s immune system is designed to fight back against harmful contaminants that can cause sickness and disease. But when your carpet is constantly bombarding you system with such toxins, your body’s immune system can work overtime and that can make your more likely to get sick.

Itchy and Irritated Skin

All of the bacteria and allergens that are caught up in the fibers of your carpet can do more harm than just trigger allergies and impact respiratory conditions. Your skin can also get irritated when an open wound comes into contact with a dirty carpet that has toxic irritants residing within the fibers of the material.

If you allow germs and bacteria such as dust mite parts and feces to enter the bloodstream through a fresh cut or scrape in your foot or another body part that touches your soiled fibers, it can cause a serious rash that can become itchy and red.

Sometimes the only cure for this problem is a steady regimen of antibiotics that can fight off any infections that might arise as a result of your dirty carpet touching an open wound.

Bad Smells

Perhaps one of the worst things that can happen when you don’t routinely maintain your carpet is that it can begin to emanate a strong, foul aroma. These smells can linger long after you’ve entered and exited the room in which the offending carpet has been installed.

Ever stop and think about what it is making that carpet smell so bad? You can probably imagine it’s not something you want to be inhaling into your lungs much less make your sense of smell suffer needlessly from one day to the next.

Survive The Summer Heat With These Essential AC Tips

That warm weather is fast approaching and before you know it you’re going to rely a lot more heavily on your air conditioner. When the summer heat hits, you’ll need to be sure everything is running smoothly in order to keep your home nice and cool.

This brings up two concerns – rising energy costs and proper air conditioning maintenance. Each one plays an important role in regulating your home’s interior climate as both could have a serious impact on your wallet and the ability to stay cool and comfortable when the temperatures hit triple digits.

Keeping all of this in mind, here are some essential AC tips to help you save money on air conditioning and reduce your risks of HVAC repair in the time when your system is needed the most.

Setting the Thermostat

Many homeowners now rely on programmable thermostats to regulate their air conditioners so that the systems are running as efficiently and effectively as possible. When you are constantly adjusting the temperature levels in the home, that can have a burdensome effect on your AC unit causing it to operate longer than and more frequently.

Guess what that does your energy bills? Your electricity use will increase tremendously with this haphazard approach to staying comfortable in the summer and just because the temperatures are going up doesn’t mean your electric bills have to follow suit.

Programmables allow you to set the thermostat to one temperature so that it shuts on and off less frequently and works for shorter periods of time. The key is to program the internal temperature as close to that of the outdoors as possible. So if it’s 80 degrees, set your thermostat to around 75 degrees.

That way you remain cool without relying on your AC to work for extended periods of time to get your home to a chilly temperature.

You may be thinking that’s a tall order on days when it’s hitting high 90’s or worse outside and, of course, you may need to run the system much longer. But you won’t feel so bad knowing you were able to conserve more often on those days when the heat wasn’t as extreme.

Keep the Warm Air Out

Another essential for running your AC this summer is to know how to keep from running it less. Sure, the programmable thermostat helps but it’s also crucial to reduce the amount of heat gain in the home.

When you cut down on allowing warm air to permeate the home you also cut down on the length of time you run your air conditioner. You have a few choices for doing this and it starts with the windows.

Glass is a lousy form of insulation in that it does absolutely nothing as a barrier to heat penetration. So it’s going to be up to your window dressings do the important work. Heavy curtains and shades can be instrumental in blocking the sun’s heat and UV rays from seeping through and heating up your home.

Choose your window coverings carefully, opting for lighter colors which are better at deflecting heat while darker colors are going to absorb the sunlight and contribute to warming up the room. That’s going to make you run your AC much longer than might be necessary otherwise.

But wait, the windows aren’t the only thing in your home that can generate increased heat. You need not look any further than the kitchen to identify other culprits that can raise the temperature while you’re trying to stay cool.

Try to refrain from running your dishwasher at peak hours of the day and the same goes for your oven. Both of these appliances are well known for their use of heat and if you keep them off when the sun is at its highest peak during the day, you won’t be fighting a war for climate controlled comfort on multiple fronts.

That will give your AC a break and keep it running for only as long as necessary to reach your desired indoor temperature.

Change the Filter

Air filters are an essential component of AC units because they allow for airflow to circulate through the system correctly. If the filter is dirty, that can clog up the system, making it harder for air to get in and make your system work harder and longer to reach your desired internal temperature.

HVAC systems that become overtaxed and heavily burdened with lengthy periods of operation can get burned out and that can lead to exorbitant repair and replacement costs. It’s recommended that you switch out your filter every two to three months depending on how often you use your AC unit.