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The most visited cities around the world

No matter what travel trends crop up, tourists still return to the same tried-and-tested places they know they’re bound to love. The Mastercard Global Destination Cities Index 2019, ranks 200 cities based on how many international overnight visitors they’re set to receive this year. For many people, off-the-beaten-path travel is more appealing than heading to a city rammed with people. The numbers, however, show tourists are still flocking to the same spots year in and year out. The index shows the number of international overnight visitors in these cities growing by a whopping 76% since 2009 — but in recent years, the trends look pretty similar. Here are the 19 most visited cities around the world in 2019: Bangkok — 22.78 million Paris — 19.1 million London — 19.09 million Dubai, United Arab Emirates — 15.93 million Singapore — 14.67 million Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — 13.79 million New York City — 13.6 million Istanbul — 13.4 million Tokyo — 12.93 million Antalya, Turkey — 12.41 million Seoul, South Korea — 11.25 million Osaka, Japan — 10.14 million Mecca, Saudi Arabia — 10 million Phuket, Thailand — 9.89 million Pattaya, Thailand — 9.44 million Milan, Italy — 9.10 million Barcelona, Spain — 9.09 million Palma de Mallorca, Spain — 8.96 million Bali, Indonesia — 8.26 million Source: FantasticRoutes.com
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The History of Smoothies

A smoothie is a thick drink made in a blender. Smoothies usually contain fruit of some kind, and may also contain other ingredients such as milk, soy milk, yogurt, ice cream and nutritional supplements. Smoothies are indeed healthy, thanks to their healthy ingredients such as fresh fruits and vegetables. Recently, smoothies have enjoyed a boost in popularity due to their reputation for being healthy, but this drink has actually been around since the mid-20th century. Older Fruit Drinks Blending fruit with ice has long been a practice in many cultures. Latin Americans, whose region of the world is famous for its bounty of tropical fruits, drink many different fruit juice concoctions. These were the inspiration for some of the first smoothies made in the United States. In India, fruits such as mangoes and strawberries are blended with yogurt and ice to make a drink called a lassi. History The term “smoothie” has been around since the early 20th century, but it wasn’t until 1930 that it was used to describe a drink. Early smoothies were simply fruit, fruit juice, and ice, and they were an obscure concept in the United States until the natural food craze of the ’60s and ’70s. During these decades, health food stores popped up around the country, and these stores often made and sold blended fruit drinks. Blenders The history of the smoothie is closely tied to the history of the blender because without this appliance, smoothie making would be almost impossible. The Waring Blender, which was invented in the late ’30s, was the first blender to be used in smoothie making. More recently, the appearance of the Vita-Mix has revolutionized the world of smoothies. This blender is powerful enough to grind ingredients like raw vegetables and nuts into a smooth paste, which makes it perfect for making smoothies. Evolution In 1973, Steve Kuhnau founded the first Smoothie King in Louisiana. Kuhnau, who had been experimenting with smoothie recipes for years, added ingredients such as yogurt, protein powder, and vitamins to his smoothies. Over the next three decades, Smoothie King smoothie bars spread across the country and made the term “smoothie” a household word. At the same time, smoothies were becoming available in more restaurants, juice bars, and health food stores. Soon, pre-bottled smoothies, made by companies like Naked Juice and Odwalla, appeared in grocery stores. Today, smoothies of every flavor and variety are easy to find, no matter where you live. In addition, many websites and books offer recipes for homemade smoothies. Varieties Just about anything can be made into a smoothie. Some smoothie makers add vegetables such as spinach, carrots, seaweed, and even hot peppers to make their smoothies extra healthy. You can also find chocolate, vanilla, and coffee smoothies in many places. Some of these smoothies may seem more like milkshakes, but for the most part, smoothies contain healthy ingredients, such as vitamins and protein powder, and are often lower in fat than other creamy drinks.
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What kids are telling us about their pandemic lives

As more children get to head back to in-person school after a year of virtual learning, they bring with them the lessons learned from a year of living under the threat of a once-in-a-century virus. Our kids have learned a lot during the pandemic. Many have gotten closer to their siblings and others fought more with them; they have loved spending more time with their parents at home and gotten sick of only having their families to talk to — just like adults. Some of these parents have cancer. Others are first responders or live with lupus or other health conditions. In quarantine, these children have worried about losing their parents to the pandemic. These kids have seen if their communities mask up and practice social distancing — and if those communities want to keep them safe — or not. “As a mom, I’ve seen firsthand how hard this past year can be for kids,” photographer Kate T. Parker told CNN. “My own two struggled, fought, learned and grew like so many others. It is hard to find an area of their lives unaffected by this pandemic. I was curious to hear from them, in their own words, exactly what they thought about life during quarantine. “Due to Covid-19, we’ve been forced to create smaller, safer worlds for ourselves. I was so thankful for this project to push out of our own bubble to safely see how other families and kids are experiencing this virus and the ensuing change of life,” she said. “Kids are overwhelmingly resilient. I remain in awe of their perspective and think Kaitlin really summed up the general response of the kids: ‘I learned a lot this last year,’ she told me. ‘Follow your dreams, and do it now. … Don’t wait, because you never know when you won’t have a chance.'” Here’s what several children told Parker about their lives during the pandemic. Kaitlin, 12: I have asthma. I’ve had it since I was a baby, so we had to be pretty strict in quarantine. It wasn’t all that bad, though. I learned how to skateboard and how to cook better. Also, because we had totally new routines, I formed a bond with people I might not have before Covid. I’ve gotten to know and make friends with people I might not have before this. I learned a lot this last year. Follow your dreams, and do it now. … Don’t wait, because you never know when you won’t have a chance. Abrianna, 13: When quarantine first started, I didn’t know what to do with myself. I was so busy before, running from school to dance practice to home. I realized I needed some hobbies. I started to learn how to do hair and make bracelets and put in extra work into my dance. And then two weeks turned into a month, and then we were out for the summer and now a year. I am actually happy to be virtual because my mom has lupus, and I don’t want to go to school then get sick, and then you pass that onto her and everybody else in the house. I did start to miss it some because it’s my last year before I graduate (from middle school), and I wanted to spend it there with my friends, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. Virtual is harder for sure, but I just focus on my work because if I do the work, I’ll have good grades, and it will make my parents proud. It can be lonely though, because sometimes, I’ll be honest, I don’t want to talk to my mom or I don’t want to talk to my dad. Sometimes I don’t even want to talk to my counselor at school. I’ve learned more this year about myself and about to not take things for granted — 2020 was a rough year, but I would rather say that it was a year that changed everything more than it was a bad year. Charlotte, 11: It was good and bad. The bad part was virtual school, which is really bad because it is annoying and boring. But the good part was I got to spend time with this little monkey (my sister). And I also learned how to finger knit and how to play soccer. So now my sister and I sit in bed together, listening to podcasts and finger knitting. I just wish everyone would wear masks and use hand sanitizer. Leela, 6: We moved to Atlanta in July, but before that we were in New Jersey. We had to stay in the house for five months straight and we couldn’t see my friends or my Nani or Grandpa. But, we did learn that we could slide down our front yard on cardboard boxes (in summer) and we made a fairy house in the basement. So, that was fun. Maddox, 7: Well, the pandemic has been hard for me. My dad is a doctor, so he couldn’t stay with us for three months at the beginning of the pandemic. It was just me and my brothers and my mom, he was trying to keep us all safe, especially me. I have leukemia, so we had to be really careful since I have to do chemo still. He’s back home now, which is good, and both my parents are now vaccinated. I also get to go to school in person, which is great. But, because of my cancer it’s not safe to go on the playground equipment. It’s hard when I see everyone having fun on the equipment. I have to stay on the ground. And just because I can’t go on the equipment, nobody plays tag with me. Like nobody ever tags me. But, my best friend Andrew is really nice to me. Yesterday I heard something on my mom’s phone, something that made me super happy. It said lots more people are getting the vaccine. I think that is good news. >>Read more
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11 incredible places you should travel in 2021

We’re pinning our hopes on this year bringing back travel – and if it does, these are the destinations you should hit up first. The year 2020 was a bad one for lots of reasons, but the near-total shutdown of international travel was certainly one of them. Many countries closed their borders. Constantly changing travel restrictions made planning near-impossible. We weren’t sure how safe it was to fly or stay in a hotel. And in any case, local outbreaks and health measures made travel in many parts of the world feel either risky or… well, just not that fun. We’re hoping that’s all going to change this year. The global vaccine rollout promises to reopen borders, relax rules and soothe at least some of our anxieties. Frankly, you’re probably desperate to get out there again. (We definitely are.) So, assuming things do return to something like normal, there’s just one question: where to travel first? Here are our suggestions: a list of incredible destinations that deserve to feature heavily in your 2021 plans. Maybe you’re looking for a bucket-list trip to really make up for not being able to travel in 2020, or thinking about dipping a toe back into city breaks. Perhaps you’re desperate for adventure and new scenery after being cooped up at home, or just want to get as far away from humans as possible. Whatever you’re after in a great 2021 travel destination, we’ve got you. Just make sure to keep an eye on our regularly updated list of destinations accepting travelers right now, and may the road rise to meet you. 11. Tallinn Relatively speaking, Estonia has had rather few cases of coronavirus, and that’s in no small part thanks to its small but fun-loving capital, Tallinn. In spring 2020, a company called Garage48 set up an initiative called ‘Hack the Crisis’ that brought together more than 800 tech workers to help combat the virus. The government paid serious attention, putting Tallinn’s thriving tech scene on the map. The vibe throughout the city center is pretty Scandinavian – cutting-edge cuisine, a thriving design scene, and craft beer bars on every corner – but with a lot more Soviet architecture and prices that are much more wallet-friendly than you’d ever find in Copenhagen or Helsinki. Hang out in the fast-regenerating harbourside area of Kalamaja, which was named one of the world’s coolest neighborhoods in October 2020. 10. Norway If 2020 was the Year of the Cabin – a time when every city-dweller wanted a country bolthole – then Norway is way ahead of the curve. The Scandinavian country has a huge and longstanding cabin culture, with about half the population having access to a hytte of some kind, and there is plenty for visitors to rent too, with intensely beautiful natural settings a given. If you’re not up for the traditional back-to-basics experience (outdoor toilets, no power, and water from a well) then check out some of the smart new openings dotting the country. From mountaintop ‘birdboxes’ to treehouses peering over fjörds, they’re adding a dose of luxury to the age-old feeling of hyttekos: that sense of wellbeing you only get when you’re tucked up in a cabin, miles away from… well, pretty much anything. 9. Japan With the postponed Tokyo Olympics now set for summer 2021, everyone’s going to be watching Japan this year. But there are loads more to the country than the bright lights of the world’s biggest metropolis. Rural tourism has been on the increase for years, and this year the government’s ‘Go to Travel’ scheme has (albeit not without controversy) aimed to reboot the tourist sector across all 47 prefectures. Barring new spikes, the country is likely to reopen to visitors in time for cherry blossom season. And when it does, your trip should definitely include one of Japan’s national parks – maybe the islands of Setonaikai, or Nikko with its Unesco-listed temples and shrines – where authorities have been setting up idyllic, high-tech ‘workation’ spots for anyone who wants to bring a laptop to paradise. 8. Sète Trips to major cities aren’t likely to bounce back totally in 2021, but we’ve got a feeling that mini-city breaks are going to be huge – all the fun of city life with smaller crowds. And if that’s your vibe, we’d recommend Sète: a small city in the Languedoc region of France, roughly halfway between Marseille and Barcelona. The water-jousting contests, street-side poetry readings, and a thriving population of Occitan speakers make this place feel worlds (and centuries) removed from the rest of the country. Festivals like Fiest’à Sète and Gilles Peterson’s Worldwide usually draw thousands here in summer. But the best reason to hit up this unassuming city in any year is the monstrously good seafood – especially the tielle sétoise, a spicy tomato, and octopus pie. 7. Isles of Scilly Our appetite for rural, lesser-populated spots is set to sail right on into 2021 – and few places in the UK tick those boxes better than the Isles of Scilly. An unspoilt archipelago just off the Cornish coast, the Scillies have a subtropical vibe, down to the islands’ white sandy beaches and bobbing palms. The tiny islands (five lived-on and countless uninhabited) are all connected by local boat routes, though a few times a year you can walk between Tresco and Bryer, when a festival takes place on the briefly exposed seabed at low tide. Wild swimming, wildlife-spotting hikes and dark skies are big draws – the Scillies’ first Dark Skies Week will now take place in 2021. They’ve also never been so accessible thanks to a new helicopter route from Penzance on the mainland, which launched this year when no one was really able to take advantage of it. 6. Tulsa The coolest park in the United States isn’t in New York or San Francisco – it’s tucked away in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Since 2018, the 100-acre Gathering Place has been wowing visitors with a three-acre lake, multiple playgrounds that >>Read more
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Self-storage facility coverage and tips

How to safely store—and best insure—your off-premise stuff Self-storage units can be a good way keep clutter out of your home. And having the right insurance coverage is the best way to financially protect your off-premise belongings. Properly choose your self-storage facility The storage facility you choose can impact the safety of your belongings. To choose wisely: Look for a secure facility. At a minimum, make sure there’s fencing that secures the entire property and controlled access. Ideally, the storage building should have onsite security features such as 24-hour video surveillance cameras and coded security pads. Also, find out about the facility’s procedures in cases such as a fire or flood. Look for a unit with climate control. Very high or very low temperatures and dampness can quickly cause damage to appliances and furniture. Make sure that rising ground water from snow or rain is unable to penetrate the storage. Consider a storage company that offers insurance. If your renters or homeowners insurance does not provide off-premises coverage, you may want to opt for one of the storage company’s coverage options. Keep in mind that any facility should also have its own insurance to cover damages to the property, or injuries that occur on the premises. Check that the facility is clean and well maintained. If a storage facility is not routinely and thoroughly cleaned, there is a good possibility no one is monitoring for bugs and rodent infestations. Verify that the facility has a permanent, reliable pest extermination contract in place before you trust them with your belongings. Before you store your stuff Take steps to adequately insure your belongings before you put them in storage. Ask your insurance professional about off-premises coverage. Some standard homeowners and renters insurance policies include coverage for personal possessions kept off-premises, including those in a storage facility. Off-premises coverage includes theft and damage from fires, tornadoes and other perils listed in the policy. However, it does not cover for damage caused by flooding, earthquakes, mold and mildew, vermin or poor maintenance. And check the coverage limits, as these vary by company. Find out what type of financial protection is provided by the storage facility. Most facilities provide reimbursement based on the square footage of the unit. Check both the coverage limits and whether it is provided on an actual cash value or replacement cost basis. Most storage facilities will also offer a variety of supplemental insurance packages; ask your insurance professional if it makes sense to buy this additional coverage. Consider special insurance or storage for expensive items. If you intend to store valuable property—such as art, antiques, jewelry or furs—there may be dollar restrictions under your standard homeowners or renters insurance policy for theft. Ask your insurance professional about adding a floater to your policy in order to fully cover these items. There are also specialized storage facilities available for these types of items, as they often need to be kept at specific temperature and humidity levels. Small items such as jewelry will cost less to insure if they are kept in a bank safe-deposit box. Keep in mind contents in a safe-deposit box are not insured by the bank. Create an inventory of items to be kept off-premises in storage. Add the items you’re moving to the storage unit to your home inventory so that you can keep track of your belongings and make sure you have the right amount of insurance to protect them.
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