The composition and level of dietary intake in China

In China, the standard approach to collecting accurate dietary data was the three-day household inventory to measure household food consumption and nutrient intake. Measuring individual food consumption was regarded as less accurate and was thought to be unacceptable before the 1980s. A multiple-day household inventory method is time-consuming and expensive, as it requires a high-quality, durable scale and trained field workers. Moreover, the method provides only nutrient intake and food consumption data at the household level. It neither differentiates the intake of guests from

usual household members nor measures food eaten away from home (AFH). For these reasons, it is very difficult to assess nutrition status and conduct a range of studies at the individual level with the inventory method. Nevertheless, nutritionists in China and elsewhere in Asia believe the increased cost and effort are justified by the increased quality of measurement.

Since the 1980s, several large-scale nutrition surveys have been completed to observe the impact of socioeconomic changes on food consumption and chronic diseases in China. However, there has been no systematic analysis of the quality of 24-hour dietary recall, and little work has been done to consider ways to improve these dietary-assessment methods. Although more and more studies and discussions have focused on such methods in the world, minimal research has assessed the reliability of 24-hour dietary recall, and little attention has been paid to improving the quality of the dietary surveys in China.

High-energy-density gruels in the treatment of hospitalized children suffering from mainly protein malnutrition in Zaire

High-energy-density gruels in the treatment of hospitalized children suffering from mainly protein malnutrition in Zaire.

The effects of the energy density of gruels on energy and protein intake and the nutrition status of 148 hospitalized malnourished children age 3 to 24 months were determined under standardized conditions. Severely malnourished children consumed significantly more high- or low-energy-density gruels than children less affected. The feeding of high-energy-density (1.o kcal/ml) versus low-energy-density gruels (0.5 kcal/ml) allows for a significant increase in mean energy and protein intakes from gruels. The mean serum albumin concentration tended to increase more for children consuming high-energy-density gruels. These data emphasize the interest of high-energy-density gruels in the rehabilitation of severely malnourished children.

Characteristics of the use of two oral rehydration solutions

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Characteristics of the use of two oral rehydration solutions [rice-based gruel (RBG) or oral rehydration salts (ORS)] were assessed in 162 mothers of children under five years of age who presented a first episode of diarrhoea during the study period, in 12 rural villages of Central Mexico. Eighty-six mothers lived in six villages randomly assigned to receive the RBG promotion and 76 lived in six villages assigned to receive the ORS promotion. The intervention strategy, relying on face-to face contact by health auxiliaries who teach mothers about the dangers of dehydration, how to recognize it, and how to prepare and feed an oral rehydration solution, closely resembled that used by the National Program for the Control of Diarrheal Diseases. Before the intervention, 42% of all mothers used RBG and 58% used ORS; 8% of mothers who used RBG and 18% of those who used ORS used the beverage for rehydration purposes. After the intervention, in the villages where RBG was promoted, 57 (66%) of the mothers used RBG and 14 (16%) used ORS. In the villages where ORS was promoted, 9 (12%) of the mothers used RBG and 58 (76%) used ORS. In both groups, all mothers used at least one other beverage (usually herbal tea) during diarrhoea. but the promoted beverages were used first The use of the promoted beverage was higher when mothers had used it before the intervention. Eighty-six percent of mothers who prepared RBG used the promoted concentration of ingredients, whereas all mothers who prepared ORS correctly diluted one package in 1 L of water. After the intervention, 54% and 67% of mothers said they used RBG and ORS specifically to prevent dehydration.

Preah Vihear Temple is a Hindu temple built during the reign of Khmer Empire

Preah Vihear Temple is a Hindu temple built during the reign of Khmer Empire, that is situated atop a 525-metre (1,722 ft) cliff in the Dângrêk Mountains, in the Preah Vihear province, Cambodia. In 1962, following a lengthy dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over ownership, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague awarded the temple to Cambodia.

Affording a view for many kilometers across a plain, Prasat Preah Vihear has the most spectacular setting of all the temples built during the six-centuries-long Khmer Empire. As a key edifice of the empire's spiritual life, it was supported and modified by successive kings and so bears elements of several architectural styles. Preah Vihear is unusual among Khmer temples in being constructed along a long north-south axis, rather than having the conventional rectangular plan with orientation toward the east. The temple gives its name to Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, in which it is now located, as well as the Khao Phra Wihan National Park which borders it in Thailand's Sisaket province and through which the temple is most easily accessible. On July 7, 2008, Preah Vihear was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Amok trey or steamed curried fish, is a traditional dish of Cambodian cuisine

Amok trey or steamed curried fish, is a traditional dish of Cambodian cuisine. It is fish coated in a thick coconut milk with kroeung, either steamed or baked in a cup made from banana leaves. It is often eaten during the Water Festival, which celebrates the reversal of the Tonle Sap River. An important part of the dish is the addition of the leaves of the noni tree and the use of fingerroot.

How to cook

Ingredients:

400 g meaty fish 

2/4 cup coconut cream 

2 cups coconut milk 

1 egg, beaten

Kroeung:

2 dried red chilies, soaked, drained and chopped into a paste 

3 cloves garlic 

2 tbsp galangal, cut small 

1 tbsp lemon grass stalk zest of ¼ kaffir lime 

1 tsp salt 

1 tbsp kapi (a shrimp paste) 

300 g young nhor leaves (substitute: collard greens and super finely

chopped lemon grass) 

There were two phases in the construction of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh City

Long ago in 1372 A.D., there was a wealthy elderly woman named Penh living near the banks of the four river fronts. Her house was built on a plateau east of a hill. One day, heavy rains flooded the area. Daun Penh (Grandma Penh) went down to the dock and saw a koki tree floating towards the river bank. The strong fronting tides kept the koki tree floating nearby that particular river bank.

Immediately, Daun Penh called for her neighbors to help get the tree out of the river. They tied a rope to the tree and gradually pulled it out of the water. While Daun Penh was wiping the mud off of the tree, she saw four Buddha bronze statues and a stone statue of Divinity in the hole of the tree trunk. The statue of Divinity was standing and held a bat in one hand and a conch shell in the other.

Daun Penh and her neighbors were very happy to see those sacred objects and paraded them to Daun Penh’s house. She arranged to have a small hut built to temporarily house the statues.

Later, Daun Penh called on her neighbors again for help to pile up more dirt on the hill west of her house. The koki tree was then cut and fashioned to become pillars of the temple which would be built on that hill.

The Bayon is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia

The Bayon is a well-known and richly decorated Khmer temple at Angkor in Cambodia. Built in the late 12th century or early 13th century as the official state temple of the Mahayana Buddhist King Jayavarman VII, the Bayon stands at the centre of Jayavarman's capital, Angkor Thom. Following Jayavarman's death, it was modified and augmented by later Hindu and Theravada Buddhist kings in accordance with their own religious preferences.

The Bayon's most distinctive feature is the multitude of serene and massive stone faces on the many towers which jut out from the upper terrace and cluster around its central peak. The temple is known also for two impressive sets of bas-reliefs, which present an unusual combination of mythological, historical, and mundane scenes. The current main conservatory body, the Japanese Government team for the Safeguarding of Angkor (the JSA) has described the temple as "the most striking expression of the baroque style" of Khmer architecture, as contrasted with the classical style of Angkor Wat.

Buddhist symbolism in the foundation of the temple by King Jayavarman VII

The Bayon was the last state temple to be built at Angkor, and the only Angkorian state temple to be built primarily as a Mahayana Buddhist shrine dedicated to the Buddha, though a great number of minor and local deities were also encompassed as representatives of the various districts and cities of the realm. It was the centrepiece of Jayavarman VII's massive program of monumental construction and public works, which was also responsible for the walls and naga-bridges of Angkor Thom and the temples of Preah Khan, Ta Prohm and Banteay Kdei.

The similarity of the 216 gigantic faces on the temple's towers to other statues of the king has led many scholars to the conclusion that the faces are representations of Jayavarman VII himself. Others have said that the faces belong to the bodhisattva of compassion called Avalokitesvara or Lokesvara. The two hypotheses need not be regarded as mutually exclusive. Angkor scholar George Coedès has theorized that Jayavarman stood squarely in the tradition of the Khmer monarchs in thinking of himself as a "devaraja" (god-king), the salient difference being that while his predecessors were Hindus and regarded themselves as consubstantial with Shiva and his symbol the lingam, Jayavarman as a Buddhist identified himself with the Buddha and the bodhisattva.

Alterations following the death of Jayavarman VII

Since the time of Jayavarman VII, the Bayon has suffered numerous additions and alterations at the hands of subsequent monarchs. During the reign of Jayavarman VIII in the mid-13th century, the Khmer empire reverted to Hinduism and its state temple was altered accordingly. In later centuries, Theravada Buddhism became the dominant religion, leading to still further changes, before the temple was eventually abandoned to the jungle. Current features which were not part of the original plan include the terrace to the east of the temple, the libraries, the square corners of the inner gallery, and parts of the upper terrace.

In the first part of the 20th century, the École Française d'Extrême Orient took the lead in the conservation of the temple, restoring it in accordance with the technique of anastylosis. Since 1995 the Japanese Government team for the Safeguarding of Angkor (the JSA) has been the main conservatory body, and has held annual symposia.

Many people don't know about Cambodia's beaches

Many people don't know about Cambodia's beaches, so they visit the beaches of better known resort areas instead. What they are missing is a number of fabulous beaches on Cambodia's mainland coast, and even better beaches on Cambodia's offshore islands. Cambodia's beaches are like those of more well known resort areas in that they too have powdery white sand fronting crystal clear, turquoise blue waters. The beaches of Cambodia are different in that they have not yet been taken over by crowds and development. You won't find many five star resorts at Cambodian beaches (yet), but you will find plentiful peaceful stretches of beach, open air restaurants and bars right on the sand, serving the world's freshest and finest seafood, and a laid-back ambiance unlike anywhere else.

Like Angkor Thom, the temple of Banteay Chhmar was accomplished during the reign of Jayavarman VII

Banteay Chhmar is a commune (khum) in Thma Puok District in Banteay Meanchey province in northwest Cambodia. It is located 63 km north of Sisophon and about 20 km east of the Thai border. The commune of Banteay Chhmar contains 14 villages.

The massive temple of Banteay Chhmar, along with its satellite shrines and reservoir (baray), comprises one of the most important and least understood archaeological complexes from Cambodia's Angkor period.

Like Angkor Thom, the temple of Banteay Chhmar was accomplished during the reign of Jayavarman VII in the late 12th or early 13th century. One of the temple's shrines once held an image of Srindrakumara rajaputra (the crown prince), probably a son of Jayavarman VII. The long Old Khmer inscription found at the site (K.227), and now on display in the National Museum, Phnom Penh, relates how this prince or a king (samtac) was protected on two different occasions by four royal servants, all of whom lost their lives in his defense. The inscription lists the names of these officials and informs us that their respective images were once placed in the four corners of the shrine.

The complex resembles Angkor Thom and other structures attributed to Jayavarman VII. It is one of two sites outside Angkor with the enigmatic face-towers. Besides that, its outer gallery is carved with bas-reliefs depicting military engagements and daily life scenes very similar to the well-known ones in Bayon.

The complex is oriented to the east, where there's a dried baray (about 1.6 by 0.8 km), which had a temple on an artificial island (mebon) in its centre. There are three enclosures, as typical. The external one, largely ruined, was 1.9 by 1.7 km and surrounded by a moat. The middle enclosure, provided with a moat too, is 850 by 800 m. It contains the main temple, surrounded by a gallery with reliefs 250 by 200 m which constitutes the third inner enclosure.

Besides the main temple and the mebon there are other eight secondary temples. Four stelae detailing Jayavarman VII's genealogy were placed (though they remain unfinished) at each of the four corners of the third enclosure wall, mirroring the stelae that occupied the four corner-shrines (Prasat Chrung) of the king's capital at Angkor Thom.

Banteay Srei, a beautiful 10th-century Hindu temple complex about 23 miles north of Angkor Wat

Although it's out of the way, true temple buffs won't want to miss Banteay Srei, a beautiful 10th-century Hindu temple complex about 23 miles north of Angkor Wat.

The temple consists of low walls surrounding peaked structures of deep red sandstone. Banteay Srei means "Citadel of Women," and it is said that the reliefs on this temple are so delicate that they could only have been carved by the hand of a woman. The well-preserved relief carvings on the central buildings depict scenes from ancient Hindu tales.

Try to visit with a tour group or guide who can explain the finer details of the temple art inscriptions and handle travel logistics. Check with your hotel or any tourist agency, or reserve a tour through us.

Ta Prohm is the modern name of a temple at Angkor

Ta Prohm is the modern name of a temple at Angkor, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, built in the Bayon style largely in the late 12th and early 13th centuries and originally called Rajavihara. Located approximately one kilometre east of Angkor Thom and on the southern edge of the East Baray, it was founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors.UNESCO inscribed Ta Prohm on the World Heritage List in 1992. Today, it is one of the most visited complexes in Cambodia’s Angkor region. The conservation and restoration of Ta Prohm is a partnership project of the Archaeological Survey of India and the APSARA (Authority for the Protection and Management of Angkor and the Region of Siem Reap).

The Baphuon is a temple at Angkor

The Baphuon is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia. It is located in Angkor Thom, northwest of the Bayon. Built in the mid-11th century, it is a three-tiered temple mountain built as the state temple of Udayadityavarman II dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. It is the archetype of the Baphuon style. The temple adjoins the southern enclosure of the royal palace and measures 120 metres east-west by 100 metres north-south at its base and stands 34 meters tall without its tower, which would have made it roughly 50 meters tall. 

Its appearance apparently impressed Emperor Chengzong of Yuan China's late 13th century envoy Chou Ta-Kuan during his visit from 1296 to 1297, who said it was 'the Tower of Bronze...a truly astonishing spectacle, with more than ten chambers at its base.' In the late 15th century, the Baphuon was converted to a Buddhist temple. A 9 meter tall by 70 meter long statue of a reclining Buddha was built on the west side's second level, which probably required the demolition of the 8 meter tower above, thus explaining its current absence. The temple was built on land filled with sand, and due to its immense size the site was unstable throughout its history. Large portions had probably already collapsed by the time the Buddha was added.

Pen and watercolor reconstruction of what the temple may have looked in the 11th century by Lucien Fournereau in 1889.

The unfinished reclining Buddha on the west side of the temple

By the 20th century, much of the temple had largely collapsed, and restoration efforts have since proven problematic: a first effort begun in 1960 was interrupted by the coming to power of the Khmer Rouge, and records of the positions of the stones were lost. A second attempt started in 1995 by a team of French-led archeologists as of 2005 was still ongoing, restricting visitor access. As of November 2010, partial visitor access was once again allowed, though not to the central structure.

In April 2011, after 51 years, the archaeologists finished the restoration of the temple. King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia and Prime Minister Francois Fillon of France were among those who first toured the renovated temple during the inauguration ceremony on July 3, 2011.

Ta Som is a small temple at Angkor

Ta Som is a small temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built at the end of the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII. It is located north east of Angkor Thom and just east of Neak Pean. The King dedicated the temple to his father Dharanindravarman II (Paramanishkalapada) who was King of the Khmer Empire from 1150 to 1160. The temple consists of a single shrine located on one level and surrounded by enclosure laterite walls. Like the nearby Preah Khan and Ta Prohm the temple was left largely unrestored, with numerous trees and other vegetation growing among the ruins. In 1998, the World Monuments Fund (WMF) added the temple to their restoration program and began work to stabilise the structure to make it safer for visitors.

Designed to be entered from the east, Ta Som is surrounded by a moat and enclosed by three laterite walls which are broken by two sets of gopura (entrance ways). The gopuras are cross-shaped and contain a small room on each side along with windows containing balusters. The main structure of the gopura are carved with four faces in the Bayon style. The eastern outer gopura has been overgrown by a sacred fig (Ficus religiosa) which has grown down through the blocks that make up the gopura and into the ground. The inner section of the temple consists of a central cruciform sanctuary with porches at each arm surrounded by four corner pavilions. Two small libraries sit on either side of the eastern entrance path.

According to the APSARA Authority who manage the temples in the Angkor Park, little restoration work had been done at Ta Som until the 1950s. At this time some propping of structures that were near collapse was carried out. After the WMF added Ta Som to their project, the WMF team began to document and interpret the site and carry out emergency stabilization of fragile structures and improvement to visitor flow around the monument. In 2007, WMF and the APSARA Authority conducted clearing and documentation works that allowed the temple to be accessed from all four sides. Many sandstone blocks were repaired and this allowed the reconstruction of the North Central Fronton of the North Gopura.

Preah Pithu Temples

They're located in Angkor Thom, north-east of the Bayon, in front of Tep Pranam. The temples are near but they weren't built in the same period, except for two of them, so there is no apparent order. They're identified by letters: T, U, V, W and X. "X" is a buddhist temple, it remained unfinished and is probably the latest. The others are Hindu. The five temples are in bad conditions, upper levels are ruined, but their carvings are interesting and the site is rather peaceful, wooded and scarcely crowded. A moat, often dry, surrounds some of the temples. They were cleaned first by Jean Commaille in 1908, then by Henri Marchal from 1918 to 1920.

Temples "T" and "U"

They were built together quite for sure, as they are on the same W-E axis and are surrounded by a single moat. They're oriented to the west, having a cruciform terrace on two levels with nagas balaustrades as entrance. The temple "T" has a sandstone enclosure, which measures 45 by 40 meters, and has two gopuras on the main W-E axis. The sanctuary, on a 3-levels ornated platform 6 meters high, has a chamber which sheltered a large linga on its pedestal. The fragments of the lintel of western door, on the ground, show a stylized depiction of the "Churning of the Sea of Milk", while the walls are decorated with devatas and floral motifs, Bayon style.

The temple "U" is similar to "T", but smaller and simpler. Its enclosure is 35 by 28 meters. It has no gopura. The lintel of west door shows the Trimurti, with Shiva dancing on a kala-head between Vishnu and Brahma. The internal walls are sculpted with dvarapalas and the blind arches at the base of pillars are typical of Angkor Wat period. On the northern lintel there is another depiction of the "Churning of the Sea of Milk".

Temple "X"

emple "X" stands on a large terrace, 4 meters high, about 100 meters east of temple "U". It is straight reachable from there if the moat is dry. It is similar in design to the former temples but is larger and incomplete in its decorations. "X" is a buddhist temple: on the walls of the sanctuary chamber there is a double row of sculpted Buddhas. Even the lintels show buddhist motifs. However the most interesting remains, depicting famous Siddharta's cutting of the hair, are not in place. Towards the east, the laterite terrace is surrounded by semas, delimiting the sacred area.

Temple "V"

Outside the residual moat, north of temple "U", there is temple "V". It is oriented to the East, where it opens with a double vestibule, and has no enclusure. On the West it has a causeway which ends with a 40 meters long cruciform terrace, leading into NE corner of the Royal Square. Its sanctuary chamber, standing on two-tier sculpted basement, is the largest of the group, having a square side of 3.80 m, and hosted a large 1.5 m linga. Its external decorations, in Angkor Wat style, are incomplete.

Temple "Y"

Temple "Y" has no basement or stairways and stands on an earthen platform, north of "V". It was dated between Angkor Wat and Bayon. Oriented to the East, it has a long mandapa as entrance, linked by a vestibule to a 3.5 m by 3.0 m sanctuary chamber, which hosted a linga 0.95 m tall. The larger chamber has mostly collapsed, but on its western side there are two remarkable half-frontons, which depict the defeat of the asura Bana by Krishna to the north and the three giant steps of Vamana to the south.

Preah Palilay is a temple at Angkor

Preah Palilay is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia. It is located in Angkor Thom, 400 m north-west of Phimeanakas. The coexistence of Hindu and Buddhist elements and lacking of foundation stele or inscriptions make somewhat difficult dating this temple. It is generally ascribed to Jayavarman VIII reign, but it seems difficult to explain how the Buddhist imagery could have survive from the iconoclast fury of that epoch. Maybe it was built in different periods: the sanctuary in the first half of 12th century, while the gopura in the late 13th or early 14th century. The temple was cleaned by Henri Marchal in 1918-19, while the gopura was restored by anastylosis by Maurice Glaize in 1937-38.

The temple has a cross-shaped terrace, 8.5 m by 30 m long, with seven-headed naga balaustrades in good conditions, on the east, guarded by two decapitated dvarapalas and a lion (of an original two). A 33 m-long causeway connects it to the single sandstone gopura. Before the laterite enclosure 50 m square there is a shrine with a 3 m tall statue of Buddha, sitting on a lotus, of a later period.

The gopura has three entrances, the east-facing pediment of the northern one shows "the offering of the animals in the forest of Parilyyaka", where the Buddha retreated after leaving Kosambi. It seems that the origin of Pralilay could have been the alteration of the name Parilyyaka. Even the other pediments shows exemplary scenes of Buddha.

The sandstone sanctuary stands on a three tiered basement, 6 m high in overall. It has a 5 m square central chamber that opens to the four cardinal points with as many vestibules. Their classical ornamentations, unfortunately ruined, suggest that the sanctuary belongs to the first half of the 12th century and is older than the gopura. Even the characteristic "chimney-like" tower that stands above seems to be a later addition, maybe a frame for a covering.

Some parts of the pediments have been taken away for safe-keeping, others lying on the ground. The visible parts show Indra on his mount, the elephant Airavata, and the assault of the demoniac army of Mara.

At the present time there is a little Buddhist monastery near the temple and the presence of the monks in its area is not uncommon.

Preah Khan was built on the site of Jayavarman VII's victory over the invading Chams in 1191

Preah Khan, sometimes transliterated as Prah Khan, is a temple at Angkor, Cambodia, built in the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII. It is located northeast of Angkor Thom and just west of the Jayatataka baray, with which it was associated. It was the centre of a substantial organisation, with almost 100,000 officials and servants. The temple is flat in design, with a basic plan of successive rectangular galleries around a Buddhist sanctuary complicated by Hindu satellite temples and numerous later additions. Like the nearby Ta Prohm, Preah Khan has been left largely unrestored, with numerous trees and other vegetation growing among the ruins.

Artist achieved with potted plant decoration

Who said plants are boring didn’t see what this artist achieved with his potted plants! Jedediah Corwyn Voltz used his long experience as a commercial prop maker in the movie industry in a creative new way. He made impressive miniature tree houses for potted plants and bonsai. The level of detail is extraordinary as the houses aren’t just a bulk piece, but have all the features of a full-sized structure. That means Voltz has made miniature wooden furniture, decorative rugs and even tiny art objects. They were all carefully crafted by hand with all sorts of materials, like silk and wood. Browse through the images and imagine how awesome your potted plants will look with these miniature tree houses.

 Who said plants are boring didn’t see what this artist achieved with his potted plants! Jedediah Corwyn Voltz used his long experience as a commercial prop maker in the movie industry in a creative new way. He made impressive miniature tree houses for potted plants and bonsai. The level of detail is extraordinary as the houses aren’t just a bulk piece, but have all the features of a full-sized structure. That means Voltz has made miniature wooden furniture, decorative rugs and even tiny art objects. They were all carefully crafted by hand with all sorts of materials, like silk and wood. Browse through the images and imagine how awesome your potted plants will look with these miniature tree houses.

Who said plants are boring didn’t see what this artist achieved with his potted plants! Jedediah Corwyn Voltz used his long experience as a commercial prop maker in the movie industry in a creative new way. He made impressive miniature tree houses for potted plants and bonsai. The level of detail is extraordinary as the houses aren’t just a bulk piece, but have all the features of a full-sized structure. That means Voltz has made miniature wooden furniture, decorative rugs and even tiny art objects. They were all carefully crafted by hand with all sorts of materials, like silk and wood. Browse through the images and imagine how awesome your potted plants will look with these miniature tree houses.

How to build simple pond in your compound?

How would you feel about having your own pond in your backyard? Sitting near it, listening to birds humming and drinking a nice glass of wine. If you can already imagine yourself chilling near the pond, then you should know that you can make it yourself, with your two hands. You can use different materials to make the pond, from an old baths reservoir to concrete bases. But then again, you need to decide what purpose will this pond have? Will it be a fish pond or just a decorative pond? Decorative ponds are much easier to maintain and clean and you can even spice them up by building a small fountain or waterfall. To help you make the right decision and build the most suitable pond for you, visit the following link for a lot of useful tips and tricks.

Women who drank artificially sweetened beverages

Artificially sweetened beverages in pregnancy tied to higher infant weight. Women who drank artificially sweetened beverages like diet soda every day while pregnant were more likely a year later to have infants with a higher body mass index (BMI), according to a new study.

From: Reuters Health – Women who drank artificially sweetened beverages like diet soda every day while pregnant were more likely a year later to have infants with a higher body mass index (BMI), according to a new study.

The researchers did not find a link between sugary beverages during pregnancy and babies’ BMI, which is a measure of weight in relation to height.

Nazi redesign of Berlin into the Nazi capital "Germania."

At the Nazi party rally grounds In Nuremberg, the largest such site of this era, organizers assume visitors are looking for educational information. Dokumentationszentrum Reichs-parteitagsgelände Nürnberg Deutschland. Some 200,000 people from around the world annually visit the Nazi party rally ground's Documentation Center. This 11-square-kilometer (six-square-mile) compound was built according to plans by Hitler's architect, Albert Speer. Hitler held Nazi rallies at the grounds until 1938. The massive rallies served to gain support for the party as well as a visible place for the Nazis to parade their power.

Some of the colossal buildings have survived to this day. Like the building shell of the Congress Hall, which has housed the Documentation Center since it opened in 2001 to educate and inform visitors about the Nazi party and its rallies. The Grosse Strasse, along which Nazi troops paraded, has also survived, as has the Zeppelinfeld (Zeppelin field), where buses filled with visitors arrive at regular intervals. The place where as many as 200,000 people could attend rallies is today partly paved and used as parking lots and sports fields. At one end of the field the grandstand from which Adolf Hitler made his speeches is still open to tourists.

Monumental Nazi-era buildings in Germany

Monumental Nazi-era buildings in Germany have become tourist magnets. These sites, associated with the Nazis, have different ways of dealing with their heritage, but is it "dark tourism" or educational tourism? 

 Every 10 minutes a new group of guided tourists stops at the spot on Wilhelmstrasse in Berlin, where Adolf Hitler killed himself in 1945. There is no visible trace left of the underground bunker. These days there is just a cemented area next to the "Peking Duck" restaurant, making it probably the most photographed parking lot in Berlin.

Tourists from the United States, in particular, want to see the "Führerbunker," says Sabine, a city guide in the German capital. But people of other nationalities also seek out the place. The "Führerbunker" drew people's attention as early as 1945 when it was an unwelcome attraction located in the former Soviet sector of divided post-war Berlin.

Berlin has introduced strict rules limiting the options for private rentals

Live like a local? Or stay in a sterile hotel room while on holiday? Many tourists prefer to use private holiday Rentals. But Berlin has introduced strict rules limiting the options for private rentals. 

Effective immediately, the new law ensures that owners in Berlin are allowed to rent out only rooms via internet portals such as Airbnb, not entire flats or houses. This means that tourists can still rent a room in a flat or apartment in Berlin via internet platforms but will have to share kitchen and bathroom facilities. Renting the entire flat or house as a holiday accommodation is forbidden. Those who ignore the law that went into effect on May 1, 2016 can face fines of up to 100,000 euro ($113,000).

Last year over 20,000 Berliners offered their property to tourists on the internet using Airbnb. On average the portal says, a typical host will have earned around 1,800 euro during that year. 568,000 guests stayed overnight in Airbnb rented accommodation. Every third guest told a survey they would not have come to Berlin or stayed as long as they had had it not been for Airbnb.

Given that it is more profitable to rent out whole apartments for short holiday lets, some investors were holding onto apartments for such rentals rather than having more permanent, long-term tenants. Even before the law banning commercial use of private property came into effect, some 1,000 apartments were rented out to long-term tenants. In all, holiday accommodation accounts for less than one percent of rented property in Berlin.

Source: http://www.dw.com

The auction of Hitler statue about $17.2 million

A statue of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan has been sold for a record 15.1 million euros at a New York auction. The wax and resin piece had been expected to fetch a fraction of that. 

The highly anticipated art auction season opened Sunday with a specially curated sale where a sculpture of a kneeling Hitler by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan fetched a record price for the artist.

Entitled simply "Him" the controversial sculpture of Hitler, appears as a small child kneeling in prayer when approached from the rear. But from the front, the viewer comes face-to-face with the unmistakable likeness of the 20th century dictator.

"Hitler is pure fear. It's an image of terrible pain. It even hurts to pronounce his name. And yet that name has conquered my memory. It lives in my head, even if it remains taboo,"Cattelan said. "I wanted to destroy it myself. I changed my mind a thousand times, every day." Catellan "defied the taboos of representation by disguising evil incarnate under a cloak of innocence," curator Loic Gouzer, a deputy chairman of Christie's auction house in New York, said.

The piece that sold is the artist's proof from an edition of three and was included in the artist's retrospective at the Guggenheim in 2011. The previous record for a work by the 55-year-old Cattelan was $7.9 million. Some 1,500 pieces of art are to set to be auctioned over five days and are expected to fetch more than a billion dollars.

Source: AFP