A rejuvenating dip in chilling water

Living in Stockholm for more than 3 years,I have heard so much about the winter bath in Swedish frozen lakes. To start with, I was scared of trying the adventure thanks to my swimming skills, or lack thereof. After thinking a number of seasons, I convinced myself to try it anyhow. I attribute this to “the 365 days challenge” I am going through, but more importantly to experience the wonderful feeling that winter bathers describe as purifying as being reborn.

Before the activity, my background research of the science behind icy bath revealed several interesting facts. The Indian yogis have been practicing cold water immersion for centuries. Cold water can literally be a fountain of youth, as its bracing effect cleanses deposits and toxins by opening the capillaries. A study from the US National Library of Medicine shows contradictory findings, arguing that ice baths can help to decrease post-workout inflammation. However, a study by the University of Auckland indicates that ice baths don’t reduce inflammation and can even hinder muscle growth, arguing that gentle post-workout exercise is a much better choice. The best way to find out if ice bath is right thing for you is to try out yourself, but in case of doubt please consult your GP for second opinion. I think your own polar plunge can help you see how your body reacts to it.

So after doing all the research and mustering all the courage, I went to Hellasgården (Website:  http://hellasgarden.se/aktiviteter/bastu/) to take my own polar dip. A hot sauna bath before the shivering cold dip is a common Swedish practice. The effect of hot sauna and cold water helps enhance immunity, increases metabolism and rejuvenates. My friends and I spent the whole Saturday noon exploring the icy bath experience. We took a number of rounds between the cold lake and hot sauna. We finished with a hot brew and delicious fika replenishing our energy. The public transport is really convenient to reach the place. Apart from the icy bath, one
can ice skate on the frozen lake or go for a long walk.

Now I really understand what all winter bathers talk about. I understand why it is something that some people do every winter. Slipping into black, frozen water does bring to mind the fate of people on the Titanic rather than the exciting prospect of a pleasant swim. Why would anyone take the plunge if they didn’t have to? Well, maybe because it’s not an extreme sport for masochists, but an experience that leaves you feeling fantastic and refreshed. I feel that I absolutely want to make this a tradition. To take an icy dip every winter!

 -Ranu Singh

Watch the video Below:

The real superhero: Stan Lee

The real superhero: Stan Lee

Ranu Singh

I remember my first superhero comic was my magic key to open the vast and undaunted world of superheroes and their captivating stories. The more I read, the more I was willing to understand the complex world of characters and their super powers. For me, these comics were not only full of vivid imagination but also targeted the general world issues. Most of the 80s and 90s kids get excited to talk about the comic’s culture of that time when Netflix and video games were not part of normal life.

No superhero conversation is complete without mentioning the name of Stan Lee, an important name in superhero industry who is credited with most of the famous characters. Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, Hulk, the Avengers to X-men are few of the famous creations of Stan Lee’s imagination. From a cluttered office on Madison Avenue in Manhattan in the 1960s, he helped conjure a lineup of pulp-fiction heroes that have come to define much of popular culture in the early 21st century. He created superheroes who were flawed and “human” with their own daily struggles of life.

A great storyteller and one of the favourite members of the Marvel family passed away last Monday 12 November 2018 in Los Angeles. Having created nearly all of Marvel’s most famous superheroes, Stan has long played in the movie adaptations of his comics. His special appearance in films are always appreciated and one of the highlights of the movies.

Stan was a central player in the creation of those characters and many more. Through his vision and hard work, he was able to grow Marvel Comics from a small publishing house to the giant it now is.

Like all superheroes, Stan Lee would be immortal in stories till the human history is read.

In his own words:

“The more you read, the better you’re going to become as a storyteller.”

 Stan Lee with John Romita in 1975  

Bio

Stan Lee, original name Stanley Martin Lieber was born December 28, 1922, New York U.S. He was the older of two sons born to Jack Lieber, an occasionally employed dress cutter, and Celia (Solomon) Lieber, both immigrants from Romania. The family settled in to the Bronx in the early age of Stanley’s life.

He graduated at 17 from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx and aspired to be a writer of serious literature. He was set on the path to becoming a different kind of writer when, after a few false starts at other jobs, he was hired at Timely Publications, a company owned by Martin Goodman, a relative who had made his name in pulp magazines and was entering the comics field.

Tinseltown/Shutterstock

Andhra Pradesh

’a city is more than a place in space, it is a drama in time.’

-Patrick Geddes

A city is not only about its inhabitants but also about its old streets, gardens and old historical footprints. A city is as much known for its markets, famous food culture as for the people who live there. With every new construction the city builds up its history & culture. This is distinctly visible in the urban planning of any metro city. For example, when we talk about Delhi, the first thing that comes to many minds is the old town of Chandni chowk and its famous Paranthe-wali gali. And in case of Lucknow, its Tunde kabab or chikankari cross our mind first. These popular trademarks of cities have left imprints on its identity. No one knows how & when.

Most of the Indian metro cities are more than 500 years old. There are few evidences available that point to any historical urban planning in these cities, however major portions of area are planned as per usage. In any case, if we get chance to design a city from scratch today, it would give us immense control over city planning. With so much knowledge & so many tools available today we can design the new city for future while also keeping it sustainable.Too good to be true? Turns out, we could witness this in not so distant future. I was reading a Dezeen article recently about the new Indian capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Andhra Pradesh, a state in India, is located in the southeastern part of the subcontinent. It is surrounded by the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha and Telangana. Telangana was a region within Andhra Pradesh for almost six decades, but in 2014 it was carved off to form a separate state. Hyderabad is the temporary capital of Andhra pradesh till a new capital is in place. There are many big urban planning companies pursuing to be part of this historical opportunity of designing this new city. I found out that one of my favorite architectural firm Foster + Partners won the concept prize and working on the new capital planning.

So, how will the new city look like and what is it called?

    

Photo by Foster + Partners

The new capital of Andhra pradesh will be called Amravati. As per Foster + Partners, the new city’s masterplanning is set on the banks of river Krishna. The new city of Amaravati will cover 217 square kilometres and is set to be one of the most sustainable cities in the world. Surrounded by a freshwater lake at the centre of this "green spine", the legislative assembly building will be crowned by 250-metre-high conical roof, above a rippling overhanging canopy that will provide shade and allow cool breezes to move through the building. The centre of the city will be stretching 5.5 kilometers long and 1 kilometre wide, with ribbon-like lakes weaving around tree-lined boulevards. Over 60 per cent of this core area will be occupied by greenery or water, with cycle paths, water taxis and routes for electric cars providing green transport options. Shaded streets and squares have been designed to encourage people to walk.

The urban grid and central expanse of greenery are inspired from both New York's Central Park and Edwin Lutyens’ designs for Delhi.This new city’s planning will be starting soon and will take some years to become reality. Till then we could wish this would be a new Chandigarh of India. This city will definitely make a mark on history soon.

-By Ranu

Kista Galleria Food Court – Open Again!

There is always some buzz happening in Kista (Stockholm). People who work here, live here or visit here would agree that it’s one of the most active neighborhoods in Stockholm. Amongst all the interesting areas in Kista, the one that is most activity-rich is the Kista galleria. It is home to all wonderful things in life i.e. food, clothes & entertainment. With the risk of sounding superlative, I can claim that despite visiting Kista Galleria almost every day, every time I find something new. This is absolutely one of my favorite places in Kista especially to satiate my window shopping desires.

The most active & lively part of the Kista Galleria is the legendary food-court. It offers flavors from all over the globe. From Vietnamese to Mexican, from Indian to Middle-Eastern and all those cuisines there are; Food Court has you covered. And for my health freak friends, there are salad bars too.

Some weeks ago, in March, 2018 there was a fire in the food court area & the food court was closed. The fire was believed to have started in the ventilation system above the restaurant square. For some it might have been distressing, considering that the food court is usually full of people and a fire could jeopardize their safety. This is not the first time that Kista Galleria has had a brush with blazes. Earlier in 2006 and 2014 there have been fire incidents here & like this time safety of none of the visitors was compromised; moreover the galleria opened with a new fervor. So I was certain that we’d soon be able to enjoy our lunches at the food court. The south-west section of food court, with restaurants like The Viet Nam, Mongolian BBQ House, Lebanese Food, was open days after the fire.

To my delight, on Friday 18 May 2018, the other section of the food court started opening again with new & fresh layout, of course with some new restaurants as well. I hope the food court will soon be fully up and running to satisfy the guts of foodies like me.

 See you at the food court!!

 -Ranu

Autopiloten

Scandinavia's first driverless buses on public road

Photo/Ranu

Autopiloten Kista, the first test of autonomous vehicles on public roads in Sweden is operating along Kistagången here in Kista Science City. The project is the first in the world with autonomous vehicles and 5G networks. Autopiloten is a project resulting from collaboration between Nobina Technology, Ericsson, SJ, KTH, Klövern AB, Kista Science City, Urban ICT Arena and the City of Stockholm with funding from Vinnova via Drive Sweden.

The electric minibuses operate between 7:00 and 18:00 on weekdays. The buses are shuttling between Kista Galleria and Victoria Tower in northern Stockholm along a 1.5 kilometre pre-recorded path at a speed of 20 kilometres an hour, using GPS and sensors to ensure they do not divert from the path. The buses in Kista will be free to use and both have space for 11 passengers at a time. They don’t have steering wheel as such, but can be operated manually if needed. A driver is on board to take control of the bus in case of emergency, as required under current legislation in Sweden. Starting 24th January 2018, two self-driving shuttle buses have been sharing the road with pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles in Stockholm for 6 months. It is free and open for anyone to take ride.

Autopiloten is the first step in the government’s initiative to create ‘In Real Labs’ for future travel and transport through Drive Sweden. Several different skills are needed to develop autonomous vehicles. The partners involved in the project have knowledge, interest and drive to participate in and develop the public transport of the future.


Watch here :

                                   

Source:
http://www.urbanictarena.se/autopiloten-kista/
https://www.thelocal.se/20171227/stockholm-gets-scandinavias-first-driverless-buses-on-public-road

Resor

My travel bag

by Ranu

Before any travel, there are always difficulties in choosing what to take and what not to. Between the hassle of flying, jet lag and hauling your luggage around; travelling is challenging enough without worrying about looking fashionable while you do it. You assume that you are packed and ready to go but then you realize that you left something behind. There is no best way to pack unless you are travelling with your whole wardrobe. Every traveller is different and every person has different way of travelling. You could nail the airport look and look dapper on your travel by following some important tricks which I learned over my many travel experiences.

Surprisingly, it’s easier to travel light than many would think. When deciding what clothes to pack, choose in three matching colour sets so you could mix and match and create multiple outfits for different days, or even different occasions. Pick the colours based on where you’re going. If you are travelling to urban destinations like Paris or Milan then any combination of black, white, navy or charcoal is a good selection. For a beach vacation or outdoor excursions, khaki, white and bright hues like orange or yellow always work. White linen is also really go with popular choices because it’s cool in warm weather. It can be worn during the day and is also nice for evenings out. Apart from this a pair of jeans, a pair of nice pants, a striped button down, a blazer and a comfortable T-shirt are always good options. Ideally, you should be wearing each piece two or three times on your trip. Bring one dressy flexible outfit, if you have a formal evening or event planned during your trip don’t bother with bulky dresses, heavy full suits and jackets that take up a lot of space. A little packing hack is to roll-up clothes in order to minimize packing space as well as avoid wrinkles on clothes.

Lyza / Flickr

The next thing which takes a lot of space in suitcase is shoes. Minimizing the shoes options would really help in keeping you light. If your travel has more walking around then sneakers are a great deal. A comfortable pair of shoes, low boots or sandals to walk around in will really help. Most women don’t need to bring more than three pairs of shoes on any trip. Pack light and choose a few pairs that serve multiple purposes instead of trying to bring a pair for every occasion or every evening. While packing, protect your clean clothes from getting dirty by covering your shoes with shower caps. This way you squeeze more items in your limited packing space.

To add some bling and glamour to your looks, accessorize right. A few key accessories can change the look of an entire outfit.  I always pack some costume jewellery like a statement ring and a pair of oversized earrings. I am also fond of pins which really enhance the overall looks. Men on the other side should consider a few pairs of bright socks in trendy patterns just to spice up your looks.

While packing chargers etc, use rubber bands to tie each cord into tiny bundles and put in ziplock bag to keep them dry and safe. Always keep an extra battery backup for charging mobile. It is also important research the destination country electric socket type ( I learned it hard way) as not all countries use the same kind; more importantly if you are travelling outside your continent. Never miss to pack a day-bag, if you are travelling on a budget trip. Keep maps, chargers and hygiene accessories in your day-pack for easily accessibility. I learned this trick from a friend and tried; has been working like a charm since.

Finally, if you are a frequent traveller please make a pre-travel checklist. It really helps in being efficient by saving you time & trouble of remembering everything as well as avoiding last minute panics. In addition to the travel pre-requisites, the travel list should also contain basics of daily utilities for your favourite outfits. This way you are always ready to go.

Have a great travelling!!

The Blue Lagoon: Resor

A memorable twilight

The Blue Lagoon is among the wonders of the world according to National Geographic. It is included in the list of 25 locations around the globe by the magazine. Therefore, when I was travelling to Iceland the first thing that came to my mind was to visit Blue Lagoon. Why not? The Blue lagoon is one of the main tourist attractions that one should never miss. The Blue Lagoon is almost everywhere in Icelandic tourist advertisements. It is one of the most commercialized tourist destinations in Iceland, located in the middle of nowhere. The first glance of pool is itself stunning and the blue water with clear blue sky seems like, heaven on earth.

The Blue Lagoon is not a natural phenomenon. When it opened in 1976, they decided to let the water trickle into the lava fields, thinking it would be absorbed by it. However it did not happen; instead the minerals in water made a blanket of mud and the lagoon was formed. In 1992 the Blue Lagoon Company was established. They built facilities where people could undress and shower before entering the lagoon, and it has since then become one of the most visited locations in Iceland. The spa is located in a lava field in Grindavík on the south-western Iceland, and is supplied by water used in the nearby Svartsengi geothermal power station.  Every 18 hours the whole pool’s water is replaced. It is situated approximately 20 km from the Keflavík International Airport and 39 km from the capital city of Reykjavík. The best way to reach the Blue Lagoon is by car. One can reach there by driving roughly 30-minutes from the airport or 60-minutes from Reykjavík. However, there are tourist buses and taxis available to reach Blue lagoon from almost anywhere in Iceland. It is open all days of week from 8:00 to 22:00. (Check the website for schedule)

While Iceland is a country brimming with natural hot springs, the Blue Lagoon isn't one of them. The warm waters are rich in minerals like silica & sulphur and bathing in the Blue Lagoon is known to help some people suffering from skin diseases such as psoriasis. The water temperature in the bathing and swimming area of the lagoon averages 37–39 °C (99–102 °F). The Blue Lagoon however stays just as warm as usual, around 37-39°C / 98-102°F, no matter the season or the weather, so it is not too cold to bath in the Blue Lagoon. The contrast between hot and cold is a fantastic experience and one of the reasons bathing is so popular among tourist all year around. There are shallow areas where you can stay in the water, the further out you go the deeper it gets. The deepest area in Blue Lagoon is 1.40m and the shallowest is 90 cm.

My whole experience with this trip was surreal and top of the world however the next day my biggest concern was my stiff hair. Although the silica in water is therapeutic for skin but you need to be careful of your hair. My suggestion is to apply a lot of hair conditioner before entering the pool. There are island bar-counters in the pool so you can enjoy your favourite drink in hot spa. You could also enjoy delicious lunch at Blue Café or LAVA restaurant as well as enjoy nice view of the lagoon.  A single entry to the lagoon is 4800 ISK and there are special treatments package also available which you can upgrade in your adventure.

The Blue Lagoon is designed for a relaxing bath so when you plan an adventurous trip to Iceland please take few hours and stop by the beautiful and magnificent Blue Lagoon.

website:  https://www.bluelagoon.com/