World and Beauty

The GPS told us to go inland to cross Martinique’s mountains if we wanted to reach the northern coast town of St. Pierre and its black sand beaches by noon. So off we went, heading out from our rented villa with beach chairs and a cooler in the trunk and the children strapped into the car seats in the back. About an hour later, the road narrowed, the tree cover grew super thick and we had to slow our SUV down to ford three separate streams that spilled precariously across the mountain road. Then, finally we came to a full stop. We had hit a dead end at a place the sign told us is called the Forêt de Rabuchon. The road had turned into a hiking trail. Before us stood a riot of nature: century old mahogany trees, towering ferns, bamboo and a crazy array of wildflowers — ixora, heliconia and porcelain rose. So we left behind our beach chairs, and headed out for an unplanned hike, first crossing a small river on a kid-friendly rope and wire suspension footbridge and heading out ...

IT LOVES warm, shallow tropical waters, whether salty or fresh, murky or clear. Its range covers an area from India’s Bay of Bengal through the Malay Archipelago to northern Australia. Yet, few people—especially Australians, whose northern doorstep may hold the largest concentrations of this animal in the world—have ever seen or even heard of the Irrawaddy dolphin. Surprising? Yes and no. In the 19th century, zoologist John Anderson saw schools of this bluish-gray dolphin, with its round, beakless head, in the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar (then Burma). He gave it the name Irrawaddy dolphin.                                                                Why Rarely Seen Irrawaddies thrive in hot and humid coastal, estuary, and river regions. Their home is often flanked by mud, mangroves, jungle, clouds of mosquitoes and, in...

“This job interview is going great! It should be obvious to my future boss that I’m relaxed; I’ve been calling him by his first name since I walked in the door. I just know he’ll hire me!” “Is this the same young man who sent in that impressive résumé? There’s no way I can hire him! If this is how he acts before he gets the job, what will he be like afterward?” Look at the picture, and read the text above. Can you identify three ways in which the job applicant is making a poor impression? 1. The young man’s clothing is too casual for a job interview. 2. His speech (calling the employer by his first name) is overly familiar. 3. His body language conveys a lack of respect. IMAGINE that you’re tasting a certain food for the very first time. How long does it take for you to figure out if you like it? One bite may be all that’s required to determine whether you’ll ever eat that food again—or even finish the portion that’s in front of you. Something similar happens when y...

                              PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS If I don't laugh at least 20 times a day - it hasn't been a good day. 1. Laughter Makes Us Healthier Laughter is a good thing. Scientists tell us that laughter, humor and joy are an important part of life. Laughing lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, and increases muscle flexion. It increases the circulation of antibodies in the blood stream and makes us more resistant to infection. 2. Laughter Touches Our Soul Laughter is good for us physically, but that is just the beginning. Laughter is good for the soul. There is a holiness in laughter. Laughter brings us closer to each other – and there is something holy about people coming together. Laughter provides us a moment of grace. It occurs spontaneously and unexpectedly. It catches us by surprise and we respond with laughter. We never expect to laugh, just as we never expect gr...

We admit it: There are some (or more like, many) mornings where it's everything we can do to will ourselves out of bed and grab a fistful of cereal or a crappy granola bar on our way out the door. It's not like a gourmet breakfast is a realistic everyday goal. But that doesn't mean we should settle for a sugar rush that will leave us sad and hungry just a half hour later. You'd be surprised how many healthy breakfast ideas require very little effort when put into practice. We're about to blow your mind with everything from crazy-easy breakfast muffins you can make ahead of time to healthy smoothie recipes you can whip up day-of in just minutes.

Blink, and you could pass through Europe’s smaller nations without realizing . Take Luxembourg, which can be crossed by car in just over an hour at its widest point. Before you know it, you’ve popped out into the surrounding countries of France, Germany or Belgium, with only the eagle-eyed spying the border sign and the striped flags of the Grand Duchy far behind. The ability to do this is partly down to its petite size, but also thanks to a Luxembourgian legacy: a treaty signed more than 30 years ago in the tiny village of Schengen in country’s far south-east. The now-renowned Schengen Agreement dramatically changed the way we travel within Europe, and continues to evolve today. The Schengen Agreement, named for the tiny town of Schengen in Luxembourg, dramatically changed travel within Europe (Credit: Kirsten Henton) Not-so-little Luxembourg On the surface of things, Luxembourg could be viewed as a starchy centre of commerce, where European bigwigs...

WATERFALLS have always captured the attention and admiration of people. The therapeutic sound of the waters crashing on the rocks below and the soft, cool mist that often ascends from the falls provide countless visitors with hours of relaxation. Murchison Falls in Uganda is no exception. The Nile River extends over 4,000 miles (6,400 km), and some call these falls the river’s most spectacular feature. True, they do not have the height of Angel Falls in South America or the water volume of Victoria Falls in Africa or Niagara Falls in North America. Yet the beauty and power of Murchison Falls leave a lasting impression. A History of Murchison Falls Murchison Falls is just one feature of the 1,483-square-mile (3,841 sq km) area that makes up Murchison Falls National Park. The park, located in northwestern Uganda, was established in 1952. Upon rounding the corner, a magnificent sight burst suddenly upon you. . . . The fall of water is snow white, which ha...