The Highways and Byways to Gold Coast :)

I often wonder at the marvel of nature's beauty...absolutely striking, unquestionably appeasing, utterly comely and assuredly divine! I become more and more certain of this fact every time i visit a scenic place. The latest additions in my list being Gold Coast, Byron Bay and Coffs Harbour :-) ...and the beautiful country side drive, all through!

The dapper blue Coral sea playing with its ebb and flow of waves along the white sands of Main Beach at Gold Coast imparts a sense of both relaxation and an adrenaline rush! Can't be more contrasting, right? Yet, you feel like spending hours and hours just watching the waves play along the tune of the sea :-) The chic wooden benches facing the beach makes it all the more comfy an experience! You could sit or lie down and partake in the revelry of lively music-filled Surfer's Paradise Boulevard on one side and nature's artistry on the other. :)

While you are in absolute appreciation of your vacation, sitting on the bench, soaking in the sun, if your tummy sets on the alarm, you could easily get your feed from the boulevard across and enjoy it while continuing with the thoughts you left at. :-) And when you feel like rejoicing the charm of calm waters, you are in luck with the river cruises that sail you to Gold Coast canals, broadwaters parked with super luxurious yatchs, multi-million waterfront houses and best of all...the sunset, with hues of pink and orange against the blue-green-grey waters and high-rises touching the sky.

If you yourself want to touch the sky, you could always ascend Skypoint and get flipped over 360° view of Gold Coast from up above the 77th floor. Better still, if you do so at sunset! That way you get to enjoy the vast expanse of sea and the city, both in light and in dark - when the entire city comes to life with a million lights! The view is just too surreal to be expressed in words!

When you drive from Gold Coast to Mt. Tamborine (...and vice versa), you tend to moon over the rustic beauty of stud farms; cattle - super busy chowing down all that they can, never bothering to look up and take a break from hogging the lush greens! Velvety fields; wineries in totally apple-pie order; beautiful little houses in the farms; rivers running along, shimmering with the golden rays...all this is so utopian!  Along the way comes Springbrook National Park where you get yet another chance to laud nature's exceptional wonder...a bridge formed naturally over very many, many, many years....built in such a magnificent way that it allows waterfall through its roof, to form into an emerald green pool beneath! The cave under this bridge gets illuminated at night with tiny little glow worms that abound this place! Just imagine its beauty. Totally breathtaking, isn't it?

While you are still absorbed in the simple charm of the country side with birds on a musical chatter-spree, driving past the pristine scenes, you realize, you have arrived at Byron Bay! This absolutely stunning site is in between Gold Coast and Sydney. More than a century old lighthouse at Byron Bay bears a great stance in solid white against the myriad shades of blue ...of the sky above and the sea below! The rhythm with which the milky white waves splash against the swarthy rocks is captivating and vivid! It transports you to a rather quiet space within...the space you do not get a chance to visit in the huff and puff of busy life. The feeling is both spiritual and uplifting! And yet this place cuts a dash as a categorically romantic site! Imagine the thrill it effects when you are lost in silently relishing the beauty and you suddenly spot a school of fish in the transparent waters below the cliff! And that's not all. It is said that you could even spot the whales during their spawning from May to November. Aah! That gives us a good reason to visit this place again....just to relive the cheer it offers and have a whale of a time! ;-)

Just a few hours drive from Byron Bay is Coffs Harbour. Another stunner! It presents itself as a rather mature and composed place. Not quite sure, whether it was the clouds that put forward this impression though! :) But the greens on the hills followed by another set of greens on the sea level ensuing the beige coloured shore is just as fascinating! The rocks adjacent to the parrots-filled park pose for a picture-perfect setting. Families enjoy their picnic in the park, savouring hot hot food. And particularly cute is to look at the toddlers enjoying a walk with their parents, asking a thousand questions, answers to which always preceded with a smile:-)

You could never be sure when the heavens open in this part...but who cares! Even if you get soaked, you would have still soaked in all the goodness along!

So, super duper big cheers to a vacation well spent, earning wide, wider and still yet wider smiles all the way! :)

-- T :-)

Carelessness that caused havoc

Carelessness is a synonym for disaster. There are several examples that can be recounted for utter carelessness, among which is that of British Petroleum (BP) oil spill ...an example of how mismanagement and poor decisions led to a mass spillover that led to serious issues for our natural resources. Corruption rules the very system designed to overpower it. How then, do we control the damage and make a reasonable deal with the nature?

If there could be anything hazardous to mankind, it is carelessness in all its capacity, indeed. What else could be said for the mess created by BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on the 20^th of April 2010? While this has jeopardized the marine life there, it does pose a great threat to health and environment all around. Thousands of barrels of oil leak per day has opened the Pandora’s Box of myriad problems; especially long-term psychological and stress-related health issues. The chemicals released with the crude oil and dispersant are believed to trigger such health problems. Can any amount of fines justify the plight caused by the oil spill?

While most accidents are a matter of chance, this one surely scores way above the simple ‘chance’ factor. For, it is inevitably the result of gross human carelessness at the cost of environment. The fact that BP ignored many warning signs during the drilling makes this a sad example of sheer neglect. Even if the company had no intention of neglecting things deliberately, it sure was in a jiffy for completion of well, way before it could be technically tested.

History has been witness to many such mishaps that led to major disaster. The Gulf War fought in Persian Gulf - Iraq and Kuwait in 1991 led to 6,000,000 – 8,000,000 barrels of oil spill per day, destroying the marine life completely besides jetting out colossal fumes resulting in major pollution. The Iraqi soldiers opened valves at the Sea Island oil terminal and discharged crude oil into the Persian Gulf as a war policy thus causing a total upheaval. There were nearly 700 oil wells set afire by the Iraqi forces. It has been 14 years since then; the full recovery is still a long chase. It is presumed, it would take many years before life comes back to normal there.

Lakeview Gusher is another oil spill case in Kern County, California. It is, perhaps, one of the largest in the history, after the Kuwaiti Oil/Gulf War spill. Lakeview Gusher oil spill took 1.6 years to extinguish, having poured 9 million barrels of crude oil. The explosion took place owing to the pressure developed by extremely large quantity of crude oil in the area.

In-Situ Burning (ISB):

This process refers to controlled burning of the oil where it spilled. Fire-resistant booms are placed in the water. These booms help hold the oil within, which is then set on fire to burn away (5.5 million feet of boom was used for BP oil spill to collect oil on the surface of water). With the oil vapourising after being burnt, it results in the spill clean-up. However, the authorities need to ensure whether there is enough proper channel or method to disperse the vapours/fumes that emerge owing to ISB! There are many parameters that need to be heeded upon. While ISB is considered quite an effective oil-removing technique from sea waters, it works best with fresh oil spill....because the combustible elements in the oil have their volatile property still intact. The oil can thus be burned away to fumes quickly. This method does not prove that effective for a spill which dates back. This is so because of the loss of ignition property over time...of the elements present in oil. 

We have been exploiting nature to its every bit; it is high time all businesses have ample risk management, disaster recovery and eco-friendly policies in place. We cannot progress by surpassing nature. Global Warming, Tsunami, earthquakes, explosions – all these are critical warning signs to us – the so called superior man. Either tame your own flow or get ready to receive the blow.

-- T

A flower that has it all!

Cauliflower has its origin in the Mediterranean. But have you ever conjectured how this white wonder was named? As is the case with most of the things around, this vegetable too, derived its name from the Latin words ‘caulis’ meaning stalk, and ‘floris’ meaning flower. The intense cloud of white florets beautifully crammed in a cauliflower, well bound by the strong greens at the rear, only makes it look all the more stunning. This handsome vegetable has some equally wonderful properties too.

Health benefits of cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of the few vegetables that falls under the ‘Cruciferous’ family i.e. it has some marvelous nutrients that combat against quite a number of diseases. Here’s a list of nutrients and chemicals present in this vegetable, stated opposite the diseases they help fight against, and the benefits they provide.

Nutrients/chemicals                                                      

• Indole-3-carbinol (or 13c, as is commonly known) & photo nutrient Sulphorafane: 13c along with sulphorafane work together in reducing the risk of growth of tumor, chiefly, in the breast and prostrate glands.
• Folate (i.e. a type of Vitamin B): Folate helps blood work better. It is also responsible for the growth of cells, and its replication in a body. This is particularly helpful to women who are carrying… as this helps in the development of the foetus.
• Vitamin C: It is is an anti-oxidant that helps in developing immune system.
• Selenium: It works effectively with vitamin C to develop immunity.
• Vitamin K: It helps in maintaining the health of bones.
• Allicin: It cuts down the risk of strokes. It is thus good for the heart.
• Fibre: It helps in the improvement of bowels/colon health. It also fights cancer.

According to the research conducted at the University of Pittsburg Cancer Institute, cauliflower possesses a natural compound known as, phenethyl-ITC, which is released when this vegetable is cut or chewed. This chemical not only helps prevent the formation of cancerous cells in and around the area of a human prostrate, but it also impedes the development of the blood vessels that nourish a selected type of cancer wounds.Phenethyl-ITC, 13c and sulphorofane are the common phytochemicals that are present in all the vegetables and fruits of the cruciferous family. Some of them are broccoli, carrots, and cabbage. These vegetables, often cooked and consumed along with the quintessential cauliflower provide for a healthy meal that takes good care of the body, should any malignancy arise. It acts as an impediment to any unwanted growth in the body.

Researchers suggest that having three florets of a good-looking cauliflower a day can meet up to 67% of the daily requirement of vitamin C. Cauliflower also plays a key role in developing the health of bones in a human body. Sufficient amount of cauliflower, thus taken, twice or thrice every week can bestow upon wonders of good health and good life.

Beauty with cauliflower

Noted dermatologist, Dr. Jaishree Sharad explains that the benefits of cauliflower are bounty, “vitamin C present in the cauliflower helps prevent sun tan pigmentation, as also the anti-oxidants averts early aging”. Vitamin C is the chief source of all the goodness required by skin. The pink glow, the healthy radiance and the acne-free and pimple-free complexion are just some of the properties graced upon by it. And it is quite rightly said, ‘You are what you eat’.

Apart from the phytochemicals present in the cauliflower, this wonder-vegetable is also a cholesterol-control food. It helps in maintaining a good health by keeping the cholesterol levels in check. It is therefore, a favourite among those who have cholesterol problems. People with high cholesterol often boil cauliflower and then have it mashed. It offers a good substitute for the palatable potato!

An interesting recipe on cauliflower: Cauliflower baked in yogurt

Ingredients: 

1 full cauliflower, nicely cleaned in salt water, the green stems cut from the rear

1 cup yogurt

1 tomato

Some green chillies

1/2 tsp pepper powder

Salt to taste

Direction: Make a paste by blending together yogurt, tomato, salt and pepper powder. Oil a non-stick fry pan and heat it for about 2 minutes. Put the cauliflower (in full) upside down in the fry pan and cover the lid. Cook it till it turns golden brown. Now add the paste on top of the cauliflower and sprinkle some finely chopped green chilies at the top. Again cover the lid and let the dish cook till the water in the curd has dried thick.

There are lot many recipes available, but the best and the most nutritious way to intake cauliflower is to have it raw. It is only when you harness the richness of this super-vegetable that its goodness will actually show!

-- T :-)