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Lockdown 2.0 – WHAT ARE THE THINGS YOU SHOULD DO TO KEEP YOURSELF GOING?

Lockdown is back again and we all can agree that we feel the same way we felt back in 2020. The only difference from last year is that we are more careful and prepared this time to face the virus, and also now we have vaccines .  The situation is also much worse than it was last year, everywhere we are getting to hear only depressing news and in such a situation it is very normal to feel very down and demotivated.  But as we know life doesn’t stop for anyone and up’s and downs are a part of our live but at the end,  we must have the courage to pull back ourselves together. 

So here are 4 ways I feel you can keep yourself motivated and happy in these difficult times :

  1. Read Books : As someone once said that “books are our best friends”, this phrase is becoming true day by day. In these days when we want to travel, we don’t have to do anything, we can just open a page of our book and travel the world. Along with killing time and enhancing our vocabulary , reading books give us a peace of mind. Reading books also positively affects our life in many ways , like it strengthens our brains , reduces our stress and it also helps to increase our concentration.  I am an avid reader and I at least read two books a week and I urge others to reduce their screen time and read more books !





Pic courtesy : https://www.huffpost.com/archive/in/entry/hard-to-read-books-lockdown-anxiety_in_5ed104cfc5b6fe25da3cb7a0
  • Spend Time with your family – As we all know from our experience in last year that these lockdown times are the best times to spend quality time with our families. In these times , you get to understand your family better.  You should try out different things with your family and those things which might have been impossible to do during normal days like playing board games, watching a movie together or baking a cake!  Also catch up with distant family members and close friends .
Pic Courtesy – https://foodwithiron.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-spending-time-with-family
  • Europe,2019
  • Meditate & Exercise  : The most important thing in lockdowns I feel is to make time for yourselves. Meditation helps us to reduce stress and helps to improve our emotional health.  Staying mentally and physically healthy is also important during these times, one should maintain a healthy exercise routine and go for half an hour walks or cycling in the garden as spending time with the nature also gives one a peace of mind.
45 minutes walk is a must for me everyday!
  • Maintaining a Healthy Diet : Maintaining a healthy diet is very important  as we tend to eat a lot of junk food in these days. Earlier, we used to have a fixed routine for everything including our eating schedules but now I don’t think many people follow that routine and neither the eating schedules. Occasionally, ordering food from outside is okay but doing that everyday leads to health problems and now the situation is so bad that the hospitals also won’t admit anyone without a Covid test.  So, to be on the safer side we should always eat healthy. Some of the healthy dishes that one can try out are : Banana Coconut Idli, Roasted makhana with dry fruits, peanut butter sandwich and many more! You can check out more dishes at – https://www.shawacademy.com/blog/easy-healthy-recipes-at-home-during-lockdown/ . Some of the healthy dishes that I made with my family in the lockdown are Mango Kheer , Kashmiri Sooji and along with that I also had fresh fruits!!
Fresh Fruits!!!
Mango Kheer!!

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5 Things that are a must while visiting Italy, Europe!!

Venice !

Near the Vatican !!

Europe is one of the most diverse and magnificent continents in the world. All the countries in Europe are beautiful but so far Italy has been my favorite.   There is a lot to see in Italy .  I had just been to Italy in the year 2019 and It was one of the best trips so far!

Today, I will tell 5 things that are  a must while your visit to ITALY-

  1. Visit the Vatican City – This is for history lovers;  Vatican City is the smallest country in the world. It was founded by  Pope Julius II in 1506. It is surrounded by Rome. It has the Vatican Museums house ancient Roman sculptures such as the famed “Laocoön and His Sons” as well as Renaissance frescoes in the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, famous for Michelangelo’s ceiling.   It became independent in 1929 . It has the world’s most famous paintings and sculptures and its economy is supported by donations and by the sale of souvenirs. It is a must visit in Rome.  The ticket prices vary from 8 to 9 EURO.

 

  1. Gelatos and Pizza’s – My favorite part of Italy was its food. I love continental food and the most famous continental food that are there are Pizza’s and Pasta. Italy is famous for its pizza and almost in every restaurant there is a special menu with a variety of pizza’s.  Over thee the pizzas are differently made ; the dough is much softer and fresh vegetables are used and are served piping hot. Their price is 8 euros which often goes up  depending on the place. However, I would suggest local places more than the restaurants as the taste is much better there and the price is also reasonable.

Italy is also known for it’s  luscious gelatos. You find gelatos almost in every corner of the city. They’re served with chocolate sauce , vanilla cream , strawberry and mint toppings, etc. There price vary’ s from 4-5 euros depending upon the size of the ice cream.

 

 

  1. City Centers of each city- City centers of each city are very beautiful. My favorite one till now was that of Milan, it was magnificent. They’re always filled with crowds, different people doing different things. There are people who do different things there mainly to earn some money like street dancing, singing songs, playing the guitar, etc. They do it very well too !  All the city centers are all very photogenic areas , different types of photos can be clicked , beside the churches , among the pigeons , and there are many such spots. However, photos are forbidden to be clicked inside the church , if you do, they will fine you severely and the laws are implemented very strictly there !  It is also a good spot for shopping. All the things that they sell there are local and are of very good quality and the price there is also reasonable.  So, be sure to shop from here only!

 

  1. Venice – It is a must visit in Italy. According to me it is the most city in Italy. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. It is also known as the  “La Dominante”, “La Serenissima”, “Queen of the Adriatic”, “City of Water”, “City of Masks”, “City of Bridges”, “The Floating City”, and “City of Canals”.   The main points of interests in Venice are Rialto Bridge , Burano, Doge’s palace , Saint Mark Basilica. It has no roads only canals. It is very amusing to think that people live their everyday lives by the river.  In Venice you will find different varieties of food.  But the most unique thing in Venice is its ‘lagoon aquaculture’, which provides the city with speciality seafood and you can’t find it anywhere else in Italy.  Those who are interested in art , Venice is a must for you then, it contains numerous art galleries and museums where ideas for paintings and drawings can be taken.  Venice again is also a very photogenic area with its winding canals, striking architecture, and beautiful bridges , many beautiful pictures can be clicked.  Local shopping can be done in Venice, but the rates are high. The things that can be brought are Murano Glass, Venetian Masks, Door Knockers, paper products , etc.   Gondola Ride was also one of the most memorable experiences I had in Venice. The gondola gives you a tour of the whole city.  It is a must activity in Venice and the prices are set no variation .

 

  1. Last but not the least visit Siena – It is a city in central Italy’s Tuscany region and is distinguished by its medieval brick buildings. It has the fan-shaped central square, Piazza del Campo,  Palazzo Pubblico, the Gothic town hall, and Torre del Mangia, a slender 14th-century tower with sweeping views from its distinctive white crown.  I developed a special fondness for this place by seeing their marvellous architecture , brick buildings , and art museums.  Other than that, it is famous for its  cuisine, medieval cityscape and the Palio, a horse race held twice a year. We went during the summers and that is why we got to see the unique dance with flags that they perform during the summers in the month of July. Siena is not a very common tourist spot, but it is a must visit for art and architecture lovers !