“Angel’s Share”, is what distilleries call the portion (share) of a whisky’s volume that is lost to evaporation during aging in oak barrels.
In case you forgot to mark it on your calendar, today, Saturday, July 27 is National Scotch Day, and in 2019 it falls on the 525th anniversary of that fateful day in 1494 when Scotland’s whiskies were first taxed. Today there are more than 350 distilleries barrel aging and bottling what has become one of the most drinkable and collectable of all distilled spirits. 

In order to be considered scotch, this classy and distinctive spirit must be made in Scotland. It must be fermented from malted barley, aged in oak barrels for at least three years and have an ABV or alcohol content of less than 94.8%.

While most scotch is made with barley, water and yeast; other grains can be included.  All fermentation additives are excluded, per law. There are five distinct classifications of Scotch whisky including single malt scotch, single grain scotch, blended malt scotch, blended grain scotch and blended scotch. Scotch is often identified by the region where it was produced and each region has its own characteristics that influence taste.

Despite scotch being made in Scotland,  you can enjoy the spirit anywhere. Kilt not required.
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 Balvenie Stories Collection                                                                                         Speyburn 18 Year Old Single Malt                     
Dewar’s Double  Double                       
Glenmorangie Refreshed Extra Matured Range                                                  ​ Ardbeg Drum
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The History Scotch Whisky Day
The Babylonians of Mesopotamia were likely the first people to distill alcohol in 2nd millennium BC.  The earliest records of the distillation of alcohol for the purpose of drinking date back to 13th century Italy, where harder alcohols were distilled from wine. Soon, the practice of distillation use spread through medieval monasteries and was used largely for medicinal purposes, such as the treatment of smallpox and other illnesses. 

Distillation spread to today’s Great Britain in the 15th century, and the first evidence of whisky production in Scotland comes from an entry in the Exchequer Rolls for 1494 where malt is sent “To Friar John Cor, by order of the king, to make aquavitae”, enough to make about 500 bottles. Whisky production later moved out of a monastic setting and into personal homes and farms when King Henry VIII of England dissolved all the monasteries in his country due to his feud with the Pope, causing the monks to find a way to earn a living for themselves. However, the distillation process in those days was much more basic than it is today, and the whisky itself was not allowed to age, meaning it must have tasted much more raw than it does today.

How to celebrate Scotch Whisky Day
There are hundreds of distilleries in Scotland you have likely never heard of that make whisky better than you’ve ever tried before, and this day is the day to experience them.  Rocquefort cheese go well with whiskey, as does dark chocholate and for a little more substantial slow roasted pork ribs is also a perfect match.

Why not watch a movie that carries the theme as well? There are also quite a few films to choose from that would be perfect for this day, one to recommend is "The Angel’s Share", an acclaimed Scottish comedy-drama about a man trying to get his life back on track after narrowly avoiding a prison sentence.
Cheers!

—Shandana A. Durrani​

International cities have long been ahead of the curve in terms of environmental initiatives and sustainability. European cities often lead the way, especially those found in Nordic countries. While cities such as Malmo, Sweden, and Reykjavik, Iceland, have adopted sincere green practices, in terms of livability and quality of life, Oslo, Norway, is tops. That’s why it’s the winner of the first GreenLux Award for most environmentally friendly international city.
 
Why Oslo? It has a long history of environmental concern, long before other cities jumped on the eco bandwagon. The government spurs on the populace by promoting sustainability. The Oslo city council voted to replace heating oil in city buildings with renewable energy sources by 2012, which is ballsy considering how much energy the metropolis uses. The government provides incentives for new buildings to promote energy efficiency. All buses running on fossil fuels will be converted to biofuels in 2011. The city is lowest of all European metropolises when it comes to CO2 emissions. Eighty five percent of school children walk, bike or use public transportation to school (the rail system is run on hydroelectric power). Ninety four percent of household waste is recycled. A majority of the population lives within a short distance of public green space, which they utilize in record numbers. All of this in a city that is one of the wealthiest in the world.
 
Walking around Oslo, you can see its environmental commitment. The air quality is good and the streets are free of trash and refuse. Locals are active year-round, enjoying the public parks and numerous waterways, even in winter. One can’t help but notice that everyone walks, bikes or takes the train/subway everywhere. Maybe it’s the unique topography of Norway that lends itself to this. Fjords, those majestic inlets created by glaciers, surround so much of the country. The scenery is breathtaking but the terrain can be tough to traverse if you aren’t careful, making driving a bit hazardous as times. Thus, this isn’t a car-crazy city. Most residents don’t have one car, much less two or more and the rail and bus system is so efficient that getting around is a breeze.
 
The city’s isn’t a culinary mecca like New York or London, but Oslo still has a number of great slow food purveyors, farmer markets and community gardens. The three-day Matstreif food festival is held every September on Town Hall Square. Fresh produce, baked goods, cheese and cured meats are available. Overland Community Garden sits on 25 acres at which 300 part owners cultivate herbs and produce. Erling Mos As sells fresh fish and seafood and has been a local favorite for four decades. Additional small-scale farmers markets occur throughout the summer and fall at Karl Johans Gate.
 
Finding an eco-friendly hotel isn’t difficult in a city known for green businesses. Thon Hotels is a chain of environmentally sound hotels in Northern Europe. The hotels are chic and comfortable with plenty of green trappings, from organic dining to waste reduction to energy saving initiatives to utilizing only eco-friendly products and amenities. There are 12 in Oslo proper, near many tourist sites such as the Munch Museum and the Opera.

Jet lag (dysrhythmia) has by many been dismissed as merely an unpleasant side-effect of air travel, but new research suggests that the body clock is often not synchronized with an air traveller's new time zone causing common problems such as fatigue, poor concentration, trouble sleeping, irritability, minor depression, altered estimation of time and distance and digestive problems.  The research also showed that more serious problems like memory loss, shrinkage of parts of the brain, negative impact on blood pressure and was even implicated in the incidence of cancer.  Studies show that jet lag worsens with age, particularly after age 50.

The symptoms are at their worst in the first two days after crossing three or more time zones. The general rule is that, without any specialized treatment, adjustment time takes about a day for each time zone crossed. However, if left untreated, two or three weeks may be needed to completely realign all rhythms correctly.

For many travelers jet lag can certainly put a kink in a long awaited vacation.

So how can we combat jet lag?  There are certainly no lack of products on the market claiming to beat the jet lag blues.

According to Helen Murphy, Sr. Editor, Health & Wellness Advice at Consumer Review a good jet lag remedy should contain clinically proven ingredients such as GABA, DMAE, L-ornithine, L-theanine, Magnesium and more. A good formula, should provide a dual action ‘relax and refresh’ benefit: to de-stress and relax during the travel itself plus optimize balance and re-tune circadian rhythms upon arrival at your destination.

Ms. Murphy’s recommends three products, Research Verified Jet Lag Relief (#1 top pick, but often out of stock), NO-JET-LAG, (#2 pick, and sold on Amazon), and Jet Lag Rapid Reset (#3 pick).

There is another option on the market now, however, that seem quite popular - the pocket-size Litebook Edge.

A light therapy device.  Light therapy is a natural, non-pharmaceutical method to help the body adjust to a new time zone by emitting rays of bright light that mimics the sun. It can be effective enough to actually adjust the body's internal clock up to six times zones in one day. There may even be an added bonus of raising levels of alertness and enhance moods. ​

You can purchase the Litebook Edge on Amazon for $162.  Is it worth the steep price?  The New York Jets seem to think so!  They recently sent their players to London with the device to help combat jet lag before a big game. They beat the Miami Dolphins 27-14.

The latest addition to Iceland’s vibrant craft beer scene  is Kaldi’s Beer Spa. Located in the village of Árskógarsandur close to Akureyri in North Iceland. Guests can now literally bathe in beer in one of the spa's seven tubs. The owners of Kaldi claim that bathing in the beer can have health benefits.

The spa opened last summer offers visitors an opportunity to bathe in tubs filled with beer, warm water, hops and yeast, while drinking cold Kaldi craft beer from tap.  Each tub can accommodate two people.  Guests relax for 25 minutes before moving on to another room for another 25 minutes of beer based treatment.

This is Iceland’s first beer spa, and it has been very popular with locals as well as tourists so it is a good idea to make reservations. 

The spa is modeled after popular Czech beer baths.  Beer spas are quite common in the Czech Republic and most of the largest Czech breweries operate spas that attract beer-lovers from all over the world. The Czechs believe that bathing in beer is good for the skin and that it’s overall a revitalizing experience for your mind and body.​

For anyone interested in craft beer you will not only get a fascinating insight into micro-brewing in Iceland but also about the culture and background to brewing and alcohol promotion in the country.

As a travel advisor one thing I do is to make sure that my clients get the most out of ther precious time while on vacation.   Did you for instance know that the Vatican Museums have more than 20,000 visitors per day!  Visitors can deal with frustrations such as long lines, inadequate or wrong labeling and unannounced closures of galleries. Not to mention the fact that, at 9 miles long, the Papal Palace can be pretty tough to navigate, but why when you don’t have to?


Let’s for instance say you have decided to visit Rome this June, and one of the highlights on your trip will be the Vatican Museum, one of the most beautiful and impressive places in the world.  Without planning you could easily spend up to four hours standing in line getting tickets, which is definitely not the best way to spend your precious time in Rome.


There are ways to avoid the worst of the crowds and get the most out of your visit. Planning ahead is your best bet to ensure success when visiting the Vatican Museums.
The Vatican Museum opens Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on the last Sunday of each month from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The Museums open at 10 a.m. and close at 6 pm. Check the Vatican website provided below for more information on holiday closings and special openings.

If you have a flexible schedule you can try to visit the museum in the afternoon for shorter lines or tour the quieter galleries, such as the Pinacoteca, at peak times and the most popular stops toward the end of the day. Visiting early in the morning is also recommended, particularly during high season.
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To ensure that you get the most out of your trip I would recommend a Skip the Line Tour for fast-track entry, or even better a VIP Tour and enter before the doors even open to the crowds or at night when it is closed to the general public.

A couple of years ago I was able to enjoy a VIP tour in the evening, and having done the visit during the day with the crowds as well I can assure you that the two experiences were quite different.

Let me know if you would like arrangements made for Skip the Line Tours or VIP Private tours to the Vatican or any other popular sight.  This is part of the service I provide.​

http://www.museivaticani.va/content/museivaticani/en/info/tutti-gli-orari.html    

Travel is a way to explore other cultures, people, food and places, and to see that there is more to life than just our way of doing things. Travel is a way to teach children respect for others and appreciation for life.

They learn to take care of themselves in new places. They learn that exploring is a must. They learn to ask questions. They learn how to navigate cities. They learn that life must be lived and not watched on TV or played on a video game.

When parents struggle to figure out what toys to give their children as gifts, consider giving the gift of travel instead - they will thank you for it when they become adults. When travel is given as a gift they will last much longer than the latest computer gadget or hottest electronic toy that you may have considered buying.

Teach your children geography by giving them age-appropriate atlases and travel books for the journey, and hang a large map on their bedroom wall where they can pinpoint their travels.

Older children and teenagers will be more interested in doing research for your travels if you let them help choose activities at your destination and or even help choose the places to visit.

Kids learn so much from seeing places, landmarks and wildlife in the places you're visiting.​

Younger kids need to stick to their normal schedules as much as possible, you need to give them their snacks and nap time. You don't have to see it all in one day.”  Make sure that they have a good amount of downtime during the trip.  Keep in mind that if you try to do too much it will backfire, and remember, it's not the destination, it's the journey.